Oh the trials and tribulations of having a penis.

[trvvn5]

Ok. So I suppose that on top of being male I probably don't look like someone who should be knitting. I have a shaved head, my ears are gauged and pierced with an industrial and a rook. I'm tattooed. I guess people, at least when they look at me, wouldn't think that I would knit.

I went to a LYS today. First time that I've been there. The lady working there was fantastic. I went in to pick up a 20" 10.5 circ to work on this cowl I've got going. Apparently they were having an impromptu knitting class with a young girl who had come into the store with her mother. The cashier was helping the girl with continental knitting and there were a few other women who had stopped to watch as well. It's a small store and only one person was working. I didn't mind waiting, but I watched as the lady instructed the girl on how to do it. The girl was holding her left hand in an odd position, her hand was rotated too far and it was pulling the yarn really far from the needle, and she kept missing when she tried to catch the yarn.

The lady helping her didn't really catch why she was having trouble, probably just didn't see what she was doing from the angle she was watching her, so I walked over and politely said, "Hey, here's how I do it." I repositioned her hands and showed her how I do a little backwards rotation on my left hand right as I catch the yarn to make it easier.

I swear they looked at me like I had three heads. The kids mother looked at me and said, "Wow, you sound like you might actually know what you're doing." To which I replied, "Well, the needles I'm here to pick up today certainly aren't for my girlfriend, so I hope I have some clue of how to use them." I suppose male knitters are in short supply in my town, cuz those ladies certainly weren't prepared for me.

[Ingrid]

So how does your, um, anatomy fit into this story?:??:teehee:

[trvvn5]

Well. Had I had the opposing anatomy, I don't think they'd have been quite so shocked.

[Ingrid]

Well, good for you for breaking the stereotype wide open!:thumbsup:

[OldSkool]

I have the same issue when I walk into a hardware store. I was a fixed wing (plane) and rotary winged (helicopter) mechanic for ten years, so when I go to a hardware store and need to find a size 6 phillips head screw with a 1/8 in shank, they give me weird looks and think it's a freak accident that I (and my boobs) actually know what I'm talking about. I love going in there and talk tools with them - especially specialized ones like metalsmithing tools and which kind of epoxy is the best in a particular situation! :teehee:
So I hear you brother! I concur with what Ingrid said!

[cacunn]

Trvvn5 this sounds so familiar. I'm 6 ft 1 in, 280 pound breaded male. The looks I get when I knit on the Washington Metro or if my wife and I walk into a LYS the staff always turns to my wife to ask if they can help.

Similar story. I was looking for a special foot for MY sewing machine. I stopped by the local sewing specialty store, I went in to ask about the foot. I spoke to the owner of the store, a man, they didn't have the foot I was looking for. We got talking about a sewing machine on sale. During this discussion my wife walked into the store. It was amazing how quickly the owner stopped talking to me and shift to talking to my wife as if I were not there. After a few moments my wife looked at the owner and said, "Don't talk to me I don't sew he's the one you have to convince."

It is amazing how sexist women in LYS and many other craft stores can be. If I walk in alone I MUST be picking something for my wife.

Notice to LYS men knit and spend money on yarn and supplies!

[meowmeowmeow]

I guess it depends on where you go.Some people just aren't exposed to 2010.

I'm surprised at how strict people see gender roles even today.I guess I could understand my mom for growing up in a very traditionally Mexican home, but even here in the Peninsula I've been called a "barbaric feminist" for knowing how to do a basic radiator flush :shrug:

Personally, I don't plan on lecturing my kids(maybe,someday?) on anything about genders aside from physical differences.I think that's the only definite thing anyone has to know about their gender; which they are.And even that isn't set in stone.

[Jan in CA]

There's probably more men knitters than anyone knows. With the stereotypes being what they are I don't think many of them are open about it. I think it's awesome and I applaud you and all the other males who knit and who aren't afraid to share it! :thumbsup:

[LizzieK8]

It's not being a guy, it's that you knew something. I helped a crocheter out at a LYS the other day cuz the knitting, ahem, ladies, kept ignoring her. They were rabid about it, especially when I gave her on-line information on where to find instructions. She got up and walked out with me. Not only did they prove to me, yet again, they only barely tolerate crocheters, but they lost that woman as a customer. I find way too many knitting store people really can't tolerate someone who knows as much as they do.

In that same store, an employee tried to convince me that holding two strands of Tofutsie yarn is equivalent to a bulky yarn, while holding the sweater made with two strands of Tofutsie in her hand!

[WandaT]

LOL - don't you just LOVE shocking people? I do. It's so much fun. One of my best friends is my ex-husband's current wife. I was wife #1 and she's wife #3 - they've been married nearly 19 years now and my DH and I have been married over 23 years. We love it when we meet new people and they ask how we know each other. When we explain, we simply say, "We're so close we share EVERYTHING!" LOL I know it's unusual, but it sure made it easier to share a daughter growing up - and now as an adult (with our first grand baby!) it just gets better and better!

[AngelaR]

Poor Trv! I would have been excited to find another knitter! Probably would have talked your ear off.

With the exception of my one encounter with a college student at Michael's I rarely even have company in the yarn aisles at the three stores here that even sell yarn. Now, if I wanted to scrapbook? Well, Stepford is all about that. You can't swing a dead cat here without hitting a scrapbooking place.

[saracidaltendencies]

Well, good for you for breaking the stereotype wide open!:thumbsup:


I think I'll bite my tongue on this statement in relation to the title of the topic :teehee:

[offgridgirl]

I swear they looked at me like I had three heads. The kids mother looked at me and said, "Wow, you sound like you might actually know what you're doing."

GOOD for you!! I'm glad you helped and showed the sales person that not all book covers show the true story!!:cheering:

[sandy57th]

I think I'll bite my tongue on this statement in relation to the title of the topic
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm surprised no one has said that there's not point in following traditional roles, I mean, why keep to the straight and narrow?:p Or, gee, the number of men who knit must be mushrooming.:p I'd better stop before I get myself censored, here.

[Rosey2376]

OK, I'll admit it, when I first saw your photo, I thought someone was having a laugh :teehee: You're right, you don't look like a typical knitter !

Now, I really wish I had some knitting man mates. It all gets too hormonal sometimes, esp in LYS.

Muchas respect you talented chap :notworthy:

[Crycket]

Some times it really does take another eye...

When I used to work in a theatre Box office, you see a lot of names, there are a fair # of guys with typically female names, and not the ones you would expect...like Lesley, or Jaime, but ones that are standard female. And the annoyed looks you get when you ask if the tix were under their wives names!

Mind you...veering off on that topic...there were some really good amusing ones too...my favorite being Stirling Monster...

[trvvn5]

Some times it really does take another eye...

When I used to work in a theatre Box office, you see a lot of names, there are a fair # of guys with typically female names, and not the ones you would expect...like Lesley, or Jaime, but ones that are standard female. And the annoyed looks you get when you ask if the tix were under their wives names!

Mind you...veering off on that topic...there were some really good amusing ones too...my favorite being Stirling Monster...

My dad's name is Kim and he gets mail for women's leadership conferences. He got an ad for tampons directed specifically at him once.

Someone made the statement earlier about gender roles. I hate gender roles. One of the things that I enjoy about being gay is that, at least to people who know that I'm gay, I don't have to conform to any gender role. Should I do something feminine, I get the, "Well, he's gay" thing. If I do something considered masculine like say replace my alternator, and I have done this, people can just look at me and say, well he's a guy. I almost feel pity for heterosexual men and women in that you get pigeonholed into only being allowed to do one gender's activities.

Of course this isn't necessary and depends entirely on the individuals willingness to stand up against societal norms. But wouldn't it be nice if they just didn't exist. If men wanted to knit, and women wanted to fix cars, it would be so nice if they could just do it without being thought of as odd. So many wonderful things we potentially miss out on because society says that our genitals aren't suitable for it.

[stitchabit]

Check out charactersunite.com and take the pledge:thumbsup:

[sandy57th]

Hey, trvvn5-- you can really write. So where's that blog? Or book?

[saracidaltendencies]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I'm surprised no one has said that there's not point in following traditional roles, I mean, why keep to the straight and narrow?:p Or, gee, the number of men who knit must be mushrooming.:p I'd better stop before I get myself censored, here.


:roflhard::roflhard:

[meowmeowmeow]

If I do something considered masculine like say replace my alternator, and I have done this, people can just look at me and say, well he's a guy. I almost feel pity for heterosexual men and women in that you get pigeonholed into only being allowed to do one gender's activities.


I'm so glad my bf ignores that.I think it's just that he's so intimidating that no one would dare ask anything about his love for RHCP, Hedwig or being made up. I'm pans(closest definition at least) and I think because of that I could never find interest in anyone who thought their gender was significant to what they could and couldn't do.

The scariest thing I've ever read was this article (http://blog.collegebars.net/meet-college-isnt-necessary-author-lynzee-stauss/) by a 19 year old girl; riddled with solecism.Powerfully creepy stuff.What is now excluded are the 30+ or so pictures of her drinking with other underage "princesses" from myspace.The even scarier thing is that my bf's reason for running like hell out of the Los Altos suburbs as soon as he turned 18 is that essentially every girl he met in HS was groomed to be that way.

[saracidaltendencies]

My dad's name is Kim and he gets mail for women's leadership conferences. He got an ad for tampons directed specifically at him once.

Someone made the statement earlier about gender roles. I hate gender roles. One of the things that I enjoy about being gay is that, at least to people who know that I'm gay, I don't have to conform to any gender role. Should I do something feminine, I get the, "Well, he's gay" thing. If I do something considered masculine like say replace my alternator, and I have done this, people can just look at me and say, well he's a guy. I almost feel pity for heterosexual men and women in that you get pigeonholed into only being allowed to do one gender's activities.

Of course this isn't necessary and depends entirely on the individuals willingness to stand up against societal norms. But wouldn't it be nice if they just didn't exist. If men wanted to knit, and women wanted to fix cars, it would be so nice if they could just do it without being thought of as odd. So many wonderful things we potentially miss out on because society says that our genitals aren't suitable for it.

That's exactly why I make it a point to let my kids know that boys can do "girl" things and girls can do "boy" things and that some men love each other and some women love each other, also that some men would rather be women (just the other day my daughter and I watched Breakfast on Pluto (http://www.sonyclassics.com/breakfastonpluto/main.htm) together, she loved it as much as I do!) and some women would rather be men and each dress accordingly. My kids are 5 and 8. The way I see it, the younger they are taught tolerance and diversity, the better!

[newamy]

Have you read this before?
http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2006/11/yes-and-i-also-took-lessons-in-sodomy.html

[meowmeowmeow]

Have you read this before?
http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2006/11/yes-and-i-also-took-lessons-in-sodomy.html

My jaw literally dropped.Like I said.I guess aside from not being exposed to the present, a lot of people never learned manners either.Seriously, prison?Makes me wonder how does she figure out how to put her pants on in the morning.

I've been asked equally shocking things by -of all people- my bf's mother."You're Mexican?So does that like...mean like ...-Do you even have a father?" And suddenly I understood why he said things like "I refuse to believe I'm not adopted.

[ArtLady1981]

So sweet of you to 'take the time' to help! Lots of folks, men or women, would wait, pay, and go.
"Not my problem" they'd rightfully think...so it was generous of you to take time! :hug:

[mathwizard]

People looking at my online name figure I am a guy, woooo. I am the most female you have ever seen. Very feminine but just happen to have excellent math skills to the tune of a Master of Science in Math. I have got hit on by lots of women just because of my name. I didn't think mathwitch was a good one and as I like science fiction and would like to have magical powers that a wizard was a good choice. My dearly departed DH thought my name was good choice and he used to laugh at the weird (yes I call them that) emails.
>> My other pet peeve is prejudice against crochet. I go to my LYS knitting group and take my knitting and crochet with me. I work on both while there. The knitters are always borrowing my hooks and other crochet stuff to fix or help with their knitting because I always have crochet equipment with me. Only one of the ladies acknowledges my skills and interest in crochet which I have been doing since I was 13. I will be 60 this year. There is another lady there who used to crochet and whenever she lies about her skill her eye starts to twitch. To her lace crochet is a collar she found in an Interweave magazine but it isn't. There are many different kinds of lace crochet which are just as beautiful as the knitted version. Thanks for listening as prejudice against male knitters or crocheters really ticks me off!:grphug:
>> Have you ever noticed that the knitted stitch has similarities to the chain stitch?

[trvvn5]

My other pet peeve is prejudice against crochet. I go to my LYS knitting group and take my knitting and crochet with me. I work on both while there. The knitters are always borrowing my hooks and other crochet stuff to fix or help with their knitting because I always have crochet equipment with me. Only one of the ladies acknowledges my ski