To complain to M&S about their so called 'Humour' cards

[Mograt]

I have a fairly robust disposition when it comes to humour (mother of two DCS, one 14 year old DS and a 12 year old DD.

However I had a sense of humour fail in my local M&S store last week when browsing the birthday cards.

Much of the humour was pathetic, stereo-typed and desperately unfunny but one card in particular I found completely unacceptable and sexist.

Hopefully I've managed to attach the shot I took of the card but if not it shows a man in old fashioned garb addressing his dog in 'gangsta rap' with the order:

"Fetch my slippers, bitch"

I've actually been motivated to write to M&S customer services and I'm awaiting their response.

So Ladies, I'm interested in all opinions so fire away! More than ready to hear that you all think I'm an old fart who needs to get with it!

Going out to buy a few of these to put away when next in M&S

I don't think the card is sexist. Gangsta rap is (as a sweeping generalisation) sexist, with its talk of "bitches" and so forth. The card is about someone who's listened to gangsta rap and has assumed that the terminology is meant literally rather than in a sexist way. You could even argue that it's an anti-sexist card (I wouldn't, myself, but I can see how it could be intended/perceived in that way).

I think it takes the piss out of sexism in gangsta rap. And is rather funny.

Talk about missing the point. Then posting about it. Embarrassing.

It's taking the piss out of gangsta rap and the ridiculous terminology as interpreted by someone who is unfamiliar with it, surely? Not supporting or perpetuating it.

Same as if he'd been in a garden shed proclaiming "I love my hoes" or something.

Maybe I'll email M&S and see if they want that one too.

Honestly, I've seen far worse on the shelves of Card Factory.

But your complaint would make a brilliant sad face story for the Daily Mail.

Complain about what?
Being forced to laugh, when you clearly didn't want to????

Well it's a seriously duff card, and I'd question the taste of anyone who bought it. But I wouldn't complain about it.

However if you are complaining could you ask M&S why with five people on the coffee machines in their cafe, and no one in the queue except me, it still takes them half an hour to make a latte?

Also could you pose the question 'Per Una - wtf?'

Blimey Mograt, I'm very impressed how you've handled all the slagging you got after posting here! Well done you for not taking offence, at the posters that is. FWIW it proves you DO have a sense of humour.

I found it funny

It made me chuckle. I can see why you find it offensive, and I'm normally first to call out sexism and misogyny when I see it. But I think that card is pretty mild really, it's a play on words, and the dog is actually a bitch.

The premise is "it's not always sexist for a man to tell someone to do some domestic chore and call her a bitch!"

That's not a joke, that's the beginning of the kind of boring monologues daily mail readers come out with unprompted because someone mentioned feminism.

It's not even funny? "Haha rap didn't exist when they took this photo" "Haha his taste in music is unexpected because he is an old white man" "Haha he is a man talking to a dog" none of these is actually funny, and none is surreal enough to laugh at? Or are we literally meant to be giggling at the allowed usage of the naughty word?

And the card is physically ugly. It is so generic, is it supposed to be an old photo in a scrapbook, a collage, cuttings from newspapers, what the hell are they aiming for because they failed.

How is sending a female dog to get his slippers sexist?

Granted the card isn't funny anyway.

If you don't like all these generic cards I suggest you make your own.

Personally, I think it's hilarious.

i dont think gangsta rappers talking about women as bitches is at all funny. its misogynistic. this card is trivialising calling women bitches.

Yuk. I don't like it personally but it would be worse if it was 'beeyatch' which makes me want to scream.

Well I'm a big fan of their biscuits, their chocolates, crisps, puddings, cakes, underwear, nighties, socks, pink lemonade, hummus, bread, croissants I could go on, but they've gone down in my estimations. They really have. I mean the B word in M and S! What is the World Wide Web coming too. I've got a good mind to boycott them at least for the evening anyway, I'll be buying my milk from the corner shop.

I thought it was amusing!

Blimey, there's an awful lot of 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' here.

Yes yabu. They sell those cards in other shops also not jyst marks.

Same as if he'd been in a garden shed proclaiming "I love my hoes" or something.

Snigger :o

He is using the term 'bitch' correctly. The card takes the Mickey out of the people that use it wrongly. I don't have a problem with the card at all.

It's a crap immature joke but not really offensive IMO

Really not offended by it; it's a joke. I smiled I must say!

Well Vag you'd expect that sort of thing from Card factory. Marks and Spencers is a completely different matter. They do very comfy jeans too you know