A woman who was targeted by keyboard warriors for working on a building site, has clapped back at sexist comments.
Darcie Richards, 26, said she is sick of blokes feeling like they can judge her appearance just because she does a job typically done by men.
So, the bricklayer from Old Buckenham, Norfolk, created a TikTok video just to slam them for shaming her.
Darcie has 204,000 followers on the social media platform and often uses it to bust stereotypes about women working in construction.
After going travelling, Darcie joined her dad Ricky’s construction company, Richards Builders, and worked alongside him and her brothers Louis and Jody
Darcie Richards hit back at trolls after getting a torrent of abuse for being a female construction worker
The 5ft 2ins, size eight, worker got increasingly annoyed after hearing trolls she’s ‘not strong enough’, ‘too slow’ for a traditionally male job
She responded to one user who wrote on one of her videos: ‘Well this has to be the most unattractive thing I’ve seen a woman do today.’
Posting a video showing her lifting bricks and climbing ladders at work, she blasted back: ‘Just because you feel emasculated, doesn’t make me unattractive! #iambeautiful #letmebeme #bricktok #empowering.’
Darcie set up her bricklaying account in 2020 and has earned a legion of fans who love hearing about the trials and tribulations of being a woman on site.
The 5ft 2ins, size eight, worker had gone travelling after finishing school and did a variety of admin jobs as well as waitressing.
After showing off what she does for work online, one man called it the most ‘unattractive’ thing he’s seen all day. Pictured hard at work
But when she returned she joined her dad Ricky’s construction company, Richards Builders, working alongside him and her brothers Louis and Jody.
However she became increasingly annoyed by blokes who think it’s fine to call her ‘not strong enough’ and ‘too slow’ for doing a traditionally male job.
In fact, her social media has become so successful young women have told her that she has inspired them to think about getting into construction work.
She has also become an ambassador for Scruff’s workwear after they released their first women’s line of clothing.
Darcie now works for Ley Brickwork and says she will not be put off – and that other women should ‘go for it’ too
She said: ‘There have been so many girls, hundreds, who have come to me and said how much of an inspiration I am to them.
‘They think it’s awesome and they are going to do the same.
‘But it’s not just women, half of my followers are men, who are also really happy to see us entering the trade.
‘Luckily, the positivity outweighs the negatives in the hundreds of thousands. But I do get some negative comments from people online too. If I do, it is always from men.
Darcie revealed some men are happy to see women entering the trade business and the positive outweighs the negative
Darcie received 16,000 comments from women on one of her videos supporting her and telling her she’s beautiful
‘They just see a girl and think it’s pathetic or that I want attention; they don’t think I’m strong enough or I am too slow. One man even said it was unattractive.
‘But I did a video replying to that and I got 16,000 comments from girls all in support.’
She now works for Ley Brickwork and says she will not be put off – and that other women should ‘go for it’ too.
She added: ‘I have gone to up 6.1 million like on TikTok.’
After getting a following online, Darcie has also become an ambassador for Scruff’s workwear after they released their first women’s line of clothing
‘I am really proud of myself. I did not think I would ever be in a position to help anybody.’
‘Now I have a platform and something to say and people are listening.’
Other people supported her against the trolls’ comments.
Former TikTok postie Laura Orgill said: ‘Love this. You go girl!’
Darcie has an astonishing 204,000 followers on the social media platform and often uses it to get the message across that women can work in construction too
One said: ‘What’s attractive about a female is seeing her do what she wants to do.’
Dottie said: ‘Hilarious when other people are offended by inspiring, independent, hard-working women doing what they do and doing it well.’
And another added: ‘I think this is the most awesome and attractive thing I’ve seen all day.
‘She’s healthy, fit and strong and puts many couch potatoes to shame.’
Women make up just 14 per cent of the UK’s construction workforce.
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