smilingirl's Journal: a comment i made recently..

I wanted to reflect upon a comment I made fairly recently in which the many responses made by the males that read this site reflect much of their so-called problems with girls.

Ok, I made a comment about how cell phones were good for when you have car trouble and I mentioned that I don't know how to change a flat tire and that I was a girl.

What do I get in reply? Comments like... OH MY GOD you need to exercise if you can't jack up a car or loosen lug nuts. Comments like... you should not be allowed to drive a car if you can't change a tire!!! Comments like... GO FREAKING LEARN.

These guys don't realize that I have incredibly skinny arms and there's little hope that I could manage it myself. I can't even open a new pickle jar, much less loosen some old rusted on lugnuts. Plus, I had juvenile rhematoid arthritis when I was younger and my wrists have joint damage. Are there any nice comments like, awww I would help you if you had a flat and I knew you? No. Just sarcastic holier-than-thou comments.

And then there was the comment about hiking up a skirt to get someone to come change it for you. Guys, learn some respect. Girls don't appreciate that crap, at least not the ones worth anything. It's not funny or cute or amusing.

I mean, I know that I should expect such crap since I *am* on slashdot, but it just pretty much disgusted me. At least in the south, most guys are more caring than that.

Granted, there were a few decent comments in there.

Like this comment... "Seriously though, it's not that hard. Get a freind to have a "dummy run" and show you how to do it, then try it yourself. If you get stuck he/she can help you. Remember, dirt washes off :)" That's ok except the last part... he just ASSUMES that I'm afraid of dirt. No, I'm not. I don't give a crap about getting greasy hands. I hate long fingernails and hell, I am going to school to be an engineer. The other idea is fine though, but my dad is always like "girls can't use wrenches" so I've never had a chance to learn. But I didnt' mind that comment at all really.

And here's one that was quite understanding: "I think your original comment gave the impression that you didn't know how to change your tire because you didn't want to, not because you didn't have the ability to - that's where all of these replies are coming from now. It's fine if you don't have the strength to do it, but knowing what to do in incidents is the key, and I'm sure that you know that as well."

Thank you.

And I'm sorry if I sound like I'm bent out of shape over this or something, because I'm not at all. Posting on slashdot is merely a side hobby in the background of my busy life, but I just felt like posting about that in my journal just because... it is *my* journal. =)