Female auto mechanics are few and far between. According to Data USA, 97.7% of automotive service technicians and mechanics are male.
Jessica E. Cardoso, an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) qualified automotive technician from Florida, is changing perceptions of women in the mechanic world by posting videos on TikTok that prove they definitely belong.
She exposed the challenges she faces with male colleagues by posting a video where one has no problem telling her she shouldn't be working in a garage.
"You're gonna be famous, go ahead, say it," she tells him.
"You don't belong here," he replies.
"I don't belong where?" Cardoso responds.
"You don't belong here...in the mechanic world," he says.
To prove her worth as a mechanic, Jessica then cut together a series of clips showing that she's more than comfortable beneath the hood of a car.
After the video went viral receiving over 8 million views, she posted a follow-up video to show that the comments from her male coworker weren't edited. In the video, the coworker says she should be "out doing something you like, like going to a college."
He also admits that she should be working as a mechanic "Because this is a man's world," he replies.
Girl stops 80s game show host in his tracks as he tries to kiss her
The 80s seems like a completely different lifetime when it comes to what was considered acceptable behavior. Things people deemed acceptable or were just part of everyday expectations for television back in the 60s through well into the 90s would get stars blacklisted today. But there was one game show in the 80s that had moments so cringy that even for the times may have raised some eyebrows though everyone seemed to go along with it, except one brave little girl.
The Canadian show, Just Like Mom ran from 1980-1985 even with the uncomfortable moments between the game show host and young girls. The girls who were aged 7-12 would appear on the show with their mother answering questions about each other and competing in bake-offs to see which pair knew each other best. Just Like Mom was created by Catherine Swing, the wife of the show's host Fergie Olver who would often stand uncomfortably close to the girls and elicit kisses.
Recently a compilation video of the game show host behaving in a manner people might consider questionable is going viral. In the video the Olver stands near the girls, often putting his hand on their backs, placing his face close to theirs to ask questions. The very first clip shows 11-year-old Lee Ann, Olver hovers over her asking what color her eyes are.
"What color are your eyes?" Olver asks before the child tells him they're blue, to which he responds, "they're not blue, now don't tell me that. Look at me a little closer." Just as the girl leans in slightly, appearing hesitant to do so, Olver quickly kisses the child on the side of her mouth and declares, "they're green."
The audience sounds as if they didn't know how to react to the bizarre moment. Some people loudly gasp, others uncomfortably chuckle, while a few seem to let out a high pitched surprised squeal. The girl also laughs uneasily while the host remains extremely close. Video clip after video clip shows similar interactions where the host tries to either kiss the girls or have them kiss him but one little girl refused. While it appeared that she was nervous to do so in front of a live audience, on television and refusing a directive from an adult, she stood her ground.
This was a moment where parents can see in real time the benefit of teaching body autonomy and the power of teaching children that no is a complete sentence. Olver originally didn't accept the young girl's "no," attempting to coerce her into kissing him when she was clearly uncomfortable and uninterested in the request.
The host perches himself up close to the young girl and says, "you look like a girl who likes to give out hugs and kisses," to which the girl laughs with discomfort before saying, "not really." That didn't stop him, Olver continued, "not really? can I have a hug and a kiss?" This time the girl gives a very direct answer through nerves by shaking her head no while saying "uh-uh." She's clearly uncomfortable as she bites her fingernail trying to assert authority over her body against someone much older.
At this point the child has been clear. She immediately told the host she didn't give out hugs and kisses and when that didn't work she mustered the courage to say no more directly. Olver was still not accepting of the child's boundaries and continued to apply pressure by questioning her decision, "I can't have one?" Again the child shakes her head and says no but he persists, saying "even if I say...whisper in your ear that Alison you're going to win the show? I still can't have a hug and a kiss?" Alison sticks to her answer so Olver changes tactics, telling the child, "Well I guess you can't win the show then if I don't get a hug and a kiss."
Alison stayed firm in her no but the host's behavior resulted in the child's mother calling him a dirty old man. In the end the host appears to have moved on and told the girl she did a good job answering one of the questions, but to top the praise Olver attempts to sneak a kiss. The little girl didn't let that deter her as she quickly dodged his advance.
It seems apparent that Alison's parents instilled the idea of bodily autonomy in her giving her full permission to say no to adults and anyone else who dares to get in her space without consent. While the experience was probably not one that she would've ever wanted to have, that moment likely gave permission to other young girls watching to tell the host and other like him no. And no is a complete sentence, especially when it comes to someone's body. There's no further explanation needed. No further clarification. The answer is simply no. Well done Alison. Well done.
We take the wins where we can get them. And sometimes that win is showing off your amateur painting to a "paint and sip" group, only to have the audience erupt in cheers.
That's what happened when a woman and a man stood before a group and were prompted to reveal their renditions of a red and black "model" painting. "Three, two, one!" we hear on the short clip posted on Australian YouTube user @pintoandpicasso's channel. They reveal their work simultaneously, and the crowd goes wild.
They both light up with smiles, but she's especially excited that her art is so appreciated. She first shakes her hips back and forth and then begins a victory lap, reminiscent of Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)." The man turns his painting toward her, perhaps thinking she'll see it then or that the crowd's supportive outburst might make her look. But she's deep in her "moment," even when she circles back to him.
Finally, she looks and sees what the crowd has seen all along. On his canvas, he has painted the words, "Will You Marry Me?" When she spots it, she seems in shock at first. We hear an outcry of "Oh my God" from the crowd. And it's that moment that he gently puts the sign down and gets on bended knee, popping out a ring. She covers her mouth and crouches down with him as she tries to regain her composure.
Eventually, they both stand up, as she seems to nod a yes over and over — overwhelmed with joyous tears.
A man proposes with a ring. Giphy Broad City Season 5
On the subreddit r/MadeMeSmile, a commenter posted the video with the caption "Men in Love." There are over 77 thousand upvotes and counting, with nearly 600 comments. One writes, "The best part is when she THINKS they are shouting for her painting skills and models it out~ and then '... Oh.'" To which someone replies, "What a good day for her TBH. First she wins. Then she gets proposed."
Another jokes that perhaps he only chose to propose because he was impressed by her art skills. "Probably proposed because she won."
Others compare it to other similar, public proposals. "It's almost like that proposal at a game on the kiss cam, where the lady just vibed and danced. And when people pointed at the screen, she just kept dancing like 'yeah yeah I know,' then she finally realized."
A man kisses a woman at the Carolina Hurricanes hockey game.Giphy
A few dared to ask a more cynical question: what was her answer? "Did she say yes or is this a plot-twist: too embarrassed to say no?" A few offer answers. "Could be nodding or hyperventilating… let's see how this develops."
The crux of the comments, however, remains their love of her unabashed confidence. "The fact she thought everyone just loved the s--t out of her painting haha. I want the confidence." With another exclaiming, "That cracked me up. No hesitation, just 'wow, they must really love my painting.'"
And best of all, Redditors took note of just how patient he was with her oblivion. "And the fact he was just laughing at her and waiting for her to notice tells you a lot about how he understands her."
One little girl is somersaulting her way into people’s hearts, and reminding us all of how important it is to put yourself out there every once in a while.
In a now-viral TikTok clip posted by @ashleydkennedy14, we learn that her kindergarten-aged niece had apparently entered herself into a talent show without telling her mom—a feat that involved forging mom’s signature onto a permission slip, no less.
And just what did this “act” consist of? Somersaults. Lots of ‘em. Six, to be exact. Also one cartwheel, for good measure. She’d basically deliver one roll, wait for uproarious applause, then do another one. Solid routine, if you ask us.
Honestly, it’s hard to tell which aspect of this moment is more endearing: watching this little girl valiantly overcome a wee bit of shyness—and in the process tapping into some pretty captivating stage presence—or seeing how enthusiastic the audience was to support her. Just good, wholesome stuff all around.
“Im honestly impressed by her independence. She signed herself up and was confident that she had it. Good job mama.”
“She will go far in life. Courage is everything.”
Others noted how kind the crowd was to cheer her on.
“For the people who clapped, as a mother: THANK YOU. it means a lottt.”
“The cheers from the crowd are the best.”
“Ok. because the crowd passed the vibe check. We cheer over here, be brave!”
Funnily enough, plenty of other folks chimed in with similar stories of kiddos sneaking into talent shows…with talents they may or may not have actually possessed.
“My son tried to sign himself up to do karate at his school talent show…he’s never been to a karate class in his life…”
“My daughter entered herself into the talent show in 1st grade and didn’t say anything. She played the piano… she had never played piano in her life til that day lol I need that confidence.”
“My brother did this! He played harmonica for the whole school. He doesn’t know how to play the harmonica.”
While this girl might receive a stern talking to about the importance of not forging signatures, her story is nonetheless a prime example of how kids can really shine when left on their own to take risks, try new things, and opt for exploration over perfection. It can be hard for parents to not want to protect their little ones from failure (whatever that means), but life often provides moments just like this to remind them that taking a step back is a precious opportunity to help instill some self advocacy.
It’s just like the old saying goes, “Leap, and the net will appear.” Or in this case…somersault, and the cheers will follow.
Mark Cuban's estimated net worth is $5.7 billion, but he still cares about raising children with a strong work ethic.
When it comes to billionaire parenting, one thinks of pouting children, upset that their pony’s coat isn’t the right color. Or jam-packed schedules and elite boarding schools, where there are fancy plaid uniforms and everyone speaks three-to-four languages, minimum. But sometimes, the best advice comes in the simplest form, wisdom that Mark Cuban, the billionaire entrepreneur and former Shark Tank investor seems understand well.
During a recent appearance on the Your Mom’s House podcast, Cuban opened up about how he and his wife, Tiffany Stewart, tried to raise their children somewhat “normally,” despite the glaring fame, fortune, and pressure that comes with being a person like Mark. With an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion, it’d be more than easy for him to outsource parenting duties to hired professionals, or to prescribe his children a 65-year plan drawn up before they were even born. However, he explains that he and his wife decided to foster one essential trait: “Everything’s changing so rapidly, from a technological perspective, just the world in general. So, you know, just be curious,” he says. “That’s what I try to get them to do, right? Be curious so that you always want to learn something, and figure things out.”
Curiosity is overlooked as a trait to cultivate in children, yet research has shown that curiosity is an incredibly powerful trait, one that impacts learning, creativity, and success. A study conducted in 2011 found that curiosity, or a “hungry mind” is just as useful for predicting academic performance in children as intelligence and effort, writing, “Our results highlight that a “hungry mind” is a core determinant of individual differences in academic achievement.”
“And everything’s changing so rapidly—from a technology perspective, just the world in general. So just, you know, be curious. That’s what I try to get them to do, right? Be curious so that you always want to learn something, and figure things out. The more knowledge you have, the more—not power, but the more capabilities you have, and the more options are available to you.”
It even makes us feel good: our brains release dopamine and other feel-good chemicals when we encounter new experiences, places, ideas, and people. Science also shows that curiosity is associated with higher levels of positive emotions, a higher satisfaction with life, lower levels of anxiety, and greater psychological well-being.
However, for children, embracing uncertainty and stepping out of their comfort zones might feel scary. Which is why Cuban and his wife made curiosity a high priority when raising their kids. Here are four strategies for nurturing this trait in children—and with some luck, successful adults will appear on the other end.
"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."
Credit: Justin Peterson on Unsplash
Don’t pressure them to choose careers too early. Despite society’s love of asking children “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?” Cuban strongly believes that expecting children to know their life’s calling at 18 or even 22 is outdated and unrealistic. “I was talking to one of my kids about college the other day, and it’s like, you don’t have to know what you’re going to be when you grow up,” he shared. “I don’t think any kid should be under the pressure at 18 or 22, when they graduate from college, to know exactly what they’re going to do.”
Knowledge is power. One of the most common adages in the book, but for Cuban, it was essential that his children learned that curiosity leads to real-life skills, abilities, and talents, unlike control. “The more knowledge you have, the more—not power, but the more capabilities you have, and the more options are available to you,” he explained.
Change is the only constant. Get used to it. As someone whose made billions from multiple side projects, investments, and major sports team ownership, Cuban understands better than most that life doesn’t always follow a straight and narrow path. Rather than clinging to the ways things were, Cuban encourages parents to embrace the rapidly changing world we live in. Children who are taught to adapt, pivot, and evolve will be better suited in a world where entirely new fields of work emerge constantly–and will be better equipped than their peers to handle the job market’s volatility.
Let them decide their own path. Ensuring their children had the freedom to explore and discover their own interests was of the utmost importance to Cuban. Other parents might want to project an agenda onto their children, reflecting their own insecurities or need for reassurance that they’ve raised a “successful kid.” And while letting go of the reins may be scary for parents, it will be well worth it: “I want them to go on their own path,” Cuban says. “Whatever it might be, I want them to be themselves. I don’t want them to be Mark Cuban’s kid for their entire lives.”
It’s clear from the interview that Cuban and his wife recognized the uniqueness and the scale of their position. At one point, when talking about his kids' future inheritances, he says, “I’ve watched Succession. I don’t want it to be like that.” And while he, like any other parent, wants their child to do well and to succeed in life, when it’s all said and done, he really just loves being a father. “My favorite word in the world is 'Dad,’” he says, smiling.
So much about allyship is helping to make those who are excluded feel welcome again. And there are numerous ways to accomplish that.
For John Piermatteo, allyship came in the form of simply playing catch. Over the past five years, Piermatteo, a straight dad, has been showing up to Pride events offering to toss a ball around with members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Inspired by the “mom hugs” and “grandmother hugs” he’d seen offered at Pride events, the straight dad thought that a game of catch was a unique and personal way to offer a meaningful father figure experience to those who might have been rejected by their own families.
Piermatteo first brought his idea to life in 2019 at York Unity Fest in York, Pennsylvania, where he sat under a tree, football at the ready, next to a hand painted sign that read “Play Catch With a Dad.”
It took several trips past my sign before anyone engaged,” he recalls on his website. “I watched people go by looking at the sign out of the side of their eye, then, on the next pass, they might make eye contact with me.”
Eventually, people began walking up to Piermatteo directly to ask “Can I play catch with you?” The exchanges easily turned emotional.
“ I lost count of the number of times we both cried. It was powerful.”
Despite taking a setback during COVID, “Play Catch With a Dad” has turned into a full on movement, with Piermeeto and friend traveling nationwide to toss the ol’ pigskin with folks with upward of hundreds of people per day.
So far, they’ve visited not only York, Lancaster, Lititz and Chambersburg in Pennsylvania, but San Diego Pride and Phoenix Pride as well. In 2025, they plan to add Maryland and Chicago to the list.
Playing catch is just one of those activities that instantly evokes the image of a safe, healthy, loving father-child relationship. And considering that at least one study has shown that upwards of 70% of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth experience some degree of parental rejection of their sexual identity, it’s easy to see how this innocent offering likely fills a yearning for so many.
Piermatteo’s contribution, and the massively positive response to it, shows that where allyship does take action, it’s often the simplest acts of compassion that make the most meaningful impact. Yes, we need to fight for policies that protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination, but sometimes…playing catch really is enough to say “you are welcome, just as you are.”
If you’d like to donate to Play Catch With Dad, or even set up a Play Catch With a Dad event in your area, you can find more information here.
Mom hugging crying daughter
Dad kissing child on cheek
Mom comforting daughter
Beyonce struts in concert. 
A man proposes with a ring. 
A man kisses a woman at the Carolina Hurricanes hockey game.
Nailed it. 
Watch out, she knows karate!
"Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."
Credit: 
Play Catch With A Dad | Facebook