What is the Gender of a beekeeper?

[Jen]

Ef - "What all of you are saying is all fine and dandy---but You haven't been answering the question---"Has the time come to remove the "gender" listing?" 

   Personally, I don't mind the gender listing at all. I like knowing if I'm talking to a man or a woman. Sorta like, if I'm walking down the street, and someone is friendly to me, I am automaticlly freindly back. I like knowing if it's a man or a woman, we do have different needs.

   Oh! And Thank You to all of you gentlemen on this thread who still hold the door for us women. I Love That!

[neillsayers]

Beemistress, Beekeeptrix? I dunno?

[lazy shooter]

My country has a national debt of 20 trillion dollars, some of my friends have serious cancer and heart disease, and whether we list as male, female, shamble, in-between or whatever, is way down on my list of problems.  If I have to make a choice, I am with iddee.

[pistolpete]

not going to weigh in on the gender issue, but to me that video is a classic example on how to get your bees riled up.  1: don't smoke the hive a couple of minutes prior to opening. 2:) move fast. 3:)bang the equipment around. 4:) Squish lots of bees. 5:) get your suit good and loaded with attack Pheromone.

There's speed, and then there'd good technique.  You can see tonnes of black ratty frames in those hives too.  This may be typical of commercial work, but it's not an example of good bee keeping.

[LazyBkpr]

""we are not fragile little flowers""

I disagree. They are like butter cups. Able to bloom even in the snow, but still hold their beauty and deserve admiring, enjoying, and taking care of.

So there. Like LS, I'm not changing my old, set ways. Women are still special, even if they are tougher than me.   

   My grandmother carefully schooled me on how to hold a chair for a lady, and slide it in for her. TO open a door for a lady, the one I am with or any other lady. When a lady enters a room I stand up, and if I was so rude as to wear a hat inside I immediately take it off. I could go on for a while. most of those lessens are ingrained deeply, because my gandmother passed away not long after, and I cherish the things she taught me.
   Women are to be admired, coddled and respected. At least until you marry them.   No, just kidding.
   I did get a chuckle from the post Ef...
      Gender in this day and age is a confusing thing. If it looks, talks, and walks like a female thats close enough for me, because thats as close as I will ever get. I would step out a little further to help a lady, not because of any hope of reward, but just because I was taught from a very young age to do exactly that.

   We often post pictures, and may use their real names. The question of gender is already optional. ANyone who spends a decent amount of time among us will be known one way or anther, so I think the question is moot, but it was a good one to bring back some great memories.