What's with lesbians working in home improvement stores?

[NovaTerra]

Nothing against black people or basketball courts, but you have to admit that when you step foot into a public park (at least here
in Tampa) 90% of the people playing ball are black as night!

NAACP stickers galore in the employee parking lot!

What's the attraction here?

Still think you did not make a bigoted statement?

 

[rgb7]

Sigh......,

 

[XMan]

Johnny,

It's not just a Tampa thing. I have a female friend who manages a Home Depot in Indiana.

Just nobody ask me about most of the female Xerox techs I've ever met . . .

I think the simplest explanation, Johnny, is that most lesbians tend to be more mechanically inclined than most other women. Whether it's because they took shop classes, were tomboys and helped their fathers with their cars, I dunno. Just an observation on my part.

 

[SSP]

Man! Lesbians are cool! They're fun to watch.

 

[cxim]

It's not just in Tampa... It's South of the Big Bridge as well @ Home Depot & there is not a big gay pop here.... More of a red neck haven... Maybe it's Florida pop culture ?

& the rest of you that thought it was a biggoted observation... go suck a short one ! on a cactus... observing that an area seems to attract a particular group of people is just that...an observation...

Key West has a huge gay population.... every one knows that... damn, I must be a biggot... have to tell my gay brother in law about this, damn, he's a biggot too !!

edited to remove the 'slugs'

 

[jonnyGURU]

It doesn't bother me, cxim. Thanks, though.

I've found that people that like to point the finger and call someone a bigot are those who are the biggest closet bigots of them all. Either the subject strikes a nerve or the person has to hide behind a lot of defensive arguement to avoid looking like a bigot themselves.

It's sort of sad.

Just another observation I've made in my walk of life.

 

[Emulex]

don't knock it if it weren't for lesbians, our porn would not be so good!

 

[creedog]

Man, some of you people need to back of the PC thing, (politically correct).

Jonny Guru, I think it might be safe to say that you probably might take more notice to a butch looking lesbian, than an average looking lady. I know that I would. So your observation is probably not all that acurate. Although it is probably true that you might not find too many dainty, manicured, primped women working at a home depot, rather you would probably find a woman who might not mind working in an environment where one might get really dirty, and perform manual labor. Or al least you might assume that this would be true. (PC folks, keep quiet)!

I have noticed many a butch looking lady working in these type stores, at lot more than in anyother type of retail.

BTW, I'n Atlanta there is a 24hour home depot that is notorious for annonymous male gay sex encounters in the restooms. I've heard that sometimes there is a line out the bathroom door.

 

[poop]

Yeah, I am glad to finally see some people defending poor JG here. I sure don't believe making an observation is bigotry, but apparantly many people feel it has.

And what is with this crap:


<< Nothing against black people or basketball courts, but you have to admit that when you step foot into a public park (at least here
in Tampa) 90% of the people playing ball are black as night! >>



I have observed, on many occasions, that many basketball playser are black. The distribution of skin color on a basketball court is skewed when compared to the national population. Is stating this fact bigotry? I think not. Bigotry is this:


<< All black people love basketball. >>


See the difference? Observing a person's skin color and making a statement about a person based on their skin color are two totally different things.

If someone calls me white, am I offended? Nope. BECAUSE I HAVE WHITE SKIN!!!

 

[jonnyGURU]

Xerox Man:



<< most lesbians tend to be more mechanically inclined than most other women. >>



Excellent observation, but I don't think it's always true. I know what YOU'VE seen and you're basing this on your observations, but of all the lesbians I know (which is more than normal due to my wife's friends and their friend's friends and the church I am a member of, being that they accept gays) none of them would feel more comfortable tearing down a wall than my wife, for example, despite the fact that half of these people are, dare I say, &quot;butch&quot;.

Your observation was the kind I was looking for and it seems to be that there's a toss up between: Is it a &quot;masculine woman can hold a hammer like any man&quot; or &quot;community getting together and working at the same place&quot;.

The latter of the two possibilities actually offends me. It's like reverse descrimination. Does a gay person not want to work with me at my work place because they don't have several gay friends there already? Sure, they might feel more comfortable with people present off the same sexual orientation, but you have to start somewhere. On that note: If I was a straight woman, does that make my chances at getting a job at one of these places lower?

It happens with all cultures, colors, etc.

Where I work we occasionaly have a &quot;black supremacist&quot; mail man. He comes in and gives us &quot;white guys&quot; a dirty look and talks about how &quot;the man&quot; is holding him back. Now before you think I'm a bigot towards blacks, keep reading. He found out we had a black gentleman working for us. He made it a point to start taking the mail directly to him and watched us out of the corner of his eye and on any given chance would spout off rhetoric about the man and oppression.

One day I pulled the black coworker off to the side, who happens to be a friend of mine because we are both major VW heads, and asked him what he thought of the mailman.

He said, &quot;he's a narrowminded simpleton&quot;.

So think about what you're saying before you throw the word &quot;bigot&quot; around or someone might throw the word &quot;reverse discrimination&quot; back in your face.

 

[poop]

There is no such thing as reverse discrimination. It is simply that some people feel that they belong in a certain group because of skin color. That is simply racist, no reverse about it.

1. If you make a judgement about someone based on 'race', you are a racist.
2. If you feel certain 'race' defines certain behavior, you are a racist.
3. If you feel that certain shared characteristics define a 'race', you are a racialist. Being a racialist is a prerequisite for being a racist.
4. If you judge people based on their behavior, you are judging them correctly. People should be held accountable for their actions, not their color, sexual preferance, or other natural tendancies.
5. If you make superficial observations about people, then you are human.

 

[ChrichtonsGirl]

I would love to work in a home improvement store, if I had the time. And I can say with absolute certainty that I am not a lesbian, or butch in any other way (not that there's anything wrong with that ). I love tinkering with stuff - I helped my parents remodel their bathroom, did the plumbing for the sink and the tile floor myself. I worked for a plumber as a dispatcher for a year or so and towards the end, I knew a LOT about plumbing. I'm the first one the family calls if they've got a leaky faucet, running toilet or frozen pipe.

I don't think I own any flannel shirts either.

 

[Emulex]

i dunno about that atlanta remark, but i live about 4 miles from that store, its in the ghetto, much low cost apartments on one side, a police station, and nice apartments on the other.

I highly doubt folks are going to the home depot for sexcapades. Why don't they just go to backstreets, that gay bar is open nearly 24/7 and is more known for that kind of stuff.

 

[Isla]

You go, CGirl!

My dad was a general contractor/carpenter so I spent many a day hanging out in the construction zone.

I actually know 2 women who work for HD... One is a tough cookie but she is married with kids. I went to school with her... she was a tomboy.

The other is a little princess-kitten type... very sexy and girlish and couldn't fix a thing if she tried. She's single and she does live here in Tampa, so go to the HD on North Dale Mabry and look for the hottie in the Customer Sevice area! She's got sky blue eyes and wavy blond hair, very sweet and innocent looking.

All the lebians I know are professionals and have high paying jobs. I guess it is all a matter of the circles you run in?

I will say that the Sociology department at USF has a strong representation of lesbians. I had to win them over when I was studying there because I was a bit of a freak to them... a stay at home mom! But, once they got over the shock of my presence we all got along famously. I seriously considered the graduate program but decided an MA in Soc wasn't exactly what I wanted.

People are people... including Jonny GURU...

 

[Raspewtin]

The Home Depot girls are lesbians? That must be why they don't respond when I hit on them (and giggle and laugh). Yes, that's it, they're lesbians.

 

[AndrewR]

All this PC crap is ridiculous. People like that I think just go around LOOKING for ways to either be offended or to appear self-righteous. Looks like we have some of both here.

jonny: Haven't really noticed many women working at my local Home Depot (Atlanta Perimeter, for the fellow Atlantans -- I assume the 24 hr one is the one at Lindbergh? Never been there though I've seen the signs when passing by on 400S) so I can't comment on the apparent sexual orientation of the workforce there. Atlanta has a large gay population as well (one of the largest in the country, I believe).

 

[ArkAoss]

Side note
When I worked at compusa, there where about 3-4 Women that worked the whare house, and I'm sure that 2 where a couple, openly. And another frequently brought in her &quot;girl friend&quot; and the 4th I dunno for sure. They worked hard, knew there stuff, there just regular people with feelings and lives, But we got a scared new GM and he ran them off pretty much, was a PIA, and well that store isn't the same without those nice people.

I mean, why is it that guys that play base ball play baseball? is it because they're wives got them on the team? or their highschool buddies, knew the manager? No they got the job because that's what they like, thats what their good at.

And shoot, I'd rather get home improvment advice from some one who's tried it at home, be they guy or girl. Not some zitty kid that needed a job.

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

My theory is that everyone has developed stereotypes of various groups of people because that is how the brain works. Therefore, everyone is prejudicial, BUT not everyone is a racist. The difference is that the people who aren't racist take time to understand that their preconceived conceptions will understand that their stereotypes are just that. Racist people on the other hand will not inhibit using their stereotypes to prejudge an individual or group of individuals.

 

[jonnyGURU]

poop: There is reverse discrimination.

Check this:

White guy hates black people. He discriminates.

Black guy hates white people. He descriminates.

Black guy hates ALL people who are not black. Reverse descrimination.

At least that's my idea of it. Everything you said is true too, of course. But if one particular &quot;group&quot; has it in their head that the WHOLE WORLD is out to get them, then I think we have a problem much deeper than simply one class, color or creed hating another.



PS: I NEVER said ALL women at home improvement stores were gay and I've NEVER heard anything about bathrooms and the only thing I've SEEN at a home improvement store's bathroom that was unusual was a rat running from one at the 24 hour Home Depot in Tampa.

 

[poop]

Gotcha. That is actually a pretty good definition. When I hear reverse discrimination from most people, I get the sense that they are using the phrase differently than you. I hear r.d. coming form mostly white people who have no clue about racism and racialism. They see themselves as the ones who are supposed to be racist or not. As if the historically discriminated against group cannot contain racist members. Hence, they say r.d. when a member from a typically oppressed group discriminates against them. This behavior in itself is racist, if you look at it for what it truly is: grouping people and expecting certain behavior.

Your definition is something I have heard described as internal racism. External racism is A hates B. Internal is A mistrusts anyone not like him.

 

[classy]

Sometimes threads here can be really funny and downright weird. lol

 

[emjem]

Most everyone reading this thread is a bigot:

big·ot (b¹g??t) n. One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ. [French, from Old French.]

Likewise we all discriminate:

dis·crim·i·nate (d¹-skr¹m??-n³t?) v. dis·crim·i·nat·ed, dis·crim·i·nat·ing, dis·crim·i·nates. --intr. 1.a. To make a clear distinction; distinguish: discriminate among the options available. b. To make sensible decisions; judge wisely. 2. To make distinctions on the basis of class or category without regard to individual merit; show preference or prejudice: was accused of discriminating against women; discriminated in favor of his cronies. --tr. 1. To perceive the distinguishing features of; recognize as distinct: discriminate right from wrong. 2. To distinguish by noting differences; differentiate: unable to discriminate colors.

As for prejudice, there are few amongst us who have the time to avoid it:

prej·u·dice (prµj??-d¹s) n. 1.a. An adverse judgment or opinion formed beforehand or without knowledge or examination of the facts. b. A preconceived preference or idea. 2. The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions. 3. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular group, race, or religion. 4. Detriment or injury caused to a person by the preconceived, unfavorable conviction of another or others.

Don't feel bad, I doubt that man would have survived through the centuries without being bigotted, discriminating and prejudice.

In summary, being a minority is suck.

 

[warcleric]

As much as it pains me, I have to agree with pattysmear....how in the world do you know they are lesbians? are they making out at the cash register? I mean come on, there is no way to tell someones sexual preference just by what they look like.

 

[classy]

&quot;.....there is no way to tell someones sexual preference just by what they look like. &quot;
warcleric

Obviously, you've never been to the Society Hill Section in Philly on the weekend. :Q

 

[AndrewR]

One other possible explanation, since CompUSA is mentioned, I used to work at CompUSA back in some dark days, and we had at least five openly gay people working at the store, one of whom was my manager. I wondered about that, not that it bothered me (actually, my manager was an awesome guy), but it just seemed odd to have that many openly gay people working in one store when it was out of proportion to the percentage of gays in the population. However, it makes perfect sense that someone would want to work in a place where their sexuality did not need to be hidden from everyone, where it was accepted as readily as heterosexuality. So, word gets out that X store is a good place to work without being hassled (where two managers are gay, so no problems from management), and someone who is gay would be more inclined to take a job there.

I actually asked my (then former) manager why he didn't leave CompUSA, like I did. He was a smart, young guy and obviously very capable of doing a lot more than working as a front end manager at CompUSA. He really didn't have an answer for me, but I suspect that it was strongly related to the fact that he did not have to repress his &quot;gayness&quot; at all at work, which I could understand.

So, if your Home Depot or Lowe's is like that CompUSA, that would easily explain why there could be a large contingent of lesbians employed there.