Just Shout “WRONG” To The Lefties And Hope It Sticks
(One of our designers brings his daughter in as an “intern” over spring break as she is studying art and he wants her to get some real-world experience. Ugh, right? But no, she is great and, even though she was foisted on me, we have a great time. One day, we are making some signs from start to finish: design, print, mount, cut. We are on the last step when I notice the resident mansplainer watching us. After a few minutes, he comes over and takes the straight edge from her.)
Mansplainer: “Here. You should put it this way.”
(He puts the ruler on the line she was cutting and moves back for her to cut it with the knife she had. The intern looks at me and I shrug, with a look on my face saying, “This is totally normal. Why don’t you humour him for both of our entertainment?” She steps in, holding the ruler, then crossing her cutting arm to the far side of it in a ridiculous position.)
Mansplainer: “No, no, no. Not that way.”
(He takes the knife from her and deftly cuts the line.)
Me: “Why don’t you try it her way? Then, you can understand what she’s doing wrong better.”
Mansplainer: “Yeah.”
(I nod encouragingly at her to line up the ruler.)
Mansplainer: “Not like that. That’s wrong.”
Me: “Wait. Wait. Just try it.”
Mansplainer: “No. That’s the wrong way. You women always do it the wrong way.”
Me: “You mean lefties.”
Mansplainer: “What?”
Me: “We’re not doing it the ‘women’s way,’ we’re doing it left-handed.”
(I wasn’t training her that way; she happens to be a lefty, too.)
Mansplainer: “You always do it wrong. You’ve done it wrong since you got here.”
Me: “Wrong for you.”
Mansplainer: “Wrong.”
Me: “Okay, then. But we’re just going to keep doing this way because it works for us.”