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Male and Female railfans and railroaders
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Think about it for a minute: <br />For the first 150 years of railroading, the expected roles in society were fairly clearly defined. <br />Employment operating trains (i.e. Engineers, Brakemen, Conductors) was clearly a MALE thing. <br />Little boys were given LIONEL TRAINS and expected to grow up to be Locomotive Engineers (and G.I.s and truck drivers & fishing boat captains, etc). <br />Little girls were given DOLLS and were expected to grow up to be Motthers and Housewives, etc. <br />Sorry if I shock or offend the generation X-ers who grew up after these barriers were dissolved, but that's the way it was back in the days of Ward and June Cleaver. <br />It's no small wonder that society responded to those "established" role guidelines that were in place for so long. <br />From what I can see, the barriers in EMPLOYMENT have dissolved faster tahn those in railfandom, although both are dissolving. <br />Psychological barriers are harder to dissolve. I've still heard of MALES being ridiculed for having careers as Nurses, and I remember 30 years ago, a male railfan friend of mine was embarrased to find work as a telephone switchboard operator. <br />Finally, let me say this: Walk into a social event, with a mixed gender attendence. Now, start spouting off about a railroad subject. You'll probably be told QUITE QUICKLY, how much of a GIRL THING that trains are NOT !
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