Can we talk??? why are people surprised when they find out I am a woman and that I do carpentry isn't it 2013

Now I know that the fact that I do carpentry and that only because I am a girl makes that unusual....I am not sure how I feel about that at all.

I know the reason I started doing any carpentry isn't unusual. I too used to ask or expect my husband to do certain things because I had never used a power tool (about 12 years ago). I know that when we married the only project I had ever really done was painting. I knew I wanted things done around the house, I wanted things the way we liked and we liked how we saw rooms in magazines with lots amazing trim and with built ins and character, we wanted our home to have that too.

So there were two ways to get that done, well we could have my very capable husband do projects in the spare time that did not exist of we could hire someone. But it turns out carpentry work is very very pricey, and rightly so because there is so much work involved and know how of course.
Well things got really busy for my husband working after hours and often on weekends and we definitely didn't have thousands to spend just wainscoting so it didn't get done...or not until I decided I could do it myself.

Fast forward many years later and now I can do so much more , bookcases , built ins, furniture all kinds of trim, I thoroughly enjoy carpentry. I know I am not alone as a girl handy person but when I come across people they remind me how unusual this actually is still...

For instance just today , I went to pick up some custom drawers fronts I had made at a local door shop and when I went in to pick them up I get a strange look to start....and since my name is Chris a lot of people think I am a guy...common mistake I suppose, but then I get the question "is your husband Chris , I was gonna ask if he ever has done this before?" no I am Chris and I do carpentry..."Oh really??? " he says , interesting. I guess they don't see many women besides the ones in the front office.

He goes on to tell me how they (tv producers I suppose) are actively looking for a television host to do a show about carpentry geared toward WOMEN , now I am camera shy to say the least and I go to say how I would do it but I am camera shy, when he tells me they are looking for a MAN.....
why would they look for a man to host a carpentry show geared towards women,
is it just me of is that strange?

Hey I am all for empowering more women to use power tools and I admire the few I know personally that I have inspired to become amazingly creative in the field of carpentry but the fact that they aren't looking for a person to host said show kinda irks me.

I know there are many great blogging female carpenters out here , can you please share with me the ones you admire and know of , I'm sure there are ones I don't know about...but that I would like to know about.

I just really hope we have come far enough to not still think of power tools and carpentry as man work just like we don't think of house work and child care as women work, lets evolve people...I just hate getting a second look or being looked at like I'm lost in the lumber section, tired of it.

Oh and not all husbands want tools for Father's day , we are not all the same. Thanks for letting me vent.