Last Friday night, my family and I went out to dinner at our favorite mexican restaurant down the street. Pulling into the parking lot, we saw two women police officers stepping out of their squad car. My girls were both excited and said “Mom, look at the police officers!” My husband made a short comment about it being unusual to see a female police officer and even more rare to see two of them together. I frequently notice female officers around our city, so I didn’t see what the big deal was. My girls didn’t care that they were women either. They just think it’s cool to see people in uniforms.
As we entered the front doors, the two female police officers walked in right behind us. I chatted with them a for a few minutes while we waited for our table, mentioning my web site and that the Girls Can’t WHAT? Police Officer was the hottest selling design which they thought was cool. A few moments later my family was seated at the booth nearest the cash register and the two officers at a booth about 20 feet away.
I thought nothing more about them until later during our meal as I watched two young men come around the corner and do a double take at the two women in full uniform. Neither woman noticed the men staring at them as they made their way to the register. Just as the men were about to pass by our booth, I overheard one of them say “Wow, female cops. You don’t see those very often.” The other guy leaned in to his friend and said “Yeah, they could arrest me any time. Dang.”
Amusing as that was to me, I still kept thinking it was odd that neither my kids nor I thought it unusual to see women in uniform, but the two men and my husband both acted like that was the strangest thing they had seen all day. Why is that?
9 comments
britt
I think it’s because subconciously they’re not expecting it. Just like my family never noticed motorcycles; but after we got one, we noticed them everywhere.
gretchen
Sancho-Panza – thanks for the comment. Nice to hear from someone outside the US about this subject.
Sancho-Panza
Just browsing and come across your site here.
Not sure I’m allowed to post as I am ‘just’ a man, but felt I had to make a comment on this thread.
I don’t know if maybe it’s an American thing, because in the UK no one thinks twice when they see a female police constable.
As far as ‘Women Can’t Do That’, let me tell anyone who thinks that’s the case that they are so wrong. My partner is a police officer and has been for 19 years. She’s 5’2″ tall, (or short), and built like a cute little mouse, but believe me when I say that she can more than handle herself, and has had to on many occasions.
She walks the streets every day with very little in the way of protection or reward and she serves our community, for that (and many other reasons) she has my complete respect.
The point being, male or female, police in the UK are viewed as just that, police, the gender is irrelevant.
allichick
I agree with you :d
country_lovin_gal235
Personally i think men don’t really notice when women are in uniform. So when they happen to notice it comes to be a shock to them. The other day actually two female cops or two females assoicated came up to me asking for my neightbor for a minute since they wern’t in uniform i was a little curious as why they were there and then i looked at the bags on their belts and i felt somewhat impowered for these women. I don’t see it as a big deal for women to hold jobs and places in our communites that supposedly only men are supposed to hold. Props to them.:d/
Kel1
Ah, there is hope yet for the next generation! :D I think there are certain stereotypes that tend to (hopefully) die out with each passing generation. What seems odd or out of place to an older person will seem commonplace to a younger one.
And I think it’s cool that you “plugged” your designs to them! :))
allichick
yah I really don’t see what the big deal is ethier no ofense but I think the guys that said that are jerks the boys at my scool are the same way it is very anyoing 8-|they are real jerks I hate seeing people (mostly girls) think that way becouse they should know that use females can do as much as a guy can I mean this is a free country that kind of stuff is history**==:d
gretchen
Sheri – that’s awesome. I made a Crime Scene Investigator Design a while back, too. It has been quite popular as well. Best of luck to you for doing what you do. :)>-
Sheridan
HAH! I just found your site and was delighted to see your note on female police officers. I’m a crime scene investigator now, but when I was working the streets, I was on a tactical team with a female partner. And just like with your experience at the restaurant, there were times when we attracted the attention of guys too.
Women certainly can play a big role in police work today, and I think it says a lot that your daughters, and most little girls today, don’t bat an eye when they see female police officers. In my experience, little boys don’t notice it either because they’ve been raised to believe that girls can do these jobs too. And we can thank progressive moms, dads, and sites like this for that! Thank you!
sheri