“This is a man’s world, this is a man’s world but it wouldn’t be nothing without a woman or a girl.” – song by James Brown
The late, great James Brown sang this song about how we live in a man’s world but even though man creates and brings all these great things to the world, this supposed “man’s world” would be nothing without the existence of a woman or a girl… he had that right.
Back then, it really was a man’s world but as time goes on and technology advances, that theory is becoming a thing of the past. According to the United States Department of Labor, women make up over 20% of male-dominated industries. So that just goes to show you that women have come a very long way and still have much to go.
Male-Dominated Industries
Male-dominated industries are also called non-traditional occupations. It’s these occupations that represent women employment of 25% or less. Take a look at some of these male-dominated industries that women are making their presence known in!
- Auto Mechanics
- Technology
- Firefighters
- Police Officers
- Architects
Women in Auto Mechanics
For many years, women have been stigmatized as being the “damsel in distress” when it comes to car repairs. If a woman gets a flat tire- get a man to fix it. If a woman needs an oil change- get a man to do it. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a man doing nice things like that for a woman but in today’s world, women a figuring out how to do these “manly” things on their own.
Some women have/had dads that taught them as young girls and teenagers how to change a tire and check their engine oil levels. For some of those girls, they grew up taking a real interest in cars and it essentially led them to pick a career in auto mechanics. If you can believe it, not all girls mind getting dirty like a true “grease monkey.”
Women in Technology
How many women actually work in the field of technology? Well, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), 25% of women made up that population in 2015.
Technology is an industry with a constant of change and is one of the top growth industries in America. It is believed that the increase in the growth of this industry has a lot to do with scientific contributions made by notable women in the tech industry.
Women in Emergency Services
From firefighters to police officers, women put on their boots the same way as any male firefighter or police officer. People with positions as first responders have the same type of training across the board. There’s no gender specificity in these types of roles.
When women take on roles in these types of fields, people have a stereotypical look on them saying that they’re probably “tomboys” or “lesbians,” and those stereotypes are very sad. A lot of these women don’t get the same type of recognition or even respect because they are women.
Women in these fields have families that they hope to see every day because they’re job involves putting their own lives on the line… to be criticized for something like that based on gender is the ultimate form of disrespect. It’s things like that, that make women so strong.
The odds are against you already for being a woman, but if you’re also a woman of color, the odds are really against you. To be a woman in a male-dominated industry such as this, you really have to have thick skin… but just know, anything he can do, you more than likely can do it better.
Women in Construction
Whether she’s doing the construction work or managing the construction workers, women are making grand appearances in the world of construction. Just as any man can operate light and heavy-duty trucks, who says a woman can’t either?
Is it because it’s there’s much dirt and grime involved with construction? Or is it because you have to be really strong? Who knows… exactly why women are the “odd man out” in this field but one thing’s for sure, and that’s the fact that you’re starting to see more women getting dirt under their fingernails in this industry!
