Sheds, Mens’, Women’s

I’m all on for the Sheds, and I’m shre men and women enjoy their own company, but I, as a woman, thoroughly love men’s company, and occupations more typically enjoyed by men. I’m quite sure it halkebdcthe other way around and is more widespread than I know.,

Jim_Hodge

The idea behind the sheds stems from a need for men to be able to talk to other men about men's issues. The last thing the concept needs is women in the mix.

There are already women’s’ sheds I believe, have seen on Nationwide. Yes, indeed I have done a few contributions to local men’s sheds as I appreciate the good they can do, and I really approve of those bonding and interactive opportunities.

Nodster

The Men's Shed provides a safe environment which helps break social isolation, a place to go learn new skills, work on community projects, to meet others for a social chat over a welcoming cuppa, even group visits to meet other sheds, promotes positive mental health - excellent concept

Nothing wrong with Women's or Sister's Sheds, just basically different interests

Leg End Reject

I don't think they were set up for hookups around the back, they're men only for a reason.

Ubbquittious

If there was a mixed shed I'd join. So hard to meet women who are into that sort of stuff

Padre_Pio

Fairly sure men's sheds are geared towards retirees.

tikka16751

They are cliquey, I see they are looking for members now though. They are reaping what they have sown.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394175#Comment_121394175

I know a place where they were trying to set one up and they wanted someone to donate land for the shed to be built on

Then they wanted a grant for some contractors to come in and build the shed, with proper toilets, insurance and other facilities.

None of the lads involved had any ideas for projects once the shed was finished

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394197#Comment_121394197

Sure that's fine. the purpose is a meetup place to combat loneliness and isolation.

The projects will come in time, and no harm of it's slow to take off.

Purple Mountain

I don't see anything wrong with them being advertised as men only.

There are ICA groups for women only and active retirement groups that mixes both genders.

I get what you're saying about some women who would like the projects undertaken at the sheds.

Perhaps then suggest if the Men's Shed would like to give a worksop at a group you are a member of?

Strumms

Lots of fitness places have female only classes. I don’t ever think I’ve seen a men only fitness class. I’d say any gym owner would be putting that sign up for ‘men only’… with hands trembling… strong criticism at best, sued at worst…

in fact searching now there are actually entire female only gyms now…

so why not a male only shed / other fellas social or creative or activity based thing ?

you can’t be selective for the females and say to the fellas.. “ nope , sorry everyone has to be admitted here, but the girls are ok, they can have their own space/time/thing and you won’t be admitted, but your gig has to be open to anybody ! “…

tabby aspreme

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394197#Comment_121394197

There was a representative from Mens Sheds on the radio a few days ago, and he said the most important thing in any shed is the kettle, first and foremost it's a social meeting place.

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058323507/sheds-mens-women-s

Can’t for the life of me make out this word in the opening post, I’m pretty sure it’s important- ‘halkebdcthe’…

Aaanyway, what do you call a men’s shed with women in it? A community group! That’s really the essential difference between them OP. I went to a few when the idea was trending about 20 years ago and they were a thing post-recession with a lot of men retired and unemployed - I just found the atmosphere a bit over-contrived tbh. They’re really not a sustainable idea in modern society.

There must be plenty of community groups you could get involved with where you could make good use of your skills (I know you’re into software and web development, must be a Coderdojo nearby?), but there’s probably a few creator workshops around you too which like men’s sheds are funded by Government and local authority grants - they offer all sorts of facilities and services where you can do things like CNC lathe work, wood turning, fabrication, etc, whatever floats your boat!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394443#Comment_121394443

I’d say any gym owner would be putting that sign up for ‘men only’… with hands trembling… strong criticism at best, sued at worst…

Not at all, there’s just not much of a demand for men only gyms is all. The end of the day they’re a business, not a community group. My brother owned and operated his own men-only gym for years, but he had the regulars from being involved in bodybuilding. Covid hit and he’d to close up shop as the business just couldn’t sustain itself. The difference with community groups is that they’ll often have to pay little or no overheads like rental space, insurance, etc. There’s just a greater demand for women-only gyms and fitness clubs and classes is all.

SharkMX

Id love to go to a mens shed. I love the idea of a bit of craic but building and making things while you are there.

There should be more of these.

Peregrinus

Can’t for the life of me make out this word in the opening post, I’m pretty sure it’s important- ‘halkebdcthe’…

Sure, lookit, we all have our halkebdcthe days. My guess is that it was supposed to be something like "I'm quite sure it happens the other way around".

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394044#Comment_121394044

As a woman I happen to have male type interests, certainly the last things I’m interested in are knitting and baking etc. 😁 I’d be better suited to a men’s shed but I’ll desist!

blackbox

There is a group called DublinMaker.ie that is definitely not confined to any gender and may suit the OP. Not sure if there is a nationwide connection.

magicbastarder

they're called 'men's sheds', but do they have a men-only rule?

lucalux

i'd love to be able to join a men's shed that does woodworking, traditional skills and building projects, but i wouldn't like to impose at all

there are no women's sheds or community groups around me that do any of those things unfortunately

it's great to see them being popular, but the politics of them sounds like any group of people, a bit unbearable from anecdotes i've heard!

Infighting, breakaway groups etc

magicbastarder

the famous brendan behan quote springs to mind.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394658#Comment_121394658

Ah tell us more - spill the beans there lucalux don’t be shy 😀

taxAHcruel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394629#Comment_121394629

I try not to consider interests with gender. While some things might be "typical" - in myself and those around me I see a mix.

I love cooking. Baking and dips are my favorites. I love DIY And Martial Arts. My children have a healthy mix of gender typical crossover interests. My son (9) baking and dance. My daughter (13) farming and firing and caring for pistols, rifles, guns in general.

They both like animals and combat sport. Neither likes horse riding much. I really do.

Despite the name many sheds are not confined to women. Simply ask. You might find yourself welcomed.

Or simply start your own if you know people with a mix of skills that would produce a good club doing good and stimulating things. The hardest part is not forming the group but keeping up the imagination required to set goals and find meaning in it. A lot of the sheds fail because they get all the setup done and then have no idea what to actually do.

Because of some local teens in my area who were getting loud and violent and disruptive I started a "Jedi Acadamy" locally. Essentially it was just a mens shed for boys - with the concept that inside it we would teach the boys everything we could that a Jedi would learn. And where we could not teach them the literal Jedi skill like levitation and mind control and other aspects of "the Force" we found the closest real world equivalents through close up magic, mentalism and NLP type trickery.

In the end it was just a Mens Shed with a fun concept / theme behind it. Martial arts, sword play, fitness, magic and illusion, some language politics and history, meditation and so on. Basically it is a full Jedi Training school. It brought life changing experiences to the kids who are no longer being anti social miscreants on the path to prison. But also the men who help me by bringing their skills to teach and use.

The other thing myself and my mates do which is just a kind of mens shed really is weaponized go kart racing. Once a year we have a big go kart race. But there is inter vehicle violence involved. Tools and equipment installed in the gokart designed to mess up the other drives or their karts. Like a Tazer array. We get a great laugh out of that one and a year of planning and working on it. The race itself is one thing but really is the smallest point of the whole thing.

Another thing I have been doing recently which I have not got off the ground yet but will soon - is "Men doing bloody hard things". Basically we are gonna find some really hard challenges each day/week/month/season of the group and get after it. The harder the better. The more varied the challenges the better. But ultimately they should just be really bloody hard.

Mav11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394629#Comment_121394629

Could you not find a few women with similar interests to yourself and set up your own shed?

taxAHcruel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394916#Comment_121394916

As at least one other user has already pointed out on the thread: One thing with community projects like men's sheds is you do not have to go the official route with many things like insurance and so forth. I have no more requirement to be Garda vetted for anything I do than you would if your neighbor asked you to take his son out on a boat and teach him fishing.

That does not mean of course that if I came to be concerned for the mental well being or damage or trauma or other emotional well being of an individual - that I would not act properly and accordingly. Involving any authority I deemed responsible in each context. Again just as you perhaps would if you were out teaching your neighbors son fishing in a boat and something troubling came to light.

That said though - interestingly enough two of my mates who help me with all the various projects I enjoy - are themselves police. Whom I met and made friends with due to a seriously insane neighbor who for a long period called the Police on us for the most inane and crazy reasons. And in the end I got quite friendly and close with two guys who kept getting sent out to our place.

EmmetSpiceland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394956#Comment_121394956

Garda vetting is more about protecting you than the children. I’m not sure how getting it works if this ‘Jedi Club’ isn’t an official organisation but it might still be worth looking into.

You should also looking into some child safety training courses for both you and the other guys you have on your team.

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394916#Comment_121394916

"Damaged and vulnerable children"

FFS.

This is why we can't have nice things.

taxAHcruel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395007#Comment_121395007

Oh we have some useful courses and stuff behind some of us - especially the two guys I mentioned who are themselves police. However entirely off topic for the subject of this thread so I would not go too deeply into that rabbit hole here save to merely put your concerns at rest if I have raised any in you.

"Sheds" whether themed or not like our one can be quite transformative though. To think some of the lads around my area were accosting little old women and intimidating them and knocking shopping out of their hands - and became lads who during covid had a route each where they were delivering shopping to little old ladies who were unable to get their own either due to age or fear of covid - doing their gardening - and later on sitting with them listening to stories of the good old days and eating cookies. It makes me proud. Mostly of them. But I reserve some pride for myself and those that helped me form the Academy.

As others have said on the thread a lot of these Sheds can stagnate or fall apart. Often the just need a goal, or a source of meaning, or a raison d'etre to drive them forward. While some might sustain themselves on "There is tools in the corner but let us just have a tea and a chat" - I reckon most don't. Not much different to the local pub then.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394916#Comment_121394916

wtf?? What gave the impression the kids are “damaged” or “vulnerable”? Just sounds like an informal youth club type thing the likes of FDYS usually run

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394629#Comment_121394629

I'm sure you are not the first or only woman with those interests, might be worth suggesting it to a local group? There is a local-to-me new women's shed starting and for the first few weeks the idea is to get people chatting about what they want to do in it, what they would like to get out of the group. I'm assuming most other groups are open to suggestions too?

corner of hells

There used be a group years ago called the FCA where you could shoot things , learn to drive trucks , dress up in camouflage and do loads of other man things.

Then they let women join that too.

magicbastarder

Yeah, the free clothes association.

Or 'the sandbags' as the army knew them AFAIK.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394552#Comment_121394552

How do you know there is not much demand ? :)

if there is a demand for a men’s shed, just men, let them at it. They don’t deserve any criticism or chastising…

sexes chose all the time to do things segregated together…

A stag weekend generally doesn’t include women.

A hens weekend generally doesn’t include men.

girls spa weekend ? Lads football trip ? I could go on….

I don’t think Garda vetting is a thing for men’s/women’s sheds, only for people working with children/vulnerable adults, so does not generally come into sheds, I should have thought.

The ICA is a kind of longstanding country women’s sheds, the first time I think I heard of men’s sheds was on Nationwide and thought it a very good idea.

tikka16751

Men’s shed’s need to come back to the begging bowl. They won’t hence their demise

One eyed Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121398164#Comment_121398164

Well I could simply have said earlier that nobody gives a damn about feminism or what feminists have to say about anything, let alone the idea that in the male dominated fitness industry, feminists themselves would give a damn about men-only gyms.

Instead of getting into the gender wars crap, I only have to run the numbers, and according to at least one survey, 70% of gym owners are men, 30% are women -

https://www.sportalliance.com/en/press/the-fitness-industry-remains-male-dominated/

As business owners they’re more interested in increasing revenue, business sustainability and profitability, as opposed to any nonsense about the idea of having men-only anything when there isn’t the demand among men for men-only gyms. Men-only gyms don’t attract more men who wouldn’t ordinarily go to the gym, women-only gyms DO attract more women who wouldn’t ordinarily go to the gym. It’s purely a business decision, nothing to do with gender politics.

The thing is, I don’t see how anything anyone posted in this thread could be construed as a criticism of men’s sheds, it’s precisely because people aren’t interested in them that men’s sheds are in decline, and need to diversify in order to sustain themselves, rather than simply hoping that with enough public funding they might become viable -

https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/1120/1417471-irish-mens-sheds/

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/26b4c-minister-humphreys-announces-new-1-million-fund-to-support-mens-sheds/

EmmetSpiceland

The sheds are a great idea but I, personally, don’t see them lasting. They are for men who’s life were work and now that work has finished they’re a bit “lost”. They have to get out of the house because they’re annoying the wife to the point of divorce.

They won’t be gone for awhile yet but the “modern man”, with very little going on in his life, is living online and will continue to do so in retirement, angrily moaning, and complaining, about how the world has changed and why they don’t like it.

The more well adjusted of us, with good social networks, and family lives, won’t need the sanctuary of the ‘Men’s Shed’ to keep us entertained, or distracted.

Brendan Bendar

As a member of the "well adjusted" coterie Ive never been to a mens shed.

Would imagine a group of 'barrack room lawyers' holding court with a whiff of stale stout and sour farts as the 'bull goose' goes on about

the war in Gaza,how great Liverpewall are, why the Govt are shïte,his last trip to Spayan and various ailments he has endured.

Don't know if I am right or wrong but from a look at some of the clients using the nearby shed, don't think I'm too far off the mark.

But.....whatever floats yer boat.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058323507/sheds-mens-women-s

been a shedder myself, i just love the idea, the sense of community and shear looking out for each other was great, lads really can look after each other under such circumstances....

in regards mixing sexes, shur, if its agreed, but i also realise, lads do really like each others company, without females, men can relax in a different way, it helps with male to male communications, having females in the environment can change the dynamics, so much so, some could be discouraged from being in the environment, causing isolation...

....possible solution, encouraging women only sheds, and mixed sheds....

Esel

1. Identify as a man

2. Join local men's shed

3. ???

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121401424#Comment_121401424

...tried that, was found out fairly quickly with the stumble on my face, shur what can yea do!

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399238#Comment_121399238

I question how "well adjusted" you are if you can jump to such a conclusion about of a group of men you've never met who congregate in a place you've never been to.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403184#Comment_121403184

I have met them in other situations and other venues Padre,and I can say with a degree of certainty that my judgement would be accurate.

In fact I was talking to one guy who went to the shed and left .He said "Its like the front bar down the local, tossers roaring and shouting trying to start a sing-song"

His words not mine and I had to agree with him, knowing some of the clients involved.

Not all "sheds"are the same of course, I would agree with that.

magicbastarder

I'm involved in a woodturning chapter which would be a somewhat different profile of members - different reasons for joining etc. - but our meetings are *nothing* like that.

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403578#Comment_121403578

You got lucky, well done….well done….brilliant.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121399238#Comment_121399238

to be fair lad are you not the same fella who posts regularly in the etiquette thread, to those who don’t know, is nothing but a collection of dramatic stories about one’s bowel movements.

I don’t think you have any place to be questioning how well adjusted someone may or may not be.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121405901#Comment_121405901

Careful now, you'll be accused of being an angry middle-aged man.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121407273#Comment_121407273

But that’s exactly what I am just a few years too young.. well I hope I’m not middle age yet anyway 🤣

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121407333#Comment_121407333

Are you wearing bootcut jeans and a checked shirt?

If yes, the pitchforks will be out for you.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121407363#Comment_121407363

goodness no.

Black pants & whites 😂 I’d risk a streaking charge before I wore that.