In the Forest be an Indian or Making it Work in a Man's World

Robin Lamar

I often tell people that doing my job is like working in a men's locker room. I get to be on the inside of a lot of Guy Stuff. I knew that when I decided to be an aircraft mchanic and it is still true. Things are a lot better then when I started 12 years ago. But the numbers where I work have not changed much. There are only 2 women mechanics and we work the Junior shift of Graveyard. The company I work for stresses Human Diversity and has a Zero tolerance program in place. It is good and things are noticeably better then in past years.

But I am better also. I have learned to walk like a Indian in my forest. When I am in the city I can walk like a city person. I can be loud and bold and in that way blend in with my environment. If I do that in the forest I will scare the native creatures and make unnecessary turmoil for myself.

Now that I spend most of my time in the forest of men, I have tried to adapt my self to my environment... to this culture. It sure isn't the culture of a tea-party or a baby shower. And the things that would make me popular and liked at a shower, just don't work at work!

A tricky one is laughter. I don't mean a sense of humor. I mean the sound of a female laugh in a locker room. I got bit on this one several times before I figured it out. The sound of a girlish giggle in a room full of men, will stop all work completely for several long minutes, while the collective minds drift to the "other" world where the sound is common. The minds reflect on girl friends, on daughters on sisters and wife, On "fun times" had with those women, and it stays there for several long moments.

I used to wonder why my supervisor would yell at me when there was a crowd of 8-10 of us standing around talking. It turns out mine was the only voice he could hear! My voice is, was then, several octaves higher in pitch than the other 9 people I was standing with! One couldn't pick out any other voice from the group, except the one that was in a different register.

Did I stop laughing? Did I get fired, for talking to much? Did I stop talking? No, to all of the above. I simply lowered the pitch of my voice to blend into my forest. I consciously tried to laugh and not giggle. To "he- he" not "twiddle." I am more likely to guffaw now than chortle in soprano. And you know it didn't hurt me a bit. I get to spend more time with the people I like, the people I work with. I think we all laugh more and no one is being called on the carpet for it.

It is not managements fault if "We" are the only ones they can hear. This is not truly a matter of discrimination but of blending of different cultures!

Try it !. It might make your life easier also!

Laughter... is the best policy.... but a giggle will stop work production.

(Robin Lamar earned a degree in Anthropology before becoming a mechanic for a major airline.)