Occupations

Features, Gender

Women and Occupations
By Lindsey Smith

When I was 12 I decided I was going to be a firefighter. This decision stemmed from the most traumatizing experience I’ve ever been through. My next-door neighbors’ house caught on fire in the middle of the night. It was one of the scariest scenes I have ever witnessed. Kelly (the mother), Pete (the father), Heather (their little girl) were able to make it out safely. But the problem was Sarah was still stuck inside her bedroom. Apparently the ceiling had caved in right in front of her bedroom door locking her inside. The parents rushed over to my house and called 911. After what felt like 3 hours, I finally heard the fire engine coming. It raced down my street stopping in front of their house and a handful of firefighters all dressed in yellow jumped off and ran into the house, not even scared. I was crying and felt helpless as could be. Sarah was my new best friend, she had just moved in that past summer and we became very close. I was terrified I would never be able to see her again. Finally, the person dressed in a big yellow suit came running over to where my family was standing with Pete, Kelly and Heather. The person was carrying Sarah, and it was a woman. I was so happy when I saw Sarah I threw my arms around the firefighter and thanked her for saving my friend. This was the moment when I realized that I wanted to be just like that woman. She was so courageous just running into the burning house without even hesitating! I wanted to be able to give the gift of life back to someone; to be able to save someone who isn’t supposed to die yet. So after that I pursued my career in firefighting. You have no idea how hard that was. Even though fire did scare me, especially by seeing how easily it could damage a house within minutes and almost destroy a life, I still was adamant in becoming a firefighter. I became an EMT after many classes and much training. But I had begun to notice a difference in how many women there were in the field versus men. I always felt as though I had something to prove, just because I was a minority. I was always surrounded by boys and I felt as though I had to be just as good or even better them then in anything, so it became more like a game than a passion. That’s basically the reason why I didn’t stick with it.

Firefighting apparently is considered a “mans” job, and a woman was not wanted. They excluded me in many activities. But what bothered me the most is seeing woman after woman apply for a position who was just as good as the boy didn’t receive it. If it were up to me, I would rather have the person who qualified for the job, whether they were a man or a woman should not matter. Still today I sometimes regret quitting trying to be a firefighter. I feel as though if I had stuck with it I would be more proud of myself, but the hardships I would endure would be awful. I can’t imagine how much you’d have to fight for yourself in order to have to prove that you’re good enough. After a while that hurts your spirit and then you start to question whether or not you really are good enough, and you should never have to question that. Firefighting is a very well respected job, and I will always be forever grateful that that woman saved my friends life. She gave me a reason to want to help people, and that I think is the best thing you can give someone. Maybe someday I will return to firefighting, but for now I will be a Sociologist.

Next time you’re around a receptionist, elementary school teacher, or a nurse notice whether it’s a male or a female. Most likely it will be a woman. Throughout the past hundred years there have been stereotypes of a “mans” job versus a “woman’s’” job. The fact that female-dominated fields pay less even when qualifications, experience and working time are taken into account bothers me quite a bit. Thankfully, in 1982, women surpassed men in obtaining bachelor degrees in college. We are moving on up in this world, and we’re going to show them what we’re made of! Women are just as smart as men and can do whatever they can do, if not better. This difference between women and men’s’ occupation is what sociologists mean when they refer to the gender segregation of work. And hopefully sooner or later our society will shape up and there will no longer be gap between women and men’s’ jobs.

mwalsh @ April 10, 2008