on a lighter note, please teach your children this critical bit of "common knowledge"

[Nicole M]

"Male" & "Female"

 

I have mentioned before that I manage a concert hall on a college campus. My staff are all students. We were preparing for an event, and the Media Guy called. So one of my freshmen answered and here's how the conversation went down.

 

Walter: "Hello. This is Walter over in Media. We're bringing over a camera today for the lecture, and we need to know what kind of cable to bring. Could you tell me whether the input is male or female?"

 

Student: "I'm sorry. What?"

 

Walter: "Uh. I need to know what the input looks like, where you plug in the cable... if it's male or female."

 

Student: "Oh! It's round."

 

Walter: "Uh. Well. Yes, but what does it... Never mind. I'll come over."

 

Later he told me that he didn't feel it would be appropriate to explain this to a young woman, and that, in fact, they have a code over in his department. This situation would be designated as "ten foot pole" as in, "wouldn't touch this with...".

 

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

Sweet heavenly day! Please people. Teach your kids these terms and concepts before they get to university!

Edited February 1, 2009 by Nicole M

[Liz CA]

"Male" & "Female"

 

I have mentioned before that I manage a concert hall on a college campus. My staff are all students. We were preparing for an event, and the Media Guy called. So one of my freshmen answered and here's how the conversation went down.

 

Walter: "Hello. This is Walter over in Media. We're bringing over a camera today for the lecture, and we need to know what kind of cable to bring. Could you tell me whether the input is male or female?"

 

Student: "I'm sorry. What?"

 

Walter: "Uh. I need to know what the input looks like, where you plug in the cable... if it's male or female."

 

Student: "Oh! It's round."

 

Walter: "Uh. Well. Yes, but what does it... Never mind. I'll come over."

 

Later he told me that he didn't feel it would be appropriate to explain this to a young woman, and that, in fact, they have a code over in his department. This situation would be designated as "ten foot pole" as in, "wouldn't touch this with...".

 

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

Sweet heavenly day! Please people. Teach your kids these terms and concepts before they get to university!

 

When I read your subject line, I immediately clicked on it, so afraid that I may have missed something and ds is just in his first semester of college...thank God, I think this particular thing was covered...:lol:

[Marylou]

I noticed my 8 year old twins were calling dogs "girls" and "boys", and talking about animals having babies when they get "married". I didn't need to have the birds and bees talk in order to teach them the terms "male", "female" and "mating". I just taught them that we use different terms when we refer to animals.

[cathmom]

"Male" & "Female"

 

I have mentioned before that I manage a concert hall on a college campus. My staff are all students. We were preparing for an event, and the Media Guy called. So one of my freshmen answered and here's how the conversation went down.

 

Walter: "Hello. This is Walter over in Media. We're bringing over a camera today for the lecture, and we need to know what kind of cable to bring. Could you tell me whether the input is male or female?"

 

Student: "I'm sorry. What?"

 

Walter: "Uh. I need to know what the input looks like, where you plug in the cable... if it's male or female."

 

Student: "Oh! It's round."

 

Walter: "Uh. Well. Yes, but what does it... Never mind. I'll come over."

 

Later he told me that he didn't feel it would be appropriate to explain this to a young woman, and that, in fact, they have a code over in his department. This situation would be designated as "ten foot pole" as in, "wouldn't touch this with...".

 

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

Sweet heavenly day! Please people. Teach your kids these terms and concepts before they get to university!

 

I would have had no idea what on earth he was talking about.

[Lovedtodeath]

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"),

:lol::lol:I didn't know until I was helping DH with some cables. No one taught me!

[Carrie12345]

Lol! It never occurred to me that people might not pick up on that. I'm not sure how it's NOT intuitive.:001_huh:

[Mom0012]

I had a similar thing happen to me when I was young. I was working for a computer repair/retail store in high school and while I had a roomful of customers, my boss was trying to explain to me the difference between a male and female adaptor over the intercom system. I'm sure he thought it was hysterical but I think I must have been purple by the time we were through with that!

 

Lisa

[Rhonda in TX]

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

:smilielol5::smilielol5:

[kiana]

I knew the terms but didn't figure out why we used male/female both for animals and connector thingies for the longest time. One day it hit me and I turned crimson and spent the whole day saying to myself "I can't believe I never NOTICED that before!"

[greensummervillian]

This reminds me of an incident when I was a child helping my dad do something with wires. He told me this kind was male and this kind was female. Of course I asked him why we call it that. I remember he stuttered and said a lot of umms and ahhs.

[Nicole M]

This reminds me of an incident when I was a child helping my dad do something with wires. He told me this kind was male and this kind was female. Of course I asked him why we call it that. I remember he stuttered and said a lot of umms and ahhs.

 

How little were you? I was 11. My dad just looked at me for a long moment and then said, "Think about it." I did. I got it.

 

I just don't understand how these girls would think this is not intuitive. The two boys on my staff thought the whole thing was hilarious.

[OnTheBrink]

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

 

Ok, that made me literally laugh out loud!

[Nicole M]

Ok, that made me literally laugh out loud!

 

I had to use my fingers to poke my eyeballs back into my head, that's for sure. I was flabbergasted.

[G5052]

I received double math/computer science degrees, and after college went to go work at the research lab as a staffer where I had previously been a summer intern. In getting my office set up, the system manager (thankfully one of the three women who worked in my group including me) called to have me check if I needed a "male or female" to "hook up." I told her that I didn't know what she was talking about. Thankfully she came to my office and explained it in private ;).

[Veritaserum]

Ha! My dad is an engineer and a musician, so I learned those terms early on. It was pretty intuitive to me....

[Zelda]

When I approached the staff about it, and explained the concept ("pokey thingy, male; receptacle thingy, female"), one little gal just got the most hurt and confused look on her face and said, "But that's not intuitive!"

 

Sweet heavenly day! Please people. Teach your kids these terms and concepts before they get to university!

 

If you do this early enough its two, two, TWO lessons in one.

[swellmomma]

I have never heard that before and would have been so confused if someone had asked me that question.

[Mommyof4ks]

I have never heard that before and would have been so confused if someone had asked me that question.

 

Me too!

[Parrothead]

Double post

[Parrothead]

It works that way with fire hose and various connectors too.

[Tracey in TX]

"But that's not intuitive!"

 

!

She's right--it's not intuitive. I didn't know this until several years ago. THought DH was being vulgar and irreverent with this terminology. While it's known as "male and female", I wish they'd change the name. It seems, well, sexual. Not what I want to be thinking of while working on computer equipment.;)

[Nicole M]

Really? Really, really? You've never heard plugs and electric "thingies" referred to as male and female? It's standard. It's... it's... time to go talk to your husbands, ladies!

 

Wow. I guess I need to add this to my list of "things I thought were obvious but students will probably not know." Already on the list are things like, "Turn OFF your cell phone during staff meetings, and if you forget and your mom calls, don't even think about picking up. She'll call back." Or, "It is not appropriate to lie on the desk and nap during your office hour." Or, "Not appropriate to ask your co-workers and especially not your boss for a wake up call before an early event."

 

Golly!

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

well, I'm usually *****y about our local provincial curriculum, but that male/female thing was covered in high school.

However, I attended an all-girls Catholic school, and we had *one* male teacher, the physics teacher. And it was in his class that the terminology was supposed to be learnt. From the only guy in a school of 800!

 

:lol:

[Plucky]

Why was Walter so embarrassed? He could've just explained to her on the phone what male and female meant.

[Nicole M]

Why was Walter so embarrassed? He could've just explained to her on the phone what male and female meant.

 

Staff are trained to be super sensitive about anything that might be construed as sexual harassment. We're a little paranoid. I'm guessing that might have played a part in his reaction. I'm not sure that he was embarrassed, but maybe reluctant to have to spell it out. It probably also took him by surprise. I imagine that, like I did, he assumed everyone knew that terminology.

[Plucky]

Staff are trained to be super sensitive about anything that might be construed as sexual harassment. We're a little paranoid. I'm guessing that might have played a part in his reaction. I'm not sure that he was embarrassed, but maybe reluctant to have to spell it out. It probably also took him by surprise. I imagine that, like I did, he assumed everyone knew that terminology.

 

 

He couldn't just ask her to look at it and see if it had a long metal part or a hole?

[Tree House Academy]

Oh come on...is that no common sense??? LOL Well, maybe not to some. I agree with the guy in the dept. I wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole!!

[Nicole M]

He couldn't just ask her to look at it and see if it had a long metal part or a hole?

 

I think somewhere along the line he did, and she again answered, "it's round." The cables look like this:

 

 

But the video "outlet" is on a different wall, and she didn't know where that was. There was confusion all around.

[Plucky]

Oh, yeah that makes sense. So she knows now right? I guess I don't see it as a big deal. I'm sure there are people far older that still don't know.

[Nicole M]

Oh, yeah that makes sense. So she knows now right? I guess I don't see it as a big deal. I'm sure there are people far older that still don't know.

 

Yep, she know. Poor dear. She was mortified, though I did not make it into a big deal at all. These girls also have a little problem with "lefty loosey, righty tighty."

 

I bet most guys know. Not being sexist, just assuming that men have more opportunities to encounter that terminology along the way.

[Plucky]

Yep, she know. Poor dear. She was mortified, though I did not make it into a big deal at all. These girls also have a little problem with "lefty loosey, righty tighty."

 

I bet most guys know. Not being sexist, just assuming that men have more opportunities to encounter that terminology along the way.

 

You're right. More men do know this kind of thing. I learned this from a man. I am going to make sure my girls know though. Thanks.

[LaxMom]

Wow. Maybe it's because I'm an only child and my dad is Mr. Car and Household Fixing Guy... I can't remember learning about male and female connectors, it's just always been the terminology used... and I'll even get the plumbing kid in the hardware store to look for the appropriately threaded nipple for me. He doesn't bat an eye. (Ok, he did that one time, but it was when I was putting him through his paces to help me build a diaper sprayer out of a sink sprayer and some odd parts - bathrooms and kitchens are evidently not threaded the same way - and finally described what the goal of the project was. :D)

 

(Though I will put out there that some cabeling - particularly coax - is sort of hard to tell the difference, particularly if you think too hard about the locking collar on the male side)

[cathmom]

These girls also have a little problem with "lefty loosey, righty tighty."

 

 

 

NEVER heard that before either!

[jacqui in mo]

I remember the first time I heard this terminology for electronics. I was a graduate student working on my master's project. My male professor said, " You Doooo know where that comes from??" as if he'd enjoy explaining it to me. (bleh). Fortunately for me, it was intuitive (it is if you can see the plugs) so I didn't need him to explain it to me. To me, that would have bordered on harassment from him. Jacqui

[AnnetteB]

I was the "son" my dad never had :glare: He taught me the "lefty loosey, righty tighty" and the male/female adaptor terminology. I would never think to apply them to train tracks or Legos, though dh says, "Sure."

[Crissy]

NEVER heard that before either!

 

I didn't hear that until I was a young adult.

 

My father never hired anyone for home or car repairs, so I was familiar with male/female and such.

He used clockwise and counter-clockwise, though, for tightening and loosening.

When I heard "Right:Tight, Left:Loose," I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I never could remember my dad's method.

[SapphireStitch]

My brother explained the male/female plug things to me as a teenager. My dad is too much of an non-mechanical absent-minded professor, he might not even know the terminology himself. :)

 

Sorta related: I heard Cindy Shearer from Greenleaf Press speak on teaching the Bible as history, and she told us we HAD to explain circumcision to our girls before sending them off to college. She said when she was in campus Bible study groups it would come up in the course of studying various books of the Bible, and every year there was at least one naive girl who would totally embarrass herself and the study leader by asking what that word meant.

[Veritaserum]

Sorta related: I heard Cindy Shearer from Greenleaf Press speak on teaching the Bible as history, and she told us we HAD to explain circumcision to our girls before sending them off to college. She said when she was in campus Bible study groups it would come up in the course of studying various books of the Bible, and every year there was at least one naive girl who would totally embarrass herself and the study leader by asking what that word meant.

 

I didn't know what circumcision was until after I was married (dh is circumcised). I had a vague idea that it had something to do with Jewish males. None of my brothers are circumcised. Truthfully, I was completely horrified when I learned what it was (and how it's done) and I remain rather baffled as to its seeming popularity....

[Nicole M]

I didn't hear that until I was a young adult.

 

My father never hired anyone for home or car repairs, so I was familiar with male/female and such.

He used clockwise and counter-clockwise, though, for tightening and loosening.

When I heard "Right:Tight, Left:Loose," I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I never could remember my dad's method.

 

I thought it was pretty clever, too, because I also learned clockwise and counterclockwise. We were moving equipment around the stage the other day, and we have these new towers with gigantic swinging doors. There is a pole that hangs down on the backside that you have to turn, like a giant screwdriver, to lock the swinging doors into place. One of my students was turning counterclockwise and saying to herself, "righty tighty, righty tighty," thinking she was turning to the right. KA-BAM! The entire pole fell right off because she'd unscrewed the whole contraption. Goodness! That is when I realized that verbal descriptions were not going to do the trick, and we had to back up and do a little demo about the righty-tighty, lefty-loosey thing.

 

You can lead a horse to water....

 

The other clever memory trick that my son thought of is for longitude and latitude. I could never remember which one was which, but he calls them "launch-itude" and "flat-itude." Genius! Now I never confuse those, either.

[Amber in SJ]

On the possibly related note, one young married woman in our scripture study group surprised the others into embarassed silence when she said "How do I know if DH is circumcised?" I finally said, "does it look like a crewneck or turtleneck?"

 

I promised myself then & there that my girls would know what these things mean. I didn't know about the male & female connectors thing until I was married & helping DH with electrical stuff.

 

Amber in SJ

[fivetails]

Yeah I'd never heard of the male/female terms for those sorts of things until I was 20ish and starting hanging out with someone who "fixed stuff" and he used them. :)

[Nicole M]

I finally said, "does it look like a crewneck or turtleneck?"

 

 

:smilielol5:

[Crissy]

The other clever memory trick that my son thought of is for longitude and latitude. I could never remember which one was which, but he calls them "launch-itude" and "flat-itude." Genius! Now I never confuse those, either.

 

 

On that note...

My mom didn't relate this until I was much older, but the way she remembers vertical and horizontal is to remember that an upstanding woman has good vertical posture while a prostitute is often Whore-izontal.

 

:blink:

[Veritaserum]

On the possibly related note, one young married woman in our scripture study group surprised the others into embarassed silence when she said "How do I know if DH is circumcised?" I finally said, "does it look like a crewneck or turtleneck?"

 

I thought dh had a birth defect since he's missing a normal piece of anatomy. :blush:

[Veritaserum]

On that note...

My mom didn't relate this until I was much older, but the way she remembers vertical and horizontal is to remember that an upstanding woman has good vertical posture while a prostitute is often Whore-izontal.

 

:blink:

 

LOL. :lol:

[cathmom]

Longitude is easy because the lines are all the same length - the same long.

 

I don't get how the male/female thing is critical if I have reached the age of 37 without knowing it.

[melissel]

This thread is absolutely cracking me up!!!

 

Really? Really, really? You've never heard plugs and electric "thingies" referred to as male and female? It's standard. It's... it's... time to go talk to your husbands, ladies!

 

My dad is a fixit guy too, but we knew to stay far, far away from him when he was working or you'd be forced to hear a lecture on how something worked, help him, or be subject to some abuse due to his likely frustration with the project! My mom and I would actually argue over who would be the one to bring him a screwdriver or something, because neither of us wanted to get within range! When I was in my early 20s, someone explained it to me at work. In fact, it was probably my DH, whom I met there, and it probably sparked a whole other kind of discussion... :lol:

 

But it is SOOO totally intuitive!

 

Wow. I guess I need to add this to my list of "things I thought were obvious but students will probably not know." Already on the list are things like, "Turn OFF your cell phone during staff meetings, and if you forget and your mom calls, don't even think about picking up. She'll call back." Or, "It is not appropriate to lie on the desk and nap during your office hour." Or, "Not appropriate to ask your co-workers and especially not your boss for a wake up call before an early event."

 

Golly!

 

Now, see, I would know all of THOSE things!

 

Yep, she know. Poor dear. She was mortified, though I did not make it into a big deal at all. These girls also have a little problem with "lefty loosey, righty tighty."

 

I bet most guys know. Not being sexist, just assuming that men have more opportunities to encounter that terminology along the way.

 

Ahem...again, a phrase I did not learn until I was in college, when my best friend (former high school stagehand) explained it to me *sigh* Where would I be without those two?

[SonshineLearner]

Wow! Never thought to ask my kids if they understand this terminology.

Another thing to teach:-)

[joannqn]

I thought dh had a birth defect since he's missing a normal piece of anatomy. :blush:

 

 

LOL I've only seen one uncircumcised male in my life. I was horrified and wondered what was wrong with it before I finally figured it out.

 

I probably wouldn't have figured out the male/female thing either.

[Michelle T]

On the possibly related note, one young married woman in our scripture study group surprised the others into embarassed silence when she said "How do I know if DH is circumcised?" I finally said, "does it look like a crewneck or turtleneck?"

 

I promised myself then & there that my girls would know what these things mean. I didn't know about the male & female connectors thing until I was married & helping DH with electrical stuff.

 

Amber in SJ

 

:lol:

 

Sheesh, she could have just asked him, right?

Michelle T