Hard-hatted women - By JAMES A. FUSSELL, The Kansas City Star
Being a woman on a heavy construction crew is still unusual, but it’s getting less so every year. In 2002 Mays represented Kansas City at the International Carpenters Association’s first-ever Sisters in the Brotherhood conference.
“I met women in all 50 states who are carpenters,” she said. “It’s not just a man’s world anymore. But you have to work. It’s not easy at all.”
But for Mays, the easy part is jelling with her male co-workers.
“I think it’s fun to work (with men),” she said. “I’ve learned to appreciate them. They’re not all like females say — you know, ‘dogs.’ They’re humans, and they have become my best buddies and trained me. And I don’t know how it was 30 years ago, but they seem to have adapted to having a woman on the crew. I haven’t had any problems.”