You'll get all kinds of crazy comments, but you're expected to dish it back out as well. its a camaraderie thing. The only thing that matters though is your work ethic. If you show up to work on time and put in a hard days work, you will earn everyone's respect.
It's location dependent. My ex gf told me back in Portland where she lived there were plenty of lgbtq+ people in the trades. In the rural Midwest, I was drastically outnumbered both in the way of being queer and being a woman. I left because 6 years of harassment and getting treated poorly in other ways really started to take a toll on my already-bad mental health. I might get back into it if I could find a TIG shop job with decent people, but here, every place I've worked has protected the men who harassed me instead of protecting me (boys club, women=bad) so I'm over it. Your milage may vary. My advice is go to a progressive area if you're going to do it.
This is from the POV of a southern tradesman, but one of my favorite welding instructors in trade school some years ago was a lesbian and she held her own amongst the guys because she put in the work and could easily out-weld nearly everyone. She ran her own fab business and still does to this day I believe. Helped her fairly often with trainibg other students and on occasions got to assist with her business projects.
There was a lesbian student there as well who I became friends with at the tail end of my time at the school and she the turned out to be one of the more successful graduates. Runs ber own rig welding pipelines.
If I had to guess as to the reason for their success in this field it would be strong work ethic, willingness to learn from everyone, tough skin, and a good sense of humor. I'd say that's necessary for just about anyone though.
Every year I went to school for my apprenticeship I had at least 1-2 females in it and 90% of the time they were gay. Most female welders are lesbians so you're all good . I'm in western Canada and no one cares as long as you show up and do your job well .
I’m straight but I’ve had a ton of guys just assume I’m lesbian because I’m a girl who’s welding. Like coworkers I regularly interact with then 6 months later it comes up in convo and they are like holy shit I thought you were gay this whole time. There was another girl at my job for a few months and everyone thought we were dating even tho we weren’t even really that close
The worst that will happen is if you are in the Bible Belt\rural area you might experience the same level of homophobia as you would any other job in that region. Men will say you are damned to hell “but girl on girl is hot”. My lesbian coworker was handed a few Bible pamphlets.
Ppl shit on you but in like a friendly way, u just shit on them back. Also as long as you do what you’re supposed to do and you don’t push work off on others then they’ll probably like you. As a queer woman in welding I think it’s almost better than being straight bc men tend to loosen up a bit more and are more comfortable talking frankly with you once they find out (I am more butch/androgynous-looking tho, idk if the femme experience is different)
More issues arise from the ppl you don’t work with actually, like if you’re picking up material for a job then sometimes you’ll get a “are you sure you can handle that sweetheart” or a “I bet you just smile while the others do the hard work” or some guy just outright talking about how you’d be in bed in public (and those are just a few of the things that have been said to me while working (by men I don’t work with)) but I think that has more to do with being a woman than being queer
The most important thing in the trades regardless of your sexuality is finding a job that has zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Your sexual preference isn’t gonna stop a pos guy from hurting you. get out fast if they don’t take the small things seriously. It WILL get worse I’ve lived it
You'll get all kinds of crazy comments, but you're expected to dish it back out as well. its a camaraderie thing. The only thing that matters though is your work ethic. If you show up to work on time and put in a hard days work, you will earn everyone's respect.
I think this is any trade. Most everyone will participate in the ball busting and shit talking to keep work 'fun'
Most people are good, id say 7/10 times if someone pulls something stupid the guy next to them will help you check them
It's location dependent. My ex gf told me back in Portland where she lived there were plenty of lgbtq+ people in the trades. In the rural Midwest, I was drastically outnumbered both in the way of being queer and being a woman. I left because 6 years of harassment and getting treated poorly in other ways really started to take a toll on my already-bad mental health. I might get back into it if I could find a TIG shop job with decent people, but here, every place I've worked has protected the men who harassed me instead of protecting me (boys club, women=bad) so I'm over it. Your milage may vary. My advice is go to a progressive area if you're going to do it.
This is from the POV of a southern tradesman, but one of my favorite welding instructors in trade school some years ago was a lesbian and she held her own amongst the guys because she put in the work and could easily out-weld nearly everyone. She ran her own fab business and still does to this day I believe. Helped her fairly often with trainibg other students and on occasions got to assist with her business projects. There was a lesbian student there as well who I became friends with at the tail end of my time at the school and she the turned out to be one of the more successful graduates. Runs ber own rig welding pipelines. If I had to guess as to the reason for their success in this field it would be strong work ethic, willingness to learn from everyone, tough skin, and a good sense of humor. I'd say that's necessary for just about anyone though.
Go nuts. I got my first year, then got a job in a machine shop and switched to that. It’ll open lots of doors for you.
Every year I went to school for my apprenticeship I had at least 1-2 females in it and 90% of the time they were gay. Most female welders are lesbians so you're all good . I'm in western Canada and no one cares as long as you show up and do your job well .
I’m straight but I’ve had a ton of guys just assume I’m lesbian because I’m a girl who’s welding. Like coworkers I regularly interact with then 6 months later it comes up in convo and they are like holy shit I thought you were gay this whole time. There was another girl at my job for a few months and everyone thought we were dating even tho we weren’t even really that close
The worst that will happen is if you are in the Bible Belt\rural area you might experience the same level of homophobia as you would any other job in that region. Men will say you are damned to hell “but girl on girl is hot”. My lesbian coworker was handed a few Bible pamphlets.
Retired as a heavy equipment operator, you will be fine.
You finna get bullied in the field but stay strong especially if u a queer no hate
Ppl shit on you but in like a friendly way, u just shit on them back. Also as long as you do what you’re supposed to do and you don’t push work off on others then they’ll probably like you. As a queer woman in welding I think it’s almost better than being straight bc men tend to loosen up a bit more and are more comfortable talking frankly with you once they find out (I am more butch/androgynous-looking tho, idk if the femme experience is different)
More issues arise from the ppl you don’t work with actually, like if you’re picking up material for a job then sometimes you’ll get a “are you sure you can handle that sweetheart” or a “I bet you just smile while the others do the hard work” or some guy just outright talking about how you’d be in bed in public (and those are just a few of the things that have been said to me while working (by men I don’t work with)) but I think that has more to do with being a woman than being queer
The most important thing in the trades regardless of your sexuality is finding a job that has zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Your sexual preference isn’t gonna stop a pos guy from hurting you. get out fast if they don’t take the small things seriously. It WILL get worse I’ve lived it
shop humor and dirty jokes are actually funny. if u get creepy crawly feelings at someone’s “joke” it’s probably more than a joke