Monday, September 14, 2009

Where are all the men?

I begin taking classes for my master's degree in social work tonight. It is a five semester program so I should graduate in August 2011. Just one month before my precious little boy starts kindergarten!

I currently work in law enforcement where it is very male dominated. Think stereotypical male macho attitudes and that is what I hear and see daily from some of my co-workers. Don't get me wrong. They are all great guys that do a great job but they are definitelly very conservative and into the typical male activities such as weight lifting, hunting and motorcycling. They often joke about who is the toughest, strongest, etc...

Now, take my new career. I have just started to get involved but can already see a huge culture shock (and welcomed culture shock) coming. I was able to see the class roster for all of my courses today. There is one guy in my program as a first year student. One. At my internship, I have met a few but not nearly as many men as women. The textbooks are all clearly more liberal than conservative so I am guessing the professors will be as well.

It will be a whole new experience for me. A world I have not been involved in much for the past 10 years or so. And a world I miss. I may not be as liberal as some of the people I have met but I am definitelly not as conservative as some of the people I work with now. And very few men! That will be a change by itself. I am ready for change though and very excited.

So tonight I am one step closer to my new career. Although, I probably won't be meeting any future husbands while attending class...

1 comment:

WICarrie said...

This reminds me of the time in my junior year in college when I finally got to take a "restricted elective"--a rhetoric class--in my chemical engineering program. I felt really uncomfortable in the class and couldn't figure out what was wrong. Then I identified it: there were SO, so many women in there-weird. Then I counted heads: exactly 50% female. I was just so used to the 15-20%women in my "normal" hard science classes!

Hang in there Lady.