# "No, you can't be a projectionist, you're a girl" *UPDATE*



## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

I'm a high school teacher. This is what one of my female students was actually told by her employer (she works at a movie theater.) She took all of the training classes to become a projectionist, and then they told her she couldn't have that job, because she's female. (Of course the projectionist position pays more than what she is currently doing.) I told her to contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. I hope they nail them.

Un-freakin-believable.


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

You're joking!







:

I worked in a movie theater when I was in college, and having worked in the projection booth myself, uh, I can't see why she couldn't.

I can't believe this is still an issue in today's society. Sigh.


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## DebraBaker (Jan 9, 2002)

Facinating.

It never occured to me that one needed a penis to operate a projector.

Or is it the testicles that impart that skill?!









DB


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## sohj (Jan 14, 2003)




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## Viriditas (Aug 30, 2004)

The local pizza place where I grew up (small mountain town) allowed only their male employees to toss pizzas. The women could work the cash and clean up, etc. but apparently only men were capable of throwing pizza dough in the air.







:


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## mamaley (Mar 18, 2002)

nah, sexism doesn't exist anymore. why do i bother with being a feminist?


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## sohj (Jan 14, 2003)

as I told one especially annoying construction super:

"Tommy, there is ONE job, and ONE job only that is exclusively a man's job: Jerking off...because if a woman does it, it's a hand-job!"


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sohj*
"Tommy, there is ONE job, and ONE job only that is exclusively a man's job: Jerking off...because if a woman does it, it's a hand-job!"









:

A&A: unbelievable. I was told as a freshman in high school that I shouldn't take an extra science class (I was looking to add something to my schedule since I was bored) and I should take typing instead. That lead me to: Transfer to an all-girls school, attend an engineering college, and get a PhD in geophysics. This wasn't all due to the stupid hs councilor that told me to take typing, but it sure started the ball rolling.

Sure, I'm still a lousy typist, but I can find the "delete" key on any keyboard in microseconds.

Continue to support your student with resources. Make sure she's clear that the problem rests with her employer, not her gender.


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## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

Am going through a similar situation at work. More of the double standard. Sometimes it is STUNNING how little progress we have made.


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Wow... just... wow... I certainly hope you follow up with her and encourage her to report this!
Annette


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## Meiri (Aug 31, 2002)

hmmm, so the projector can only be worked by males....
Presumably because there's something the males have that the females don't?
I hope they're washing the projector between movies!

I hope the EOEC nails that boss to the wall too. That's bull manure!


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## TiredX2 (Jan 7, 2002)

Quote:

hmmm, so the projector can only be worked by males....
Presumably because there's something the males have that the females don't?
I hope they're washing the projector between movies!
ewwwwww.


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## cozymama (Apr 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sohj*
as I told one especially annoying construction super:

"Tommy, there is ONE job, and ONE job only that is exclusively a man's job: Jerking off...because if a woman does it, it's a hand-job!"









Think I'll go donate my dollar to my favorite feminist NFP......oh wait, I only make $.76 cents to that guy's dollar














:

No more sexism, my a$$......


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## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

Well, she went to the EEOC website and just printed off their definition of sexism in the workplace. (Rather than filing a complaint with them)

Then she showed that to her boss. Guess what? After looking at it, they made her a projectionist!! Pay raise and all. I'm really happy that she got what she wanted (and deserved), but I still wanted the EEOC to stick it to 'em!!


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## mamaley (Mar 18, 2002)

that's great that she did that! good for her.


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## AahRee (Jan 23, 2003)

Wow. I can't believe that happened to her, but I'm glad she got her new job. I'm glad she stuck up for herself. A lot of teenage girls wouldn't have had the guts to do what she did. Good for her!


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## tboroson (Nov 19, 2002)

hrm... how many people work in a projection booth? Could it be because they don't want mixed gender teams up there in the dark? Just an idea... not that that excuses it, just wondering.


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## Meiri (Aug 31, 2002)

They learned something. Hopefully the lesson will stick.

I think the EEOC sticking it to someone should be saved for the employers who refuse to obey the Law. Granted they should know the laws to begin with....


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## littleaugustbaby (Jun 27, 2003)

Good for her! I'm glad she stood up for herself!









Quote:


Originally Posted by *tboroson*
hrm... how many people work in a projection booth? Could it be because they don't want mixed gender teams up there in the dark? Just an idea... not that that excuses it, just wondering.


I guess that _could[/b] be part of the rationale. But unless the theater is fairly large, then they probably only have one person working up there. Although that does kind of make sense. When I worked at the movie theater, people were known for going up into the projection booth late at night to do...uh...stuff.









Generally, you only need one projectionist. Movie times are usually set up so that they start one at a time, and they're staggered enough so that the projectionist has time to get them all started and move on to the next start.

In a large movie theater (say one with 20 screens or more), then you might have 2 projectionists, since that can get pretty hectic, especially on busy days.

You might also have an extra person up there to build up or tear down movies -- movies come to the movie theater in pieces, usually 5 reels or so, and when they come in, you build them up (put the reels together), and when they leave, you tear them down (separate the reels and put them back in their cases). But usually that's done in the middle of a week (since movies start on Friday), when movie theaters are slow, and usually you can have a projectionist handle a regular projection shift *and* get the other stuff done too.

That's probably more than you ever wanted to know about working in a projection booth. :LOL_


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Good for her, and good for you for encouraging her!
Annette


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## A&A (Apr 5, 2004)

It's a small theater, so they would probably only have one projectionist at a time.


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## AugustLia23 (Mar 18, 2004)

I worked at a movie theatre(an AMC) a little while ago and when I first started they wouldn't let me work the projection booth. I was only able to get up there once the General Manager that was there moved to another theatre. But once he left, I was able to go up there, and there was one other female and 3 other males, so there was no problems with mixing the genders....There is usually only one or two projectionists at the same time, there is not need for more than that.


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## Ellien C (Aug 19, 2004)

Good For HER! That is SO good that she had enough confidence to take matters into her own hand. It's JUST so cool that she was assertive and got what she wanted. This is a lesson she will remember the rest of her life.


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## merpk (Dec 19, 2001)

Good for her ... but horrified for all of us, that something like that still happens ...


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