males and females

This isn't necessarily environmental but I thought of the "male/female" dichotomy and their connotations at work today.

I am the properties master at the theater, however I spent two years on shop crew. I know my way around jig saws, chop saws, screw guns, squares, and levels. This year, shop crew is full of male newbies who are unaware of my history.

I was taking down a curtain that I had made of burlap stapled in pleats to a plank of wood. It was hanging in a very tricky spot between two walls, with about three inches of work space. I had taken out all the screws when one of them wouldn't come out of the plank of wood, jamming it between the two walls. I struggled with it for less than a minute when one of the boys came over and asked if I needed assistance. I didn't want to be rude, so I explained the problem with the screw and offered him the screw gun. Instead, he seized the plank of wood and yanked it downward, snapping the screw and freeing the curtain. "Or....there's....that.....okay..." I said as he handed me the 1x4, smirking.

I realize he was just being nice and trying to help, but every time I'm working on something in the shop, all of those boys fly to my rescue, even when I don't need it. However, I had a male coworker who was struggling with trimming the top of a plastic bucket. He tried multiple tools, and no one in the shop offered to help.

I'm not upset, and I'm not going to be indignant. I can't help but smile when they insist on "helping" me, even though I've spent more time around the theater power tools than they have.