BG> In my case, small is not a word that people use to describe me,
BG> petite I am not, but, in our local IATSE #50, we have a number of women
BG> working the calls, and with a few exceptions, we do the same jobs as
BG> the men  including lifting. When we place large consoles like the Amex
That's the same thing that happens in the decorators... We all pull our 
weight... (and freight, here in San Antonio).  Course, it's all in how we 
handle it (dollies, floorjacks, fork lifts, etc.).  But I've noticed on some 
of the shows (decorators) that the guys have still done the "I just can't let 
a woman do that!" syndrome.  I've told 'em repeatedly, "If I were a short 
guy, you'd say, 'Do it buddy!' or leave the floor!"  I've even had bosses ask 
me if they thought I could handle the job, because of the weight of something 
involved.
BG> including lifting. When we place large consoles like the Amex
BG> Recalls on
BG> the KISS tour, there were 8 people lifting them.
I know.  Just like some of the car show displays around here (for the trade 
shows).  It took 8 folks (all big fellows but me and the journeyman) to put 
the Jeep display in its 4 crates. I've had the guys say to me, "You handle 
the stuff on the floor and I'll hand 'em down to you" from  atop the 12 foot 
ladders. I keep telling 'em "If we were in Dallas, you wouldn't be doing this 
at all."  Since I'm usually not the one in charge of the particular job 
(since I'm a decorator's helper), I've run into it all the time here (in San 
Antonio, where there aren't very many women working in convention 
decorating.). I've had Freeman supervisors give the safety talks at the first 
of the day's shift say, "Guys" and then say, "Please don't be offended!" to 
me.  I've told 'em "You can call me 'Hey, You' as long as you pay me! 
I think if there were more women in the business around here (in audio as 
well as decorating) there wouldn't be such a "Sir Gallahad/Sir Walter Raleigh 
attitude" with the guys.  Course, with Freeman, safety is first and they 
stress all the usual OSHA stuff, like proper lifting of an object, use of 
stairs, and especially "Don't try to move something to big for you... Get 
whatever equipment and/or personnel necessary to move it safely.
BG> But, you are right, discrimination is still common whether
BG> intentional
BG> or not!
Well, I had gotten hurt on one show (the Mercedes-Benz booth display was 
heavier than we had all anticipated and the other person on the bottom wasn't 
in the right place to catch his half of the sign, and the sign started 
shifting as it came over - on my head... The Journeyman panicked and made me 
sit down.  I was fine... just a little rattled... but the rest of the day was 
light duty, just so I wouldn't have any problems and the supers' could keep a 
close watch on me.  I didn't see stars or anything, only had a slight 
headache (who wouldn't)... and I still put in 8 hours after that (which 
happened about 2 hours into the day.)  And boy, does something like that 
travel fast on the floor... Everyone, including Jeff, knew about the accident 
within about 30 minutes.  All the guys I knew kept coming over and asking me 
if I thought I needed to go to the hospital... and the poor feller who let go 
of his end caught *it* from all the other guys.
I guess it's really funny having 'em treat me like this; especially after 
I've had to horse around CS800's and other amps, mix boards, mic crates, and 
even staging and lighting almost by myself before.  After all, I had a B-3 
that I helped load (the one I played in a band) plus helped set up the band's 
equipment all the time and in a pinch on shows where we didn't have to 
provide our own equipment, I've even helped out when the sound crew was late 
setting up their equipment.  Give me a dolly and I'll move the world! 
Heck, I loaded a 800+ lb crate onto a flat dolly by myself and then was told 
at the freight dock, "Wait until you get some help to take it off!"  "Why? 
I'm the one who loaded by myself!"  
Nancy
Nancy
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