Are "Men At Work" Signs Offensive????

[breezy1077]

Sorry if someone's already posted this....I don't find the signs offensive at all - am I missing something.

'Men At Work' signs to disappear in Atlanta

Decision follows complaints by magazine editor

By ERIC STIRGUS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/09/08

In the battle of the sexes, women's magazine editor Cynthia Good said this was a skirmish she had to fight.

Across Atlanta they stood, orange signs with black letters that read "Men At Work" or "Men Working Ahead."

Sometimes, the signs stood next to women working alongside the men.

Good demanded Atlanta officials remove the signs and last week, Atlanta Public Works Commissioner Joe Basista agreed.

Score one for gender equality, Good said Wednesday.

"They get it," Good said about the city in a telephone interview.

Public Works officials are replacing 50 "Men Working" with signs that say "Workers Ahead." It will cost $22 to cover over some of the old signs and $144 to buy new signs, said Public Works spokeswoman Valerie Bell-Smith said.

Good, founding editor of Atlanta-based PINK Magazine, a publication that focuses on professional women, said she's not stopping with Atlanta.

"We're calling on the rest of the nation to follow suit and make a statement that we will not accept these subtle forms of discrimination," said Good, 48.

Good pressed the issue after Atlanta police came to her office last month on a complaint that she spray painted "wo" onto a "Men At Work" sign.

Did she do it? Good replied by complaining about the signs.

Good fired off letters complaining about the signs to Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Gov. Sonny Perdue.

State transportation officials said they will ask contractors to remove signs specifying just men are working at a construction site.

Atlanta union leader Gina Pagnotta said some women employees of Atlanta Public Works complained about these signs years ago.

"It is a little bit bias to say 'Men Working,' " said Pagnotta, president of the Professional Association of City Employees. "Women are working, too."

 

[freckles and boo]

Women working in traditionally male dominated fields face plenty of serious challenges. This one seems minor on the surface, but it also surprises me that in 2008 there are still "men at work" signs. I don't know that I have seen anything but "workers" signs on the roads I frequent in ages.

 

[disney4us2002]

Hmmm, what about....

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness..."


Will she be filing a petition to change the Declaration of Independence next?

 

[Chipmunk89]

She was just on Hannity & Colmes. Absolutely ridiculous! I can't help but think that the money used to change the signs could have gone to a better cause.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Not if you enjoy a vegemite sandwich.

Cynthia is an idiot or she wants publicity. Of course, the two aren't mutually exclusive.

Non-issue IMO.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

I certainly wouldn't define it as offensive. I think there are more worthy causes to be an advocate for, but it's her right as an American to push this particular agenda.

 

[aprilgail2]

Well they are not offensive if it is all MEN working but I would not be overjoyed to have a MEN working sign where I was working as I am NOT a man.

 

[Michelle67]

It's not offensive to me, and I agree that the money could have been better spent elsewhere.

Our signs here say "Utility workers ahead," etc. I really don't care what they say, as long as they are letting me know that I need to slow down. I have a longtime female friend who is a construction flagger. All she cares about is people slowing down, too.

We also have signs in a childish handwriting that say things like "Please drive carefully, my daddy works here." I noticed those for awhile, and then saw some that said "my mommy works here." Don't know if someone threw a fit for equal billing or what.

 

[sunnyday123]

nope.....have'nt you ever noticed them all just standing around the sign that says they are "working"????

just kidding, guys......honestly, I look at is a generic term when I see them during construction. If anything, I feel a little bit of pride when I see a woman doing a job that is historically a mans. Go you!

 

[ticktock]

As a woman I personally think it's stupid, BUT if it bothers people I could see replacing the signs with the new ones as they need replaced. NOT spending taxper's money to replace perfectly good, if not completely accurate, signage.


If I was this woman I would just be glad I lived in a time and a place where all I had to worry about was piddly little things like this. Why isn't she out there trying to improve the lives of women in the middle east. Oh yeah that wouldn't be part of her political party's agenda. She's probably one of those people who are ashamed to be an American too. What a maroon!

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

(Meant completely tongue in cheek)...but Men at Work...really? In my house it's the woman that works and the men that believe there is a laundry fairy and a dishes fairy and a cooking fairy!

(Forgive me, but I couldn't resist...I grew up in a construction family and whenever I see "men at work" signs I laugh hysterically because I know their coffee break schedule, lunch schedule, afternoon break schedule...etc. I once traded my office job with my brother who worked in the field. I let him sweat the payroll, union reports, job costing, accounts payable and receivable processing while I sweated carrying drywall and setting up scaffodling for a week. It was back-breaking work...but in many ways less stressful than getting yelled at by a guy because you shorted his pay by 2 hours because his dumb foreman didn't mark his time card correctly!)

Honestly, I mean no offense to anyone...but his just caused me to

 

[Captain Brain]

Sounds like a waste of tax dollars to me.

 

[reteppir]

Im mad at myself for replying because it is a non issue

 

[TDC Nala]

Are they going to change the albums from that Australian band too?

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

that's soooo lame.

Whatadork

 

[KristaTX]

That would be Overkill .

 

[PaulaSB12]

Sorry but the phrase get a life sort of applys to Cynthia Good. That is so much nothing that its laughable. I wonder what she would do if she was where I work the banter gets a bit on the fresh side to say the least.

 

[olena]

As a woman I personally think it's stupid, BUT if it bothers people I could see replacing the signs with the new ones as they need replaced. NOT spending taxper's money to replace perfectly good, if not completely accurate, signage.


If I was this woman I would just be glad I lived in a time and a place where all I had to worry about was piddly little things like this. Why isn't she out there trying to improve the lives of women in the middle east. Oh yeah that wouldn't be part of her political party's agenda. She's probably one of those people who are ashamed to be an American too. What a maroon!

So true! Atlanta is going through a major budget problem. Lots of employees are being laid off. One fire station has already been closed down and there's a hiring freeze on police and fire dept vacancies. Yet money to replace signs can be found?

 

[ICF]

what a waste of time and effort.....

 

[Cool-Beans]

That would be Overkill .