Women Who Wear Pants: Still Somehow Controversial

[MissB]

11. I frequently go out "in the field" to large facilities

to inspect or troubleshoot. I wear jeans, because the folks I meet with are wearing jeans, and I'd look out of place - and frankly prissy- if I wore anything other than jeans. I might be wearing a sweater instead of a tshirt but I'm basically ready to crawl into small spaces as needed.

So a few years ago I was out working for a few days troubleshooting at one location with someone from the federal government. She was appalled that I wasn't wearing a skirt like she was. Um, so you don't get out much do you, I asked. No, she was usually behind a desk. I could understand that but she went on about how women shouldn't wear pants.

I drank every night. She was a sweet lady but goodness she got on my last nerve with her outdated ideas of gender roles.

Early in my career I was used to men looking at me askew until I proved my worth in their world. But to run into such outdated thinking only a few years ago - from a woman- just really blew my mind.