to be annoyed by 'Little' Miss

[bumpertobumper]

my sons are currently very keen on Mr Men books for bedtime stories. It really annoys me that the female characters are 'little... '. Why can't she just be Miss naughty or Miss Sunshine etc.
I feel it's part of the insidious undermining and belittling (literally!) of women.
So I leave out the little when reading, but DP doesn't and DS1 is in yr1 so can see for himself the girls are all little.

[FutTheShuckUp]

Here I have a spare for you in my spare grips draw...

[thebody]

you might be overthinking it?

have a

[WooWooOwl]

YANBU if you assume the word little to be negative or derogatory somehow.

That's isn't my perception of it though, so I can't see the problem.

[Flossyfloof]

[icclemunchy]

I wish I had time to overthink things this much and then actually get annoyed about them!!

[VashtaNerada]

YANBU, it's these constant sexist messages (minor in isolation but damaging en masse) that cause children to grow up thinking girls are less important.

[shakinstevenslovechild]

What do you suggest they are called Miss Lady, Miss Woman, Miss Girl? They can't just call them Miss and someone, somewhere will always be offended.

If you want to take that much of a stance then stop reading/buying the books.

[AwfulMaureen]

YANBU. You're right but those books are a thing of the past. Don't buy them...they're overrated anyway.

[FutTheShuckUp]

When I was growing up (showing my age now) there was a programme called the little green man. Pity mn wasn't around then so my mother could have pissed herself laughing at someone with too much time on their hands starting a thread worrying how it demasculises men....

[BeyonceB]

YANBU. But then, even Miss isn't on the same level as Mister when you think about it. Mr Men should be Master Men, and Little Miss should just be Miss

[thebody]

to be fair the dad in peppa pig is a twat.

[MsMischief]

It annoys me too

[GiveTwoSheets]

Looks at her collection of little miss books had for 17years its only a matter before some pc arse gets them banned.

[LucyBabs]

Mr Men books as a whole are un PC but my dc LOVE them! Hilarious

[BrunoBrookesDinedAlone]

They should just be 'Woman'.

Sunshine Woman

Tiny Woman

Plump Woman

Scatterbrain Woman

Late Woman (!)

NAUGHTY WOMAN.

[TeaOneSugar]

Mr forgetful is a much underrated classic IMO, very funny.

[ThisLittlePiggyStayedHome]

You are absolutely right, OP, and those who would belittle your concerns about the insidious belittling of women and girls in this culture (and in many others), are a big part of the problem.

It's so, so foolish to think that these things don't matter. Instead of trying to hand you a grip, some on here should have another rummage around and try to find themselves a clue.

[Alisvolatpropiis]

[LatinForTelly]

YANBU, OP

what ThisLittlePiggy said

[stonehairbrush]

Yep what piggy said.

[stonehairbrush]

Fut, thebody, iccle etc - you are part of the problem.

[StabInTheDark]

Yes, if you look at this one thing on its own, it doesn't seem like a massive deal. But actually, they are one part of a whole culture that is full to the brim of these 'little things' that 'don't matter.' They all add up and collectively form a society where women are constantly undermined.

If the male versions are 'Mr Bump', why can't the female versions simply be 'Miss Helpful' etc? What's the difference?

I really believe that if we don't challenge these 'little things' we are allowing for a pervasive message to seep through. Not really something I'd want my children to subliminally pick up on!

[whereisshe]

YANBU. Have you seen the doco Miss Representation? A very interesting (and depressing for those of us with daughters) look at how early and how comprehensively little girls are taught to limit their ambition.

[WilsonFrickett]

YANBU. But the books are all terrible and really hard to read aloud, thankfully DS was never that into them...