To be angry that the Chief Constable chose the words..

[seeker]

"gentle" and "a chatterbox" respectively to describe the two women police officers who were murdered on duty yesterday.

Can you imagine those words ever being used to describe a man?

I agree with you, Seeker.

And I think it's ridiculous to suggest that your desire to have these women spoken about respectfully is "icky", or imply that you are using a tragic incident to selfishly pursue an agenda.

A dreadful, horrible thing to happen. And they should not be spoken of in such patronising terms.

Yes, young men are often referred to as lads.

Tuttutitlookslikerain Here Here!!! Well said.

Wow, amazed at op cant believe 2 young women have died doing their job. And all your bothered about is how they were described! I thought it very touching to hear him speak about those ladies like that. Instead of just reading out a speech like a robot.

Do people not listen when the tributes to soliders are read out? They are often called 'young lads' or 'boys'.

They usually aren't, but if they are, its when they are teenagers. These women were not teenagers.

They were brave professional women who died doing their jobs, protecting their community. They deserve to be remembered and lauded with respect, professionalism, and dignity. As women.

The chief constable wouldnt have known them, he wouldn't have known one was a chatterbox and the other planning her wedding. The words may have been said by him but he would have spoken to their family and friends before making a statement so that he knew something about them. So obviously family and friends did say those things. Read the news reports. It's quite clear that the friends and family are describing them in this way.

You don't know that the families weren't consulted on it Seeker.

FFS he wasn't saying they were shit are their job, he was describing them in an affectionate, friendly manner.

YANBU. I agree with you seeker and Mo

The way they were described jarred with me, not really because men wouldn't be described in such a way, but because they seemed odd words to describe two professional women. I wonder though whether it was because everyone was just so shocked that they couldn't think of better words, and these were the first ones that sprang to mind?

LadyBeagleEyes

You are right. My husband was described as 'gentle' at his funeral - a 'gentle gentleman'.

I also think some compassion for their colleagues should be showed.

He probably is shocked and angry and upset, deeply saddened. He wasn't unprofessional.

I have family in the police force and by the nature of the job they are like a second family to each other.

They will be feeling this terrible, unfair loss hard.

Had they been describing a young male Police Officer they could well have said, "He was a gentle young lad, chatty and friendly."

When a tragedy like this happens and the Chief Constable has to talk about the awful murder of 2 Police officers, I'm quite sure we can cut him some slack.

There will always be descriptions that one would use for a specific sex...like "Gentle Giant". That's often used to refer to a big, gentle man but I would never expect to hear it used to describe a woman so YABU.

"Had they been describing a young male Police Officer they could well have said, "He was a gentle young lad, chatty and friendly."

About a man in his thirties? I don't think so.

Blazer one was 23

And the other wasn't.

Then obviously my post would apply to the one that was

Love the bickering!!
Like it is important after what has happened!

ffs

Neither would mine. Do see both sides. They lumped both in together to call them young girls. Thats the point.

YANBU. "Chatterbox" is a bit deameaning. I guess the chief constable was trying to emphasise human loss by speaking of their human characteristics rather than speaking of them as "just" professionals doing their jobs. But unfortunately the effect of the comments was to undermine their professionalism.

I don't see the issue. I can also imagine that if they were men, the Cheif Constable may have described them the same "he was a gentle lad" eg.,

I've heard officers describe their colleagues as such, its a term of endearment not disrespect. Fucksake some people will find offence in anything. FRIENDS of Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes describe them with these terms, there is no doubting their professionalism to decribe them as either gentle, or chatty, or young... because they were bloody young.

"Do people not listen when the tributes to soliders are read out? They are often called 'young lads' or 'boys'.

Christ, it really is coming to something when families, friends and colleagues can't talk from the heart when a loved one is killed, just incase they offend someone!"

Of course family, friends and colleagues can say what they want. But the Chief Constable can't. And when did you hear the Prime Minister, paying tribute to a soldier killed in action, describe him as a "boy"?

I actually agree with the OP while disagreeing. .

the chatterbox/ gentle is fine to my mind they are descriptions of their characters.
But the 2 report I listened to also described them as girls and young girls which is disrespectfully to them and to the profession. they were 2 professionals killed in the line of duty.

As for the comment ?Do people not listen when the tributes to soldiers are read out? They are often called 'young lads' or 'boys'.? as someone who listens to them very carefully no it is only used when they are young lads i.e.: under 21.
these things are important, it may not seem so right now but the words used changes attitudes sometimes good/ sometimes bad.

But the reason the PM wouldn't call a soldier a boy is because that would remind people that boys do our fighting...

Personally, I don't think he should have called them young girls - they were professional women. However I assume that things like gentle and chatterbox are words that came from close colleagues and family, and therefore are true. I have no problem with that. I also think he did pay tribute to their professionalism yesterday when they hadn't been identified.

Anyway, I feel that the Chief Constable is doing his best in what must be a horrendous day for everyone in the Manchester force.

Chatterbox" is a bit deameaning

Is it heck!!
Get the context right.!

Miss Hughes?s colleagues called her ?a chatterbox? who always smiling, even after a night shift when everyone else was a bit grumpy.

'She was a good listener and couldn?t do enough for people, she was a lovely friend and a great bobby.'

That sounds like a fantastic tribute by people that liked her.
Please show me where it is a bit demeaning because I keep missing it.

I have to say I thought the same thing. But it was obviously written from the heart and given the circumstances in which it was delivered I felt that it was not the most important thing to get indignant about.