Need advice. How can I fit in with the Good Ol' Boys tomorrow AM?

[Maddy McCall]

A couple of times, my kid and I drive a couple of towns over to the chicken sale. It's in a parking lot of a feed store, and it starts at 7AM.

The good ol' boys get there at about 6AM and start the tradin'. When we drive up in the car, and I, a WOMAN *gasp*, gets out to start checking out the birds, the guys kind of step aside and all conversation ceases.

It's so clanish that it's almost ridiculous. Why do I continue to go, you ask? Because I have found some great, show-quality birds there for cheap. Thanks to these sales, my family now has fresh eggs for breakfast whenever we want. I love attending and bringing home birds, but....

I'm a woman, and I just haven't broken into the inner circle, and probably won't ever.

So...advice, please. What do I need to do to show these guys that my attendance at the bird sale does not emasculate them? :D

[RubyDuby in GA]

1. You need a John Deere cap

and some overalls. :)

[Maddy McCall]

4. I thought about taking a big plug of chawin' terbaccy...

but I think they'd even feel more threatened. :-)

[democracyindanger]

6. Country caviar

Dudn't need to be a plug. Pouches are fine fer womenfolk.

[Maddy McCall]

8. Or maybe a can of snuff. :-) nt

[realisticphish]

2. dont worry about it

if anything, emasculate them MORE :D


seriously, try starting a conversation about trading with one or a group of them. force them to see you for your knowledge and not your gender

[Maddy McCall]

5. Did that. I think they were astonished that I knew what a silver-laced

Seabright was.

:-)

[Digit]

3. Good Ol Boys hate me, too.

Maybe if they thought your husband was incapitated and you were doing it FOR him. They hate independent women.

[Maddy McCall]

7. Exactly.

I know that's what it is. And it's hard for me to change those stripes, even for a second.

:-)

[crispini]

11. I totally disagree.

What they hate is, they hate feeling condecended to by a woman. However, good ol' boys will let you play in their sandbox (with some bemusement) if you come across as the sort of snappy type of broad. Remember Flo at Mel's Diner? But if they think they can rattle you, they will try to do so. That's just boy behavior IMO....

[Maddy McCall]

12. Yeah, I see your point.

I have to admit that I have been intimidated by them, so I've been kind of stand-offish. I'm going to take your advice and jump right in tomorrow.

I never really thought about the condescention thing. I hope I haven't come across that way, although I can see where I probably have come across as aloof.

I'm going to go have fun tomorrow, dammit! :-)

[crispini]

13. You go girl!

just channel "Flo" and you'll be fine. Sassy broad. if they poke at you, poke back.

My neighbors are crass good ol' boys and sadly, the neighbor on their other side (I've talked to her) doesn't get along with 'em. She thinks they're sexist and annoying (and they are, but they don't MEAN anything by it) and they think she's a snob. I manage to get along fine by just hanging out with 'em and slapping them down when they get offensive. it's like hanging out with these unmannerly slobbery dogs. One of these fellows is the guy that showed up at our polling place, where I was working as an election judge, drunk and made remarks about my "titties." Hahahahahaha! Some people! :P

[crispini]

9. Ask them questions that show you know what your subject matter is,

and that you are a serious bird owner, i.e. "I've been having X problem with bird Y, what do you think?"

Are you in the South? I grew up in the South and I sort of automatically regain my accent when-ever I am around the more rural Southerner. My dad does the same thing; it's involuntary. It sort of DOES say "I'm like you," though, and I think that helps. not sure i would recommend this if you already have been speaking with them though!

But DO slow your voice down, talk about local politics, the weather, etc. Of course this may not apply to your particular variety of good-ol-boy -- I only know about the Southern type.

[Maddy McCall]

10. I'm a southerner...

got a Texas accent, though. And I now live deep in the heart of Mississippi.

Amazingly, several of these guys gathered around my car and laughed at my anti-Bush bumpersticker--they liked it--so I assume these are the old-breed Southern Democrats. I guess I could ask them what they think about Bush's anti-farm policies as of late?

And, yes, I could ask them about feed for the chickens...I do have some questions about that!

Thanks! Good advice.