DH kicking off as I want to uninvite DMIL/DSIL from Christmas Day

I have never, ever in all my life experienced anyone doing anything like the anecdotes that pp outlined.

Just because you have never witnessed it, doesn’t mean I didn’t with my own eyes, which I did.

“Culturally insensitive” get a grip of yourself. I said I acknowledge the majority of the population are not like this. Offence is everywhere if you choose to look for it.

And no it’s not normalised, that lone man in the sauna is just a filthy pig.

Well we certainly are not the only nation to fart - or to consider it natural or even mildly amusing.

It’s not inaccurate. It does happen. I’ve seen it. This poster has seen it. Just because this doesn’t happen in your circles doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Go into any city centre this weekend you’ll see it all over.

It literally is. Ask a doctor.

Not the same at all.

I disagree. I think it was rude, judgmental, culturally insulting and actually just inaccurate. I have never, ever in all my life experienced anyone doing anything like the anecdotes that pp outlined.

Moreover, in many countries farting is normalised and considered to be not particularly offensive - or even a sign of appreciation, though that is more often belching. I have sat in saunas in Europe where a naked man has farted openly without a flicker of embarrassment, and it was France who produced and provided a career for Joseph Pujols, stage name le Petomane, who was a professional French flatulist, or fartist.

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No I don't. I think she should choose her battles so she doesn't have to get a divorce over a fairly petty issue.

So why’s it all on op? She has to concede to their noxious behaviour and his threats rather than they as adults mitigate their intolerance by choosing appropriate foods?
Do you feel it’s their ‘right to be flatulent and op needs to be in servitude to them?

This is a complete misrepresentation of what I am saying. Relationships are not one way streets, they involve compromise and practicality. Sure she could win this battle, but I fear probably lose the war. Now of course the old Mumsnet wisdom would be...divorce him!!! That's right, leave your marriage and uproot your children's and your own life over a minor disagreement that could have been handled much better and more wisely. We know one snippet of this marriage. How do we know that he hasn't put up with crap from her family as well? It's a really small thing to be threatening to uninvite in laws from Christmas over, and you know as well as I do that the result will if that actually happened would be nuclear winter between her and his family. This is terrible for a marriage. Sometimes you just have to take the L and move on.

This is quite possibly the best thing I’ve seen on here in some time. Totally hilariously and horrifically correct. Which probably isn’t funny at all. Radio Five live did a full hour phone in at 9am today about the state of people in the UK regarding Christmas. We need to have a bloody hard look at ourselves to be fair.

Glad you're acknowledging reality, Hun.

Interesting to read @Mothership4two I totally believe this is not the norm amongst the majority of society here. However, unfortunately I have unpleasantly come across the minority far too many times for my liking. And it’s goes beyond worse than just farting.

For example, just the other week, a girl in my office was laughing and telling a whole room of people about the time she got so drunk she sh*t herself, and because she was so intoxicated and wearing a onesie, her mother had to cut her out of it with scissors.

Another time, a friend of my friend bragged (yes she was excited to tell this story) that she was on a mini bus with friends, and she peed in a cup, which spilled everywhere all over the seats and the mini bus driver was so angry. She thought this was hilarious. Her attitude was very similar to the OPs MIL “Well I can’t help it so screw you, deal with it. It’s my bodily function and I don’t have to make an effort to control myself, or ask the driver to pull over”.

I would say I am well travelled and have explored different cultures before I move here, it appears to me the UK breeds a specific types of women (men too) who take pride in participating in low life, animal like behaviour. I have not experienced this anywhere else. In my culture, and our neighbouring countries, this type of behaviour would only be typical of people with mental health disorders.
I will never understand why this behaviour is endeared or considered funny, or acceptable.

The posters who are defending the MIL/SIL and calling OP a prude are really showing a lot about themselves. Remember, social decency and etiquette is what sets us apart from animals.

If I need to fart, I don’t have the luxury of holding them in that other people on Mumsnet seem to have, and I don’t have time to leave the room. Much if my working time outside home is spent in meetings, and in that situation, I can’t leave the room. I try to let farts out quietly if I’m in a meeting but I can’t hold them in for a two hour meeting.

Yes and I have dim memories of something like that in Like Water For Chocolate? Have not seen that movie since I was very young, so can't really recall the ins and outs but do remember having one of those attacks of side-splitting giggles during the fart scene and my mother getting very sniffy (wrong word!) about it as we were watching it on video (in those days!) at her friend's house.

Might rewatch it actually, as I'd probably get rather more out of the rest of it now!

Poss a genetic thing if both mother and daughter need to fart for hours?

This is in fact very true, and @DressOrSkirt makes a decent point.

But actually it was me who first mentioned ableism and I was partly joking because the idea of someone being fart ableist amused me and I'm surprised some pp got so whipped up about the allegation.

But not everyone CAN hold them in and so I guess it isn't really a joking matter.

How much pre-meditation really goes into farting though?

By the time I'd waited for a break in the conversation and had time to announce my departure excuse then fled the room, I'm sure it would arrive to betray me.

Out of curiosity, if you were in close proximity with your manager/boss, your co-workers, neighbour, volunteer group, etc., would you just have at it, or would you attempt to step away? Why wouldn't family members deserve the same courtesy?

Well, many of us would.

There is such a thing as "pretext." People can imply they are looking for their phone, need a tissue, getting a drink of water, getting something out of the car. Anything to just step away for a couple of minutes.

Better that, than subjecting others. Or worse yet making some sort of crass, lowdown show of the whole thing.

Honestly @Brooklans MN sometimes boggles my mind. I have family in the South, South West, North East and in Wales ranging from what you could call very working class to upper middle class and no-one I have ever come across would think these two women's behaviour was anything other than extremely rude and bizarre. Over the years I have heard the odd elderly fart which due to (their) embarrassment you just don't make a big deal about. During the 70s, 80s and 90s the word 'fart' was seen as a no-no in the NE almost akin to swearing.

Fart jokes can be funny, but the reason they are is mainly down to playing up the social embarrassment.

@CheeseIsMyIdolYes, someone could go and stand in the hall if they do wished. I would think they were behaving very oddly if they did and would never expect anyone to leave the room to fart.

But presumably SOME door is available, for you to remove yourself from the proximity to others.

Those laughing emojis say a lot.

That's not "ableism" ffs.

And there are ways to mitigate the effects on others, even for those with a legitimate medical excuse. Sitting on the sofa after Sunday roast, laughing and competing with your daughter for the loudest / most obnoxious emissions, is hardly due to any medical condition or disability.

Yes its a crazy assumption to think if you can hold in your shit long enough to reach a toilet, you can hold in a fart

The ableism is assuming because you are able to hold in your farts, everyone else is too. You don't need to know others medical history to acknowledge that not everyone is able to do what you can.