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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Covid-19 and purity spirals

684 replies

DreadPirateLuna · 09/04/2020 13:54

Covid-19 is a very serious illness which threatens our most vulnerable and risks overwhelming the NHS. We should all do what we can to flatten the curve and save lives. People whose behaviour risks lives (e.g. urban residents traveling out to holiday homes in rural communities) should face criticism and sanctions.

However, I can't help feeling that some of the outrage at some behaviours is less about reducing the spread and more about getting caught in a "purity spiral".

Take all the outrage about people in parks. Fresh air and sunshine is good for physical and mental health, it improves the immune system which is particularly important during an epidemic! Many urban residents have no other source of open space except the local park. The ability to get outside can be lifesaving for victims of DV. Risks of contracting disease are very low if you keep your distance from others outside your household.

Yet I've seen photos of walkers and family groups in parks, keeping far away from others, but accused of selfishness and killing the elderly and disrespecting the NHS. Parks in London have been closed, meaning more congestion of other areas and residents confined to homes, which is damaging for reasons outlined above.

And it's usually (though not exclusively) women and esp mothers who get blamed. Those selfish Karens and their broods.

A more sensible solution would be to allow restricted access to the parks. Maybe allow only locals in nearby flats without gardens. But it seems we're not doing sensible these days.

OP posts:
FloralBunting · 10/04/2020 23:41

Most of us working on supermarket tills are exchanging pleasant, stress-relieving comments with customers about their purchases of wine, nice cheese and Easter Eggs for their kids. We're all usually agreeing that these are definitely essentials, and from my perspective as an employee in a retail sector that is rather precarious right now, I am completely content to be keeping the economy wheels ticking round by whatever I can, and those of my colleagues who are having to shield are quite content for people to be spending their money with us as it enables those shielded colleagues to be paid as well.

So please, everyone, when you shop, as you must, feel free to buy whatever is available to you that you deem a necessary purchase and isn't 10 packs of toilet rolls. Cheers.

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 23:40

I'm reading a thread about scented loo roll. What idiot came up with that idea?

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/04/2020 23:40

Oh i saw a funny meme

Day one of lockdown....have lots of wine in the house
Day two...have drunk 8 bottles of wine, wine supplies are not going to last

Etc etec

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/04/2020 23:38

Im on the jack daniels

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 23:38

(At least we don't seem to be running out of that yet)

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/04/2020 23:38

Posting regret

Seen it many times

Usually under my name...

Dances · 10/04/2020 23:37

Mental Maoist Madness

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 23:37

Wine for everyone!

RufustheLanglovingreindeer · 10/04/2020 23:37

titania Flowers

TitianaTitsling · 10/04/2020 23:33

Oop sorry for rant shite day at workork downing of wine and inability to post correctly

TitianaTitsling · 10/04/2020 23:31

Do you want to take your horror disgust and rage and bloody do something nwith it? I've just had a text from my colleagues on the ward and we are fucking OUT of PPE... we are now reusing, I am so pleased your angst is this, you aren't happy with others social distancing? Come and join us in acute care or proper ly self isolate.

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 23:21

Everyone has seen this, right?

DJLippy · 10/04/2020 23:21

I dont think anyone had shared this yet but it helps to frame the whole discussion.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000d70h

Dances · 10/04/2020 23:19

Or strips of newspaper
That was back in the days of print newspapers
Only virtual ones go wipe our arses on now

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 23:15

I can imagine the rules on that. Soap is ok, moisturiser is forbidden. Deodorant is ok, but not fragrance. Shampoo is fine, conditioner is unnecessary.

And when all the nice loo roll is gone they can replace it with the weird stuff we had at school that was semi transparent and scratchy. It was like wiping your arse with tracing paper.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras · 10/04/2020 23:00

People, such as yourself, who are hyper conscious. are not the problem.......I'm sure you could go for a walk if you really wanted or needed to - if you were sensible and careful...without endangering yourself or other people. I'm obviously not sure of your specific condition, though.

I'm immunosuppressed. Why would the shielding letter say explicitly not to leave the house if it's ok to go for a walk, if I really wanted to?

Even in doors there are strict rules to follow. If it's so easy to avoid infection why are they going to so much trouble to shield us?

isabellerossignol · 10/04/2020 22:59

Plus certain types of personal grooming, rules to be issued forthwith

I can imagine the rules on that. Soap is ok, moisturiser is forbidden. Deodorant is ok, but not fragrance. Shampoo is fine, conditioner is unnecessary.

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 22:58

Surely in a general sense personal grooming would be one of the last things you'd deem non essential in a situation where people were at risk of getting ill? I'm not seeing how preventing people from buying shampoo would be a positive here, is what I'm saying.

Dances · 10/04/2020 22:57

Yes, I think you are right kittens

Mrsfrumble · 10/04/2020 22:57

You might think walking in a park is lower risk but it isn't no risk is it?

FFS. No, it’s not no risk. But my family need to eat! I’m not booking deliveries because the message is that they should be for more vulnerable people. I can’t drive to the supermarket because, as I’ve explained, we don’t have a car. So the only “no risk” strategy is not eating I guess.

Dances · 10/04/2020 22:55

Asda or Tesco

So DIY and booze aisles to be cordoned off. Plus certain types of personal grooming, rules to be issued forthwith

Ereshkigalangcleg · 10/04/2020 22:49

Toasting with a nice glass of white wine.

Justhadathought · 10/04/2020 22:44

Where do you live

To my mind, hooves is describing Asda. A large branch of Asda.

TheProdigalKittensReturn · 10/04/2020 22:42

Have you read about what's been happening in some Amazon warehouses? They're unpleasant places to work at the best of times, even more so now.

There are no consequence free actions, and most people are doing the best they can in a very trying situation.

Justhadathought · 10/04/2020 22:40

Again, why can't those of us who are shielded go out at all, even for a walk? There must be risk in just walking out of the door yet so many people keep stating that going out and staying out is completely fine. If it is, why are people like me told not to.go.out at all then

I think the government is trying to tread a balance between unnecessary authoritarianism, and setting an 'ideal standard'. If you give some people too much wriggle room they will take it, plus much more.

People, such as yourself, who are hyper conscious. are not the problem.......I'm sure you could go for a walk if you really wanted or needed to - if you were sensible and careful...without endangering yourself or other people. I'm obviously not sure of your specific condition, though.