Not so for today's growing population of female homeowners who think being sexy in the city is all about swapping high heels and high fashion for tool belts and coveralls in order to tackle do-it-yourself projects around the house.
"There's a real hunger out there from women who want to acquire skills in areas that have traditionally been labelled 'men's work,' " says JudyLynn Archer, CEO of Women Building Futures (WBF).
Since 2003, the Edmonton-based not-for-profit organization founded by Archer and a handful of female social workers has helped hundreds of women escape the cycle of poverty by providing them with training and assistance to re-enter the workforce as skilled trades workers.
Those who make it through the rigorous application process are placed in training programs like the fast-tracked construction or electrician boot camps, or the flagship 17-week Journeywoman Start program. They can even apply to live in one of the 42 on-site affordable housing units, 18 of which are reserved for single mothers with up to four children.
And now that construction of the new multimillion-dollar downtown headquarters and training facility is complete, WBF is once again operating the Fixit Chicks Inc.
The for-profit company offers full- and half-day workshops priced from $75 to $140 that are designed to teach women from all walks of life the basic skills needed to complete home renovation projects. And the best part is that all of the profits are used to directly support initiatives at Women Building Futures.
"There's a great dynamic when women get together to learn something new," says Archer, who made garden benches with members of her book club at a Fixit Chicks workshop offered last year. "We (women) tend to be relational learners. We're very interested in helping each other and seeing how each other is doing something."
Archer says the courses tend to attract two types of women: the first being the hands-on woman who owns her home and wants to learn a new skill, or who is tired of waiting for her boyfriend or husband to fix things; the second being the woman who wants to know more when it comes to dealing with contractors.
"Not all women, or men for that matter, are interested in doing renovations themselves. These courses give women the confidence and the vocabulary to communicate with their contractors so they know what's going on and don't get taken advantage of."
In just a few short years, the Fixit Chicks Inc. has amassed a small following of DIY groupies who appreciate the small female-only classes taught in a safe, nurturing environment. An environment where Archer says participants feel comfortable to ask "those dumb questions."
"You take a course and realize it's not a mystery. You learn the basics and it's like 'Yes, I can learn how to put on a toilet or change the sink faucets,' " she says, recalling many instances where women leave a Fixit Chicks course with a renewed feeling of pride.
"When we learn how to use our hands and use tools, it gives a sense of confidence that you can't get from reading or writing. It's the kind of thing that's like none other, and at the end of the day you have built something. It's a very tangible experience."
--Canwest News Service
