Wow! I never thought about it that way. I’ve always felt gas stations were less safe than other retail places, always felt better with a friend. Particularly those lonely places on long stretches of highways across the states. Traveling alone, the gas station was always the place that made me feel like I needed to keep better watch. When I was young and you had to go into the station to pay, I had a whole procedure to make sure I had all my stuff just in case something happened. What that something was always felt vague. The bathrooms being sketch ... So ... thinking about it the sense of an intimidating “masculine energy” - hmm ... yeah. The gas station in pop culture represents so much of that too - from “bad teenage boys” loiter at the gas station to horror movies where the slasher waits for unsuspecting victims there. Add to that all the patriarchal, paternalist assumptions about women drivers ... damn, there is an essay or two here! Thanks for that observation @Justine!
Am I the only person who feels like gas stations ⛽️ have an intimidating “masculine energy”? Asking for a cishet female friend. 😝
Wow! I never thought about it that way. I’ve always felt gas stations were less safe than other retail places, always felt better with a friend. Particularly those lonely places on long stretches of highways across the states. Traveling alone, the gas station was always the place that made me feel like I needed to keep better watch. When I was young and you had to go into the station to pay, I had a whole procedure to make sure I had all my stuff just in case something happened. What that something was always felt vague. The bathrooms being sketch ... So ... thinking about it the sense of an intimidating “masculine energy” - hmm ... yeah. The gas station in pop culture represents so much of that too - from “bad teenage boys” loiter at the gas station to horror movies where the slasher waits for unsuspecting victims there. Add to that all the patriarchal, paternalist assumptions about women drivers ... damn, there is an essay or two here! Thanks for that observation @Justine!