oa Weaving stories

This creative essay explores gender dynamics in the East German shipbuilding industry by reflecting on workers’ experiences through an autoethnographic lens. Using fictionalized dialogue inspired by oral history interviews with former shipyard workers, it examines the historical male dominance in shipbuilding and its association with masculinity. It highlights the marginalization of women in traditionally male roles, societal stereotypes, and systemic inequalities in pay and job opportunities. By blending personal reflection with academic analysis, the essay connects past gender issues in the socialist GDR and the early post-reunification years to contemporary debates on gender equality. Through this approach, the essay reveals the enduring influence of patriarchal structures while demonstrating how oral history and autoethnography can serve as powerful tools to explore historical experiences.