I must have missed the major exposé in yesterday’s paper about a lack of safety-approved feminine rubber boots. No matter, at least I caught this letter to the editor today, so as to make me aware of this grand injustice:
I was recently hired by a major corporation as an archeological field technician. My field work mainly involves surveying properties before development and requires that I wear Canadian Safety Association (CSA) footwear.
While I was able to find CSA approved work boots without a problem, I was shocked to learn that there is no such thing as CSA approved rubber boots for women. In fact, no manufacturer even produces them.
For the first time in my life I feel the pains of what my mother and grandmother fought for. Women in Canada have in fact left the office and have entered the manufacturing and environmental sectors where safety footwear is required. Not producing safety footwear for women is a sexist policy.
For the first time in her life she “feels the pains” of what her mother and grandmother fought for?
Don’t think we need better evidence than that for the fact that equality has been achieved.
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Brigitte would like to sympathize: I mean, come on! If dogs get feminine gear, why not girl archeological field technicians? Aren’t people, well, people too? (Buy a shirt…)
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Andrea adds: I really hate to say this, but there’s probably more demand for pink camouflage jackets for dogs than there is for pink archeological dig boots.
by 
Really? It never occurred to her to buy the men boots two sizes smaller? I’ll bet that’s what her grandmother would have done. On the other hand, I am thankful that my grandmother and mother fought for my right to wear cute rubber boots . . the blue ones. Heck yeah. Probably not CSA approved though.
Well you’re not alone in your annoyance by this issue. I’m a geologist and, I have to wear CSA approved boots every day. I found this site by googling women’s CSA approved safety boots because mine are falling apart (it’s been 5 years, it’s time for a change). Rubber boots are a huge problem; we need them when we go out on the ice to check the drills and do inspections and also in the summer when we need to traverse through swamp. There are 3 other girls I work with and we all have to wear men’s. This may not be a problem if your feet are large but if your feet are less than a size 7 (men’s) then you’re pretty much out of luck. So until the day comes when they make women’s then I guess we will have to just deal with the extra socks and blisters. I also feel that women need a little more ankle support than men do, so if they could come up with a boot that fit and had the support too, I would buy it for sure.
In response to Deborah. I agree with you, if you happen to wear a women’s size 8 or larger. I happen to wear a women’s size 6 and believe me, it is almost impssible to find a men’s size 4 workboot.