Another in the "is this really stupid or actually useful?" series

[drwex]

I know at least five women on my flist who can heft a power tool better than I can, so I turn to (the collective) you to ask:

Is this idiotic or would it make some actual sense? Tomboy tools: http://www.tomboytools.com/
See also: http://www.barbarak.com/

They certainly talk the talk, and it beats just assuming women are only interested in Tupperware and whathaveyou. Plus the default is blue, not pink. On the other hand, it reminds me a little too much of tamidon's comments about women in a professional kitchen with expensively manicured nails. On the third hand these pointers came out of a general discussion about how little product design is for-women-to-use instead of aimed-at-women-to-get-them-to-buy.

Comments

Insulted? Not exactly. A customer? Not likely.

[catness.livejournal.com]

Okay, first off, let me just preface this by saying that I weigh my toolbox in dollars, vs. actual difficulty in lifting its contents. "Hey, this thing is $117 heavier than yesterday." So, I have a *lot* of tools, but not a limitless bank account. That means I look for solid (and also lifetime guaranteed) stuff so I only have to buy the damned things once (unless I need more than one of them, sigh). Nothing on these sites looked like decent enough quality to me, if I needed to do anything more serious than hanging a photograph. Perhaps women who've never used tools wouldn't know that, though, and this might be their first exposure to the concept. If it's cheap enough for a tool kit, then there's no reason why *not* to package them for women. There certainly are a lot of cheap-ass tools packaged for men. As for having parties to sell tools and teach their use, how is that any different from Home Depot classes, other than being in someone's home? *shrug*

That being said, the picture on the front page of the first site is really kind of ridiculous: two people holding a drill going straight down into a section of 2x4 in the middle of what looks to be a coffee table with a tablecloth... and two others looking on enthusiastically, enrapt with the process. Someone's hand is resting on the 2x4, but nobody's really bracing it. And why do we need two people to help with that drill? Oh, my... it's so big! It might bust out of that little lady's control if she doesn't have assistance. Cheese, crackers, or perhaps a grape?

Definitely I get that they're trying to illustrate tupperware party comfort levels while putting tools into the equation, but they're sort of missing the mark of actual instruction and practical use, while giving the impression that if a woman wants to use tools, she can't be serious.

Re: Insulted? Not exactly. A customer? Not likely.

[drwex]

Right, I think your last paragraph is the major difference I see between home parties and Home Depot classes.

I'm amused at the idea of weighing one's toolbox in dollars. It reminds me of Regis's wisdom to me once when she said "The tool you want to use to fix this problem is your checkbook."