Is Pprune a men’s club?
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 8,241
Is Pprune a men’s club?
I get the distinct impression that the vast majority of Ppruners are men so why would that be? Does PPRuNe need a dedicated social section aimed at women on topics like how to iron a mans shirt correctly and the removing of the Tampon tax? Maybe a thread for woman to discuss why the underwear they buy changes after they get married? So does anyone here admit to being female?
Last edited by LTNman; 6th Jan 2021 at 06:58.
Thought police antagonist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
Posts: 55
You seem to have missed allowing women to indulge in a spot of fine needlework and crocheting when not ensuring the home is a haven of pristine cleanliness....
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 10
Originally Posted by LTNman
I get the distinct impression that the vast majority of Ppruners are men so why would that be? Does PPRuNe need a dedicated social section aimed at women on topics like how to iron a mans shirt correctly and the removing of the Tampon tax? Maybe a thread for woman to discuss why the underwear they buy changes after they get married? So does anyone here admit to being female?
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: West Wiltshire, UK
Age: 68
Posts: 390
In my cohort during training there was one woman amongst us, out of about 30 in total. She was apparently only the third woman to ever go through the course. In a bit over 20 years of flying as a part of my job, I never once met another woman doing the same job. I would guess the same might be true in other aviation, engineering and scientific roles from around that time (my training started in 1978), perhaps less so in the civil world than in the military one. Given that a fair few here are over 40 years old, I would guess that there will be a natural bias dating back to that time when most jobs of this type were done by men. Things are changing, but it will probably be another ten to twenty years until we see the shift here, I'd guess.
There is probably also an unconscious bias because of the format of this forum. Many younger people (and hence more younger women in aviation-related jobs) probably don't head for any social media format like this, that has its roots back in the threaded structure of 1990's bulletin boards. They are probably far more likely to head to Facebook, Instagram etc. I've noticed this on other forums, where those using bulletin board style forums tend to be significantly older than those using things like Facebook groups. I can't confirm this for sure, as I refuse to have anything to do with Facebook (because I dislike it's anti-privacy policy), but I do occasionally post on another forum where it has been mentioned that most of the younger people interested in that topic use a Facebook group, rather than the forum.
There is probably also an unconscious bias because of the format of this forum. Many younger people (and hence more younger women in aviation-related jobs) probably don't head for any social media format like this, that has its roots back in the threaded structure of 1990's bulletin boards. They are probably far more likely to head to Facebook, Instagram etc. I've noticed this on other forums, where those using bulletin board style forums tend to be significantly older than those using things like Facebook groups. I can't confirm this for sure, as I refuse to have anything to do with Facebook (because I dislike it's anti-privacy policy), but I do occasionally post on another forum where it has been mentioned that most of the younger people interested in that topic use a Facebook group, rather than the forum.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 8,241
Originally Posted by Effluent Man
It's not just PPRuNe. I'm on a couple of other forum sites and the overwhelming majority of contributions are from men.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 10,931
I would guess the same might be true in other aviation, engineering and scientific roles from around that time (my training started in 1978), perhaps less so in the civil world than in the military one.
Head of the branch was Joan Hopkins - best boss I ever worked for.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: West Wiltshire, UK
Age: 68
Posts: 390
Originally Posted by ORAC
I joined the RAF Fighter Control branch in 1974, at that time around 50% of the controllers were WRAF - perhaps because they weren’t allowed to stream as aircrew.
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 1,403
Were this not PPRuNe, the above responses would be considered remarkable and non-PC or some such. On PPRuNe, it 'goes with the territory' that human characteristics, be they gender, beliefs, age, social background etc. are of immense importance to those who have little else to offer.
Now why don’t men knit?
Should the OP ever wish to join humanity, he could do worse than research the Bishop of Leicester (past) or Kaffe Fassett ... but heaven forfend that some of our contributors deal with facts !
Similarly, the extraordinarily gross comment from BV, who must speak from a plateau of Adonis-like features, might be modified were he to search for comments made on the merits of the lady. If he were ever to earn, and, demonstrably, deserve such plaudits, he might grow up enough to realise the gross insensitivity of his remarks. I was never fortunate enough to meet her, but during 35 years of service, I did meet a bare handful of similarly regarded 'gems' ... and a multitude of their opposites! ... the temptation is strong - but I shall refrain!
I shall, similarly refrain from commenting on LTNman's, slightly disconcerting, curiousity in respect of ladies' underwear ... takes all sorts, I suppose!
Now why don’t men knit?
Should the OP ever wish to join humanity, he could do worse than research the Bishop of Leicester (past) or Kaffe Fassett ... but heaven forfend that some of our contributors deal with facts !
Similarly, the extraordinarily gross comment from BV, who must speak from a plateau of Adonis-like features, might be modified were he to search for comments made on the merits of the lady. If he were ever to earn, and, demonstrably, deserve such plaudits, he might grow up enough to realise the gross insensitivity of his remarks. I was never fortunate enough to meet her, but during 35 years of service, I did meet a bare handful of similarly regarded 'gems' ... and a multitude of their opposites! ... the temptation is strong - but I shall refrain!
I shall, similarly refrain from commenting on LTNman's, slightly disconcerting, curiousity in respect of ladies' underwear ... takes all sorts, I suppose!
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: EU
Posts: 437
Poor LTNman. Guess his wife thought he wasn’t worth trying for once the reality of marriage set in. No lingerie? A portend of no lots of other peripherals that.
BV. I have to say that I find your comment thoroughly sexist and derogatory. Clearly Joan Hopkins operated in a man’s world and filled those boots credibly. And all you have to say is that she looks a bit scruffy? Hard to imagine that you would apply the same standard to a man in that role, dressed like that. Nor does she look scruffy: She looks like a woman doing “a man’s job” at a time when that was extraordinary.
BV. I have to say that I find your comment thoroughly sexist and derogatory. Clearly Joan Hopkins operated in a man’s world and filled those boots credibly. And all you have to say is that she looks a bit scruffy? Hard to imagine that you would apply the same standard to a man in that role, dressed like that. Nor does she look scruffy: She looks like a woman doing “a man’s job” at a time when that was extraordinary.
