The Lady Vanishes

Volleyball Girl

When I was around 18 or 19 I moved abroad for almost a year to do a TV traineeship. I got to experience live TV shows and operate the camera once or twice. I was really interested in learning how to use a Steadicam. This was the proper massive thing you had to wear on your body. The crew on this small station consisted of about 5 men. During a break they were telling me I should ask them whatever I wanted to learn. I said Steadicam. They went a bit quiet. Then they all looked at each other and started smiling and saying that was too hard and trying to put me off. I pushed back, saying I was genuinely interested and wanted to at least try. Then one of the guys said, "It might damage your ovaries and you'll never have children." That stopped me in my tracks. Not because I wanted to be a mother, but because it made it sound physically dangerous and I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. I didn't like the idea of my insides being damaged. No one said it was a joke even when I asked. I was very naive, from a very small town and I suspected it wasn't true but I didn't have the confidence to push back. After all, ovaries were something I had and they didn't, apparently. In the end, their tactic worked. I didn't bother them anymore of the subject and never had an opportunity to try the equipment while I was there. I did get to use one many years later when I was in my 30s. But I wonder if I had tried it age 18 and loved it and been given the support to progress whether it would be become more of a focus for me? I'm not too bothered now, but it's interesting - it makes you question...how many women out there may have gone down a different path entirely if the interests of their youth hadn't been shut down by a man?