When you assume …

You know how that saying goes, right? When you assume, you make an ass out of “u” and me.

It’s so often true.

Anybody else in Ottawa hear about this story? Of the summer camps labelled for boys and girls with rather stereotypical names? Here’s a screenshot of the CBC story, to give you the idea:

My kids wouldn’t be going to those camps. To be fair, I have my own personal beliefs about day camps, and their place and value, so my kids hardly go to any day camps at all and, when they do, we select very, very carefully.

However, more than that – and this is probably the word geek / snob in me – there’s just something way too cutesy about the names and descriptions of these camps. I wouldn’t put my kids in them for the same reason I never let them wear t-shirts when they were little that said “It wasn’t me!” or “I’m with stupid.” I don’t like the associations and, yes, assumptions, that go along with certain wording.

Words matter. They do. Especially to me.

And, yes, there are bigger assumptions at play here. That boys like man caves, and should be grease monkeys. That girls want to be fit chicks and have girls’ nights out. That boys and girls should be separated. And more.

I know Dovercourt, and I believe they never meant to do anything wrong here. But, it seems to me, they assumed.

I quite agree with the woman who wrote a blog post about this, that the activity should drive the enrolment. So – Grease Monkeys – who wants to be a grease monkey? Boy or girl, step right up.

In fact, I was listening to another story on CBC last night about a welding camp for at-risk youth. One of the participants who was interviewed was a girl who said she’s always had an interest in women’s rights and activism, and learning to weld makes her feel even stronger because it’s not something many women in the world would have an opportunity to do.

Hear, hear.

You know I don’t go looking for slights. To be honest, I don’t often find slights. But this isn’t the first time a City of Ottawa recreational program has bothered me. One thing I’ve often found, over the years, is there are a plethora of “Mom and Me” classes … for moms and daughters. Only.

So, where does that leave me? A mom with two sons. What if I want to learn to cook with my son? Or play basketball with him? We’re not invited.

I don’t like it.

Interestingly enough, an organization we’ve had the exact opposite experience with is Scouts Canada. Our boys have usually been in Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts with at least one girl, and many of their amazing leaders have been women. Their current (female) Scout leader has changed their lives for the better. As a mother, I’ve been welcome to accompany my sons on trips, including camping trips.

If Scouts – which let’s face it, is an organization pretty steeped in tradition – can do it, why can’t everybody?

My experience with Scouts Canada is that the only assuming they do is that girls / women will be full participants at all times.

And that’s an assumption I can live with.