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Original poster

Green man or person?

108 replies

Tiddybiddy247 · 17/07/2025 20:52

I'm probably going to get crucified for this but I'm asking out of genuine curiosity and here for answers as it were.

Was in town this morning getting ready to cross the road with my toddler and I always say to him "let's wait for the green man" and then we shout "there he is let's go!" And cross the road. This morning another mum arrived next to us and heard me and gave me a kind a dirty look. She turns to her daughter and goes "we need to wait for the green person don't we? " But like with emphasis on the person. I didn't know what to think 🤔 on the one hand she has a point, it could very well be a woman in trousers, but it just doesn't look very feminine... also I've always called it the green man. I suppose I'm terribly old fashioned to be going around assuming genders?

OP posts:
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R0setheHat · 18/07/2025 08:24

Thingsthatgo · 17/07/2025 21:08

@R0setheHatthat photo needs a trigger warning- those green men give me the wiggins!
I quite like the idea of a green person rather than a green man. My children are 13 and 10 years old, and they are much more likely to notice everyday sexism than me.

Especially if you picture that face just slowly forming in a hedge and staring coldly at you. Muhahahaha 😆

EBearhug · 18/07/2025 00:35

Catwoman8 · 17/07/2025 23:20

It's the same with gingerbread men now being called gingerbread persons 🙄 It has always been known as the green man where I am.

I made BDSM gingerbread people once. I had great fun with the icing.

Also, I will never be able to go to Berlin again now Ampelman's hat difference has been pointed out.

Keepingittogetherstepbystep · 18/07/2025 00:24

Green pedestrian as an alternative

*I'll get my coat

Katemax82 · 18/07/2025 00:22

I say green man!! Ffs what's wrong with people?? Postman can be postie but green man is green man!

jcyclops · 18/07/2025 00:20

  1. I was always taught to wait if the man was flashing! With the advent of Puffins and the death of Pelicans, he doesn't flash any longer.

  2. Boston, Lincs:

Green man or person?
CrystalSingerFan · 18/07/2025 00:20

reversegear · 17/07/2025 23:26

Isn’t it funny how we will alway call it the tax man.. I can’t see that one changing.

What about 'those tax bastards'? Works for me. Equal opportunities too.

southernbelles · 17/07/2025 23:56

R0setheHat · 17/07/2025 21:01

Me too, was picturing this

Show quote history

Ditto 😂

GonnaeNoDaeThatJustGonnaeNo · 17/07/2025 23:56

It’s a green man.

TenaciousDeeds · 17/07/2025 23:55

Oh gosh. What a dick. I would have been so tempted to call her out! YANBU!!

shellyleppard · 17/07/2025 23:55

I'm 56 and its always always always been the green cross man
From the TV adverts in the 70's to teaching my children how to cross the road..... always has been

Brendahollowayreconsider · 17/07/2025 23:48

I remember the 70s public information film .The animated one with the Grandad and the little girl.
I wish I brought me brolly 😁

PencilsInSpace · 17/07/2025 23:47

Ursulla · 17/07/2025 23:26

You need to get all Wicker Man on her.

Summer is icumen in
LOUD SING COOCKOO

Then she'll have more to worry about than pronouns OP.

Yes, or channel XTC - HEED the Green Man!

Sulking · 17/07/2025 23:38

I’ve always just said “we need to wait for that red one to go green” or “wait until it says we can walk” but I know it as a green man too. It’s not even a real person it’s a fecking light whoever’s offended needs help.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 17/07/2025 23:36

Oh please do post that pic @scalt I'd love to see it.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 17/07/2025 23:31

I was in NYC recently with my kids, we usually wait for the 'green man' when crossing the road so I instinctively said this. DC when pointed out the man wasn't green he was white. Something felt very uncomfortable saying 'let's wait for the white man' especially in the US. I found myself genuinely wondering what they call it there. It didn't occur to me it might be a woman.

godmum56 · 17/07/2025 23:30

hereismydog · 17/07/2025 20:54

Virtue signalling, performative bollocks.

agreed.

reversegear · 17/07/2025 23:26

Isn’t it funny how we will alway call it the tax man.. I can’t see that one changing.

Ursulla · 17/07/2025 23:26

You need to get all Wicker Man on her.

Summer is icumen in
LOUD SING COOCKOO

Then she'll have more to worry about than pronouns OP.

reversegear · 17/07/2025 23:25

I would have laughed in her face what an idiot.

IOYOYO · 17/07/2025 23:24

I say Green Person. I also don’t get my knickers in a twist about it either way and would advise the same to everyone! I figured that I’d make the change when my dd was small - the world is so fucking patriarchal, I just decided not to make ‘man’ my default.

It’s a bit like I now say vulva rather than vagina. Better to try and get these corrections in in between the generations.

BogRollBOGOF · 17/07/2025 23:21

He clearly has a more masculine hip and shoulder structure and thicker neck compared to the majority of female body shapes.
Basic anatomy 🤷‍♀️

Fair enough to the posters who would describe him differently to themselves, it's the performative correction that's daft.

Catwoman8 · 17/07/2025 23:20

It's the same with gingerbread men now being called gingerbread persons 🙄 It has always been known as the green man where I am.

bridgetreilly · 17/07/2025 23:19

Misgendering inanimate objects is pretty low on my lis5 of things to worry about, tbh.

ChaToilLeam · 17/07/2025 23:18

How dare she assume the green being's species. They might identify as therian.

HereIfYouNeedMe · 17/07/2025 23:17

SaintGermain · 17/07/2025 22:26

As an aside, do schools have Dinner Ladies? Or has that also been hijacked by idiots and they are now called Dinner Persons?

Lunch time supervisors at my kid’s school!