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AIBU?

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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:
googlyeyes · 02/06/2013 08:49

Why is it ok to have a sexist poster up but not a racist or homophobic one? No-one would advise ignoring the latter two!

It's quite shocking that some people don't think it's a big deal.

emess · 02/06/2013 10:58

You want him to remove the offending posters so your son can get a good hair cut and you can save money.

Or, do you want to change the world one poster at a time? Would the answer be the same even if he was expensive and did a bad job?

If he's not breaking the law he's entitled to decorate his premises in a way that attracts the kind of customers he wants. You have no obligation to use his services and you can't tell him how to decorate his shop. If you think he is breaking the law, tell the police / trading standards.

Posters like that annoy me too, BTW.

ilovexmastime · 02/06/2013 11:04

I wouldn't go back.

threesypeesy · 02/06/2013 12:24

I don't think it's offensive or any of your buisness what they have on the shop wall not your shop. If your that offended go elsewhere I am sure the man isn't going to re arrange things in his shop to suit you all so you can save a couple of pounds Confused

Ilikethebreeze · 02/06/2013 12:44

threesypeesy, just how far would you go to not be offended by what is on someone's wall?
What sort of posters could the man out up that you would not mind?
All the way ones, such as a picture of a genuine murder for instance?

DuttyWine · 02/06/2013 12:53

I think I'd still go back and if ds mentioned it I would use it as an opportunity to talk about what's wrong with them in a child appropriate way.

The barber probably thinks they are harmless fun like many men probably do who do not think about the bigger picture.

Or say to the barber next time, "you know it's a shame about those posters because they are quite in your face and off putting. It's such a good barbers and you do a great job but I'm not sure I like my ds to see that kind of thing... " it might not have even dawned on the barber and he might take them down or at least but them in the back for when he has a tea break.

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 02/06/2013 13:01

Why is it ok to have a sexist poster up but not a racist or homophobic one? No-one would advise ignoring the latter two!

Exactly.

5madthings · 02/06/2013 13:10

I wouldnt be happy taking my four boys there.

Casual sexism like this is not ok and its not a message i want my children to see.

I would want to say something but would prob feel.uncomfortable doing so...

manicinsomniac · 02/06/2013 13:35

If it really is a third of the price of everywhere else as well as being well done then I'd go there there if it had sexist, racist, homophobic or any other kind of vile poster on the wall. I wouldn't agree with the posters and wouldn't have any respect for the salon owner but haircuts are expensive and that would win out for me over a few pictures.

threesypeesy · 02/06/2013 13:39

It's a pair of boobs and a girl in a thong something all women have what's there to be shocked about Confused

TheSecondComing · 02/06/2013 13:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ilikethebreeze · 02/06/2013 13:48

You didnt really answer my question threesypeesy.
I dont know if you are a wind up merchant
I dont know if you are a man or woman
I dont know if you have children.
I presume you are fine for example with flashers?
In fromt of your children?

threesypeesy · 02/06/2013 13:52

likethebreeze

I am NOT a wind up merchant it's not offensive imo.
I am a woman.
I have 3dds

Flashers are perverted people so yes I would have a problem with them. A picture of boob or a woman in a thong no, its a site my dds can see in my house daily if the walk in on me changing. Im just not offended by these posters of females in any way shape or form

Beatrixpotty · 02/06/2013 13:56

I've been in a few barbers like this including my local one which I like to support so my (v young) DSs get used to one place.It also usually has MTV on full of gyrating women in bikinis.
It doesn't stop me from going there.
There are H&M and M&S massive bikini billboard adverts everywhere so not that much different and I can't control that.
You don't have to go back though.

carbalanche · 02/06/2013 13:56

I'd either not go again or maybe go along and say "you did a great job of my son's hair and I'd recommend you to my friends with kids at the drop of a hat BUT For the fact of those in yer face images". He might never have thought about it, he might not give a stuff or he might just remove it if he thinks it's bad for business. Either way, what have you got to lose? I'm sure most blokes don't need an image of a woman's arse in front of them to make them sit in a barber's chair.

Ilikethebreeze · 02/06/2013 14:14

threesyspeesy, if you had boys, would you still change in front of them do you think?

Maryz · 02/06/2013 14:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

threesypeesy · 02/06/2013 14:19

I dont change infront of my girls but they often walk in I would imagine a boy could easily do the same.

I still wouldn't be offended by the posters if I had boys either plenty of adverts, billboards etc with scantily claad ladies on nothing worth getting worked up over

DuttyWine · 02/06/2013 14:22

If you went into a female hairdressers that had a "hot hunks" calendar of topless firemen or whatever would anybody stop going there?

pumpkinsweetie · 02/06/2013 14:23

I wouldn't stop going, all because of a poster, it's a bit ott to be offended of a woman's bodily form.

babyboomersrock · 02/06/2013 14:27

"If you went into a female hairdressers that had a "hot hunks" calendar of topless firemen or whatever would anybody stop going there?"

Yes, of course. It would mean it was a place for women who see men as sex objects.

YouSayWhaaat · 02/06/2013 14:29

So if you went to a female salon and say they had a 'Fireman's Calendar' would you boycott there? Objectification of men (and fireman)

If you don't like what is up in the shop, go to another shop.

quesadilla · 02/06/2013 14:39

I would be a bit naused out by it in a low level way as opposed to offended. I probably wouldn't take my kids there, particularly not a boy (if I had one),

Not sure if I would say anything though: it would depend on the kind of clientele he was trying to attract. As someone mentioned above if he wants blokes (as opposed to mums with kids) he may not care.

YouSayWhaaat · 02/06/2013 14:54

DuttyWine

Great minds.....

olathelawyer05 · 02/06/2013 15:03

If it's on your private premises, you can essentially have whatever kind of poster you want... sexist, racist, homophobic etc. its up to your customers if they don't like it and want to go elsewhere because of it (which is what the OP should do by the way - this should purely be a parenting decision - giving him 'bad PR' will probably just backfire, as people will see you as a busy-body who wants to infringe his freedom).

What you can't do is discriminate in how you provide business services (e.g. refusing to give a hotel room to a gay couple because you object to gay relationships). You also run the chance of being sued if for instance you employ a gay guy, and then put up a homophobic poster in the workplace.