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Original poster

Abhorrent comments made about a persons height

560 replies

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 25/04/2024 09:30

Calling someone who is below the average height, "pint-sized" is abhorrent
at the very least. A person's height is beyond the person's control and calling them "pint-sized," some may even say it's an ableist comment

Yesterday, during the PMQ's the lead was taken by the deputy heads of both Tories and Labour. Standing in for the Labour leader was Angela Rayner. She called the Tory leader, Rishi Sunak a "pint-sized leader" when she was losing the arugument

This reminds me of clowns at work who had nicknames for other people who did not fit in with their agenda. Often people will make disparaging comments about another when they feel threatened because of their own inadequacies.
Should she apologise for making these disgusting comments?

AIBU to believe these comments were necessary, inappropriate and disgustingly abhorrent.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/angela-rayner-oliver-dowden-house-of-commons-rishi-sunak-labour-b2533966.html

Angela Rayner aims ‘pint-sized loser’ jibe at Rishi Sunak during PMQs

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden countered the criticism by mocking the Labour deputy over her housing arrangements.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/angela-rayner-oliver-dowden-house-of-commons-rishi-sunak-labour-b2533966.html

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Everanewbie · 25/04/2024 16:37

Its cool, I've got no problem with it. But now we know where the bar is. Personal insults are fine, so long as its a political opponent.

I've just bookmarked this thread for when AR or her colleagues are indignant with rage about some Tory being insulting or whatever, I can refer posters calling for resignations to their comments about this being no big deal.

PocketSand · 25/04/2024 16:36

Am I the only one enjoying @DistinguishedSocialCommentator posts for their obvious comedy value? They encourage discussion because they are so batshit but fail in their objective.

W0rkerBee · 25/04/2024 16:33

I agree, imagine if a male politican called a tall woman a giant. It's just pathetic.

cardibach · 25/04/2024 16:18

parkrun500club · 25/04/2024 12:31

Both of those can be changed. Height can't and it should be a protected characteristic.

Show quote history

The legs crossed thing was misogynistic nonsense. She can’t change that she’s a woman, so no, they can’t both be changed. Also - because weight can be changed it’s ok to use it as an insult? Nope.
Rayner was commenting on his political stature with a side swipe at his physical one. That’s very different from blatant physical insults.

Florsilvestredelcampo · 25/04/2024 16:09

LuckysDadsHat · 25/04/2024 09:57

I can't be bothered about this. We used to work with someone called Tony who was very small and he never minded his nickname of Shetland Tony. Like in work, politics is a lot of banter like this.

Do you think that maybe he just smiled politely at you because he the knew that his colleagues needed to have a cheap laugh at his expense and would be unable to understand that it caused him pain?
As the parent of a child with a genetic disorder affecting their growth. I can assure you all the insults pint size, midget,weakling and others cut deeply.
Taking cheap shots at people's appearance is never pleasant what ever your political colours are.

Boomer55 · 25/04/2024 15:41

I don’t know. I’ve been called “short arse” all of my adult life lol

I am short, (5ft 1”), and I really can’t be bothered to get offended. 🙄

Abitofalark · 25/04/2024 15:40

Immemorialelms · 25/04/2024 10:25

She said "Did he realise when he stabbed Boris in the back that he was ditching the biggest election winner for a pint sized loser?"

It's a comment on the standing and impact that the two leaders have, she's saying Boris bestrode the electoral landscape like a colossus when it came to winning- he was a "bigger" leader in that regard. Sunak is small time, less impactful, more lightweight etc etc - all the metaphors to do with size relating to political success.

But yeah, he's a short man and Boris is a tall man, so it's also a personal jibe she shouldn't have made.

Thanks for telling us what she said. I don't understand why people start threads in high dudgeon about a thing but don't quote or explain the thing. In this case we got many adjectives about it but not the actual words complained about.

Hah at colossus; was it deliberate, meaning to hint at colossal? I didn't think Johnson ever got comments about his size. He seemed to escape that. It was more about his untidy hair and clothing, with the tie askew and the shirt hanging out.

AdamRyan · 25/04/2024 15:39

LilacFatball · 25/04/2024 15:25

She's not left wing.

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What?????!!

That is actually the most ridiculous thing I've read on here in a very long while 😂😂

Zwicky · 25/04/2024 15:32

Her comments were within the normal culture for the HoC and PMQs. Whether they should be or not is up for debate but she shouldn’t be held to a higher standard than her colleagues across the floor.

I’m half pint sized and the only time I’ve ever seen it as an insult was a few minutes ago when I read that it was an “ableist” remark. I don’t think you should be calling short people disabled.

Abitofalark · 25/04/2024 15:29

CountingCrones · 25/04/2024 10:03

No I’m not joking. (And I am fat) And I haven’t said anything unacceptable.

Hell, Have I Got New For You used a tub of lard in place of Johnson when he didn’t show up. “Calling people name is done for one purpose…” - no, it’s done for many purposes, and one is to puncture their arrogance, another to raise a laugh.

It’s PMQs. Quoting a description in a Tory’s memoir to the Tory MP it referred to isn’t abhorrent, it’s part of the cut and thrust (however blunt the instruments) of PMQ.

It’s a daft showboating tradition where no one answers anything and the best they can hope for is a sound bite on the news.

Show quote history

They did that to Roy Hattersley MP when he failed to turn up.

LilacFatball · 25/04/2024 15:25

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 25/04/2024 15:13

Yup!

Show quote history

She's not left wing.

LilacFatball · 25/04/2024 15:24

I'm not a fan of Angela Rayner, but she absolutely demolished Dowden. She was stupid to give the Tories any ammunition to play the victim. It's let them get away with lying to the public again.

What I don't understand is why she, or Labour, aren't asking why Greater Manchester police (whose Police Chief not only spoke at the Tory Party Conference but is backed by MP James Daly... who advocated for the Rayner investigation's reopening.) are investigating a case that can't be prosecuted?

The calls for her to resign if found guilty seem a bit rich too, considering this is our second PM to have been found to have broken the law.

Abitofalark · 25/04/2024 15:18

DuckDuckNo · 25/04/2024 09:44

As a pint-sized person, I can't be arsed

Heh. You mean you are short of arse?

As for Rayner, they have rules in the House of Commons about unparliamentary language so the Speaker would have picked up anything that was out of order. I was vaguely listening to PMQs but didn't hear that comment or notice who was in the Speaker's chair yesterday.

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 25/04/2024 15:13

IClaudine · 25/04/2024 11:53

The Tories hate her because left wing working class people who reach positions of power scare them.

Edited

Yup!

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 25/04/2024 15:12

CountingCrones · 25/04/2024 11:40

Sunak's 5'5" or possibly 5'6", judging by his height when he's next to not-short-arses.

He claims to be 5'7", but given the inflation the rest of us have suffered, I suppose an inch or two is pretty restrained of him.

Grin

Or shrinkflation - same price but smaller packet? Grin

ShadesofPoachedSmoke · 25/04/2024 15:07

DragonGypsyDoris · 25/04/2024 10:40

I save my use of the word 'abhorrent' for things that are genuinely abhorrent.

Yes.

Like the Tories running the NHS into the ground to sell it off to their salivating rich donor chums. Now that's something to get angry about.

whatsthpoint · 25/04/2024 15:04

DistinguishedSocialCommentator · 25/04/2024 09:30

Calling someone who is below the average height, "pint-sized" is abhorrent
at the very least. A person's height is beyond the person's control and calling them "pint-sized," some may even say it's an ableist comment

Yesterday, during the PMQ's the lead was taken by the deputy heads of both Tories and Labour. Standing in for the Labour leader was Angela Rayner. She called the Tory leader, Rishi Sunak a "pint-sized leader" when she was losing the arugument

This reminds me of clowns at work who had nicknames for other people who did not fit in with their agenda. Often people will make disparaging comments about another when they feel threatened because of their own inadequacies.
Should she apologise for making these disgusting comments?

AIBU to believe these comments were necessary, inappropriate and disgustingly abhorrent.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/angela-rayner-oliver-dowden-house-of-commons-rishi-sunak-labour-b2533966.html

So tell people to actually vote! If they care about this stuff they would get out there and vote

AdamRyan · 25/04/2024 14:56

parkrun500club · 25/04/2024 12:31

Both of those can be changed. Height can't and it should be a protected characteristic.

Show quote history

😂

AdamRyan · 25/04/2024 14:55

IClaudine · 25/04/2024 12:13

.

That is a great gift Star

Spirallingdownwards · 25/04/2024 14:54

You still haven't had a mad rant about addressed the point she was using a phrase coined by fellow Tory Nadine Dorries to describe him.

From a pint sized mumsnet poster (which may I guess make me a loser?)

whatsthpoint · 25/04/2024 14:53

PoppyJM · 25/04/2024 09:36

I hadn’t seen this, but what a disgraceful thing to say to him.

I didn’t vote at the last election as I thought both options were awful. Lots of people who did vote ended up voting for the least bad option. I don’t think I will vote this time either. I don’t think the current conservative govt has done a good job. But I don’t Angela Rayner is is a good option either. I wish they would put a “none of the above” box.

So you just don't care what happens to your country? Wow

Dontcallmescarface · 25/04/2024 14:45

Given your frequent goady posts OP you really should change your username so as not to cause offence to actual distinguished social commentators.

DameKatyDenisesClagnuts · 25/04/2024 14:27

Presumably you weren't offended about the 'joke' about her claiming the HoC as her primary residence as she'd debated there so many times lately (to the delight of the baying Tories)?

L1ttledrummergirl · 25/04/2024 14:27

I'd reserve abhorrent for people who think it's OK to pay a shit ton of money to transport vulnerable people from one country to another against their will.

HappiestSleeping · 25/04/2024 14:21

MrTiddlesTheCat · 25/04/2024 14:15

Meh, I'm short. My kids call me Frodo. I aspire to being called pint-sized but I'm too fat, more like barrel-sized.

You're like me then. I'm in shape. Round is definitely a shape.

That said, I am not short, I'm 6'2, but I should be 7'5 for my weight.