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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be offended by these posters

76 replies

KatyDid02 · 01/06/2013 10:32

I took my DS to a new barber shop that recently opened, it was recommended by a friend and is a local business rather than a chain - which I prefer to support.

DS liked the man running it, he was very pleasant and did a great job which wasn't rushed at all and was a very, very reasonable price. We would go back there at the drop of a hat, however he had a large poster from FHM of several scantily clad women and another which had what I considered to be a very sexist slogan. DS didn't notice them at all.

Would you say something or would you let it go? Would it stop you going there?

OP posts:
HollyBerryBush · 01/06/2013 10:34

no. no. and no.

Binkybix · 01/06/2013 10:35

I would stop going there I think.

mrsjay · 01/06/2013 10:37

urgh @FHM really if he is cutting kids hair then it isn't on having boobies up on the wall is it, just don't go back

Thesebootsweremadeforwalking · 01/06/2013 10:38

I would probably take DS elsewhere TBH. I wouldn't particularly want him to think it was ok, and I wouldn't be ok with it for myself.

I'd like to think that I would have the courage to tell the barber why, but in reality, I'd probably just not go back, unless I couldn't find anywhere better, in which case I would say something.

Thankfully not an issue here as DH/ DS' lovely barber shop is plastered with footy posters!

MardyBra · 01/06/2013 10:38

It would offend me and I wouldn't go back. I would also be inclined to say why. If he doesn't realise his posters are offensive, he needs to know. If he does realise but doesn't give a shit, then he needs to know he is losing business.

What was the sexist slogan btw?

Thesebootsweremadeforwalking · 01/06/2013 10:39

BTW, are you positive DS didn't notice?

PelvicFloorClenchReminder · 01/06/2013 10:43

I wouldn't go back, and I would find it very offensive.

StuntGirl · 01/06/2013 10:54

I wouldn't go back and I'd tell him why. Not in an arsey way, just a general customer feedback thing.

CloudsAndTrees · 01/06/2013 11:30

What was the slogan?

I wouldn't stop going there, I would use it as a starting point to discuss the whole issue with my ds's. They are old enough to have that conversation though, I might feel differently if they were younger.

Ilikethebreeze · 01/06/2013 12:04

Yes, in a jokey way, and depends on his answer.
I tend to like conversations like this.
They are interesting. you never know where they will lead to.
But that is just me, I suppose.

Ilikethebreeze · 01/06/2013 12:05

If you dont ask, you dont get, in this world.
If you dont ask,
a.it will still be there
b.his business may suffer and he wouldnt probably guess why.

VenusUprising · 01/06/2013 12:13

Why don't you go in and explain to the guy that his posters aren't cool.

That every woman and every man who loves a woman doesn't want to see objectifying soft porn in the day to day lives.

Tell him you'll only recommend him as a business if he gets rid of them, otherwise you'll give him bad pr.

I love this TED talk by Jackson Katz: Violence against women?it's a men's issue. It really is fabulous. I have the TED app, so can't do a linky, but google him, he's really thought provoking, and totally right.

changeforthebetter · 01/06/2013 12:13

Yuk! It normalises women as objects. No I wouldn't go back there. My hairdresser does a fab job on my kids' hair and doesn't seem to feel the need to have highly sexualised images plastered over the salon.

Original poster
KatyDid02 · 01/06/2013 13:12

Fair enough. I'll pop in without DS sometime and have a chat.
The poster was of a woman wearing a thong and not much else, she was bending down to get beer off the bottle shelf of a fridge and the slogan was something about why men keep beer on the bottom of the fridge.

DS certainly didn't notice the posters. I asked him what he thought of the pictures on the wall and he said "what pictures" - but then he is a young preteen and not that observant.

OP posts:
zzzzz · 01/06/2013 13:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
KatyDid02 · 01/06/2013 13:16

I'm sure that some did but mine - thankfully - didn't. We won't be going back, but I will explain why.

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LadyBeagleEyes · 01/06/2013 13:17

I'd just have a quiet word in conversation, as Stuntgirl said, just general customer feedback.
He maybe thinks this will attract blokey types and be good for business, but he won't get many mums bringing their kids.

ElectricSheep · 01/06/2013 13:23

If he takes the soft porn posters off the wall in response to your chat you still wouldn't go back?

marriedinwhiteagain · 01/06/2013 13:25

If that's all it was I just wouldn't find it offensive.

claraschu · 01/06/2013 13:27

If he is old enough to notice the picture, he is old enough to talk to you about it. I do think some kids don't see or understand this kind of thing at all, and I would trust your instincts if you think he didn't take it in. I also think we shouldn't be embarrassed or try to keep kids from seeing this sort of thing. They will see it soon enough, so I would protect them by discussing it.

Bowlersarm · 01/06/2013 13:39

I should think that he would rather have men going in though than children (charge more money). So he may take no notice of your complaint, if he gets more positive comments than negative ones.

Fairydogmother · 01/06/2013 13:44

It wouldn't offend me but I'd rather my child wasn't exposed to that so young. Not sure what I'd do tho apart from use somewhere else or ask the guy to move the picture

Elquota · 01/06/2013 16:08

I wouldn't go there again.

Original poster
KatyDid02 · 02/06/2013 07:28

I would go back if he removed them, yes.
Part of me did wonder whether to just carry on going (it's a third of the price of anywhere else and a better job was done) and discuss the pictures with him and talk to DS when appropriate because he is going to come into contact with such stuff whether I like it or not.

OP posts:
Original poster
KatyDid02 · 02/06/2013 07:28

Bowlersarm, it's the same price for everybody.

OP posts: