From the pen of Kate B, one of our crackerjack interior painters:

Asked to explain how it is to be a female in the male-dominated residential painting industry, I contemplated the question and came to the conclusion that it’s not very possible to remain the female stereotype in this trade. 

You won’t see me with manicured hands: the only paint on my nails is whatever color I haven’t managed to scrape off from work the day before--and that’s on what nails are left after cracking off from the dryness that comes with sanding or the filing that comes with caulking.  I’m in men’s clothing every weekday and during my off-hours feminine clothes are chosen with caution to avoid highlighting the bruises on my shins that come from hitting the steps of ladders or the paint on my elbow that I didn’t happen to notice while scrubbing off the other remnants of the day.  My hair is out of my face with the use of bobby pins often set in place without a mirror.  Makeup doesn’t exist. 

I’m not complaining, mind you – I chose this and continue to go with it.  I’m not going to sacrifice another 5 minutes of sleep to do the foundation and eyeliner thing to have it down my cheeks with my sweat by 8am.

However, despite all these things, I am still a girl and I am finding that being the female of the species has its advantages in this field.  I can fit inside small closets and in corners to paint.  I can sing along to Heart on the radio and I won’t get made fun of--at least because I’m singing female vocal parts…I can’t always comment on my vocal quality.  And although I often joke that the reason they hired me was to vacuum and clean up after the guys, I have never been made to feel inferior by any of the Catchlight crew.  They have all given me the opportunity to learn the tasks at hand.

So although I may not have the chance for my hands to be soft or my legs bruise-free right now, in these past five months I have found myself growing steadier and faster in my work, and I never would have made it this far if not for the support and encouragement from my co-workers here at Catchlight.