Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Unflip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

Women's fiction WH Smiths hmmm?

91 replies

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 20:54

Heard an article on radio 4 yesterday stating WH Smiths had been written to and asked to remove the shop sign (the ones that stick out from the shelves showing different sections) showing "women's fiction" as it was highly offensive to women to pigeon hole them with the fluffy kind of titles found there. WH Smiths agreed to remove the signs!
I understand the argument but personally think

think this is going too far and also am a bit peeved I will now have to ask the shop assistant for the books that men probably wouldn't read??!!
Interested to see what others here think and if I've totally missed the point.

OP posts:

BobBanana · 09/09/2011 22:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BobBanana · 09/09/2011 22:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BecauseImWorthIt · 09/09/2011 22:54

Why was it a ridiculous request? I think the fact that WHS complied with so quickly indicates that their management also recognised how stupid and patronising it was.

Let us remember that women are not a minority.

Do we have to have merchandising signs saying 'men's fiction'?

No. So why do we need one saying 'women's fiction'?

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 22:52

Ahhhh bob so not just me then

OP posts:

DontCallMeFrothyDragon · 09/09/2011 22:52

Hardly on the same level, Bob...

PatriciaHolm · 09/09/2011 22:51

Personally a sign saying "womens fiction" would operate as a warning that I would hate anything in that section. So quite useful actually

[wanders off in search of Chris Ryan and then the Sci Fi section..]

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 22:51

Very good point spoons and one I'd not considered.

The playboy stationary/clothes/bedding etc what is that all about? - and they blatantly target a young audience.

OP posts:

BobBanana · 09/09/2011 22:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

BecauseImWorthIt · 09/09/2011 22:50

What offended me was the ambiguity of it.

Is women's fiction fiction written by women? Or is women's fiction fiction written for women?

OP, I think you are, actually, on planet potty if you can't see how this is massively patronising and assumes that women are fundamentally stupid.

The minute I start choosing stuff that is merchandised to save me having to think is the moment I check my brains out with my cash.

UsingMainlySpoons · 09/09/2011 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DontCallMeFrothyDragon · 09/09/2011 22:29

My favourite trope has to be Manic Dream Pixie Girl... Should have seen how much I ranted about that trope in my last essay...

Intriguingly enough, since reading into tropes and what not, I've reassigned my lead character in my novel - was originally a young man, now a young woman... And I'm finding it so hard not to turn him into a manic dream pixie boy...

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 22:27

There is and wasn't a problem - I just found it an intriguing subject and whilst being on mat leave and not having much stimulating conversation I thought it might be an interesting subject to discuss.

OP posts:

bran · 09/09/2011 22:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TrillianAstra · 09/09/2011 22:20

They don't need to be top of your to do list. But it's a quick and easy small step in a positive direction. So what's your problem?

TrillianAstra · 09/09/2011 22:18

bran you might like this tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheSmurfettePrinciple

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 22:17

Bendy this is actually one of the things popped in my head whilst the radio programme was in but then thought many
(not me - it is what it is) could find chick lit offensive.

Women's fiction = chick lit in the little signs in shop world NOT here little women here's your bubbly books for you to read

This thread has gone awry and I'd like to say I know I don't speak for womankind and If I did little blue signs in smths would not be top on my to do list

OP posts:

TrillianAstra · 09/09/2011 22:17

I for one would like to live in a world where it is acceptable for people of anygender to enjoy light romantic fiction.

bran · 09/09/2011 22:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DontCallMeFrothyDragon · 09/09/2011 22:13

Exactly... Why is women's fiction predominantly simplistic reading? And if you step outside the section, you never know what gems you'll find... Neil Gaiman isn't listed under women's fiction...

BendyBob · 09/09/2011 22:08

I heard the article on R4 too. I agreed with the complaint and do find it quite patronising. But then again maybe it's a good thing to herd together all the chick lit then I can avoid it. I really hate the few I've ever read.

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 22:06

Exactly footprints that's what you have summed up much better than I've been trying to ... Thanks

OP posts:

DontCallMeFrothyDragon · 09/09/2011 22:06

I just dislike having my reading list defined by my gender... Very few books fall entirely into one category anyway.

FootprintsOnTheMoon · 09/09/2011 22:01

Women's fiction is a synonym for light romantic fiction with a feel good ending.

maybe they're saving on printer ink?

TrillianAstra · 09/09/2011 21:57

"Women's fiction" is not descriptive.

Tell us what is in the books, not who you think it should be for. I'll make up my own mind if it is for me.

Original poster

planetpotty · 09/09/2011 21:50

Of course i dint! seriously? Why are you so prickly??!! But that's kind of my actual point really this one woman who wrote to smiths does not talk for all womankind either so I was surprised smiths jumped to it so quickly and this is what the radio programme was actually exploring. Thought it would be interesting to see how others on mn felt that's all obviously you are 100% right and I'm the only one not hopping mad at smiths choice of signage off to bed to read "that's not my handbag"

OP posts:

Unflip

1 2 3 4