Page 19 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

WOMEN
WOMEN > BREAKING BARRIERS MAIN REASONS
IN OUR
I LOVE WIMDOI
TRADE
1. Acceptance
I'm a loud woman. I scream, I swear, I argue, I like to be the centre of attention. I like to create. I draw, bake and cook. I make costumes: pretty skirts with lots of frills, fur, super bright colours, pink things, glitter, sparkles.
These aspects of myself don't really it in at work. Don't get me wrong, I like tools too, and I don't mind hard work or getting dirty. But sometimes I feel afraid to be myself, afraid to be a woman.
WIMDOI is a place of acceptance. Here being a woman and being respected go hand in hand.
Do you know how to use that? You can't lift that. Are you ok with that? Sure? Really sure??
2. Value
I consider myself pretty lucky. No man I’ve worked with has been a complete arsehole. I’ve had no threats, no harassment, no hostility. What I have experienced though, time and time again, is underestimation.
If I were to go and pick up something heavy now, a WIMDOI woman might ask if I want a hand, instead of trying to tell
me that I can’t, or shouldn’t – or just not to worry “cos
one of the guys can do it’’.
3. Understanding
Each of us have our own story to tell; each of us see the world through our own lens. Some of us struggle and some of us ind it easy to be in a male-dominated job.
WIMDOI was the irst place where I really felt understood. Instead of saying “if you don’t like the way your workmates treat you sometimes, why don't you leave?”
a WIMDOI will say “Oh yeah, that's happened to me too”. She'll understand that even though our work is hard sometimes, it’s still where we want to be.
4. Diversity
I went to trade school with one other female. Coming to my irst WIMDOI conference was a massive eye opener. Young, old, big, small, muscley, petite, conident, quiet, tough, feminine. I was surrounded by different beautiful, talented, strong women.
Our diversity makes us stronger. The more diversity we have, the more young girls will see they really can be whatever they want.
5. Inspiration
I left in awe of all the passionate and talented women I met at WIMDOI, some of whom have been in their industry for decades – women who have endured some really terrible things from their coworkers and bosses.
Women who have fought, who have stood up and said “no, you can't say that to me, you can’t do that to me”.
ETU member Phoenix Bade presented some powerful insights at this year’s Women in Male Dominated Occupations and Industries ‘WIMDOI’ Conference.
The electricians’ road less travelled
I started my apprenticeship at 23. Before then I worked in independent theatre and taught circus to children.
The decision to become a sparkie was a lightbulb moment. Literally – I was in a theatre up a ladder changing a light when I got an electric shock. That moment started a fascination in me to understand how things worked and why that had happened.
When I began my apprenticeship I was nervous.
I spent a lot of time worrying about what people thought about me. I wanted to be judged on my work not my sex.
My irst WIMDOI conference last year had a huge impact on me. It helped me start to accept myself, to stop being ashamed of being
diferent.
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THE ETU > SUMMER 2016
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