Although the “Superheroes of Shipping” theme on our new website features an image of me wearing tights, it would take a lot to get me in such a get-up in real life. In fact, up until just a few years ago, I’d never even worn a pink shirt!
While walking down the aisles of a local superstore recently, I noticed how gender stereotypes start early and get continuously reinforced. The toy aisles were marked “Girls” and “Boys”. The girls’ aisle was a sea of placid pink featuring dolls, dress-up clothes, purses, Barbies and ponies. The boys’ aisle had a darker (think: blue, black and army green), more aggressive tone complete with wrestlers, guns, swords, superheroes, Star Wars figurines, and plenty of cars and trucks.
Although most of the people I know in our profession–both men and women–are kind, gentle folk, movies and TV shows still often portray us as a group of gruff, aggressive, or even (gulp!) violent males. Where can one see truckers like the ones I know? After a little searching on YouTube, I found just what I was looking for in the most unlikely place – TV commercials.
I found some real gems, including this tender, loving family man who brings back geological treasures for his little girl. There is also this handsome trucking husband (above), who garnered great appreciation from the rest of the Matchmaker team. It might seem a little schmaltzy, but the message is clear: male truck drivers can be soft and romantic, while still being manly and sexy.
Lest we get too excited about our sexy, sensitive image, 7-Up is happy to remind us that the majority of us in the transportation industry still have a little more work to do. The Un-Cola may portray us as decidedly more ‘un-cool’, but at least they know we have a great sense of humor:
Keep your shirt on this weekend,
~Bob
