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Teach Your Girls to Get Dirty, Your Boys to Be Soft
Learning basic life skills shouldn’t depend on gender.
Many years ago, I worked in an area with construction everywhere. Flat tires were a regular occurrence. Of course, you never realize you have a nail in your tire when it’s convenient. It’s always when you have no time and someplace to be.
I had watched my boyfriend change my tire before. I saw what he did. I knew where the jack and the spare tire for my little Chevy S-10 was located so I did what I needed to do. I changed my tire all by myself. It felt good. I felt strong and capable.
Every woman I know that has to do something they don’t necessarily want to do, without the help of a man, feels the same thing afterward. Empowered.
I read an article last week about a football coach out of Athens, AL who has what he calls “Manly Mondays.” He teaches his players how to do basic things like change a tire or make a simple plumbing repair. How to “look a man in the eye and give him a firm handshake.”
Not how to look a person in the eye. How to look a man in the eye. It’s subtle. Most people won’t notice that. I did. I’m willing to be a lot of other women did, too. Somewhere…
