women in collecting

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Posted By: Julie

I wasn't aware of being a woman in a man's hobby until I joined this board; my son, Mark Macrae, Terry Knouse, Lew Lipset, Mastro and Gary Engel, Barry Sloate were very helpful to me. Until about 6-7 years ago, there were a lot of shows.

There have been occasions when this board made me feel like Adolph Eichmann. You wouldn't BELIEVE some of the stories I could tell you, but won't. One of them involves two members of the board usurping my name in the chatroon, and saying the stupidest things they could think of, pretending to be me! I saw a personal note from one to the other saying "This is sure to drive her crazy."

Piles of hatred have been directed at me. I have to assume that it's either misogyny, or I really am the world's dumbest ass.

Most of the time, it's great. This topic has come up before, and while some people remember the hatred, others say we're all imagining things--including some of the worst perpetrators.

I've never met another woman seriously in the hobby. I know there are some--I talked to a couple at Tri Star--but I've never gotten to know one. "Amy," who occasionally posts here, but without an e-mail address, won't talk to me.

I caught the collecting bug from my son, when he was 9. Once I started, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. He quit after 3 years.