There is no Manual: An Autoethnography of a Woman in the Trades

Abstract

This study presents an autoethnographic analysis of the lived experiences of a queer woman working in the skilled trades, a historically male-dominated field. Women remain underrepresented in the trades and continue to encounter workplace conditions shaped by marginalization, discrimination, and harassment. Using autoethnography as a qualitative research method, this study documents and analyzes the author’s lived experiences and situates them within broader cultural, social, and institutional contexts influencing workplace norms in the trades. The findings reveal recurring patterns in which discriminatory behaviors are normalized and organizational responses are limited or absent, contributing to environments that undermine worker safety, belonging, and retention. Women are often expected to tolerate discrimination and harassment in order to participate in technical fields. This study argues that such conditions are untenable and that meaningful change is possible, but only if industry leaders, employers, and institutions are willing to listen to worker testimony, critically examine workplace practices, and take accountable action. Speaking out is not a threat to the trades; rather, it is a necessary step towards the field’s sustainability and evolution.