Okay, some of you might be aware of my entrenched hatred for gendered products.
For those of you who aren't, one of the things I hate most in the world is the idea of a Men's this or a Women's that. Every time, without fail, there is a product that comes in men's and women's versions, the women's version is usually weaker, less functional and more pointless than the men's version. Oh, and often in some ghastly shade of pink.
I refuse to accept the "fact" that, as a women, I deserve to have the crappiest version of whatever's going. I also refuse to accept the idea that there is a better, stronger, more useful version of this thing, but I can only have it if I'm also making some sort of comment about my own gender identity. Plus, I happen to like brown and blue. I find those colours much more appealing than those ghastly pinks, and more likely to suit my hair and skin colouring (redheads can't pull off most pinks - it's true).
I can embrace the idea of men's and women's versions only when there is an actual and physical difference between what men and women will do with this product or how they will wear it. Underpants, for example. I have no problems at all with men's and women's underpants being designed differently. I'm also quite fond of the idea that women's bicycle shorts would have a different shaped chamois to accommodate the wider pelvic bones most women have.
However, when those same women's bike shorts are more restrictive, made out of flimsier material and have smaller pockets which are less secure than the men's version... Well that make me cross.
Anyway, the latest thing to greatly annoy me is roller skates. I need a knew pair. This time 'round I want a good quality outdoor pair instead of a cheap indoor pair with plastic trucks.
Have you tried looking at the "good" roller skates? Let's just say that, as a woman, I am allowed to wear white skates with smallish wheels. The gents are allowed to wear black skates with a wide selection of wheel sizes. Oh, I could also get a pair of tan skates if I wanted to, but the wheel selection for those is pathetic.
Also, as a woman with big feet, I might not be allowed to wear skates at all. The sizes only go up to ten, and I'm usually an eleven, so I don't get skates. Not unless I go for a pair of men's skates - and, of course, everyone will know I'm wearing men's skates because they'll be black...
What if a man wants a pair of white skates? What if I want a pair of tan skates with the 100ml quadline wheels? These options should be available, but they're not. Why? because of product gendering.
If I want gender appropriate skates, I have to get a pair that will get dirty quickly if I dare use them outdoors (why would I want to do that with my outdoor skates anyway?) and won't roll as far or as fast as the men's skates (but why would a woman want to travel any distance with any efficiency anyway?) - and I'll have to get a pair with a boot that's a size too small (but, as a woman, I shouldn't have such big feet anyway).
Looks like I'll just end up having to do what I always end up having to do - choose gender inappropriate products. I'll be damned if I pay good money for the lesser of two products just because I'm a woman.
Nice post! I agree. There should be a larger range of unisex/ non-gendered products regardless of the product, be it electronic, clothing, sports goods... It is annoying to see, on entry to a shop, a so obvious division between men's and women's. I never thought of it that "women's" products as less robust or practical but it sounds like a good observation. From my side there is a greater choice of colours and styles in women's clothing such as jackets, tops and trosuers than in the men's section. They tend to be very monocromatic and unistyled. Simply less interesting
ReplyDeleteThis whole gendering happens so young. When my partner and I have a baby we are going to tell people to gift clothes and toys that are unisex: animals, building blocks, clothes that are in yellows and greens.
Next time you have the chance to compare a men's and women's version of something-or-other, take a look at the practicality and durability. Nine times out of ten, the women's version is flimsier and less useful.
ReplyDeleteWhy? I don't know. So it can be "delicate", I suppose. Because, you know, women are "delicate". And they don't get out much. And they don't move much. At least, they're not supposed to - that much is obvious.
It's not just that boys and girls are given different things from the day they come out of the womb - it's that the things girls are given are still so clearly designed to keep them at home, doing "girly" stuff...
And no one seems to notice. It's like we think we won the whole gender equity thing years ago and don't need to pay attention to things like this.