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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

"First World Problems" "used to keep women down"???

37 replies

KittensOnAPlane · 04/08/2015 11:50

Ok, 'inspired' by another thread, which is the first time i have seen this raised, is there anything else that's an 'anti-woman' phrase that I dont know about? (i'm not having a personal dig at the poster,even if its looking like that, but seriously this is the first time i have seen this)

First World problem
nouninformal
plural noun: First World problems
a relatively trivial or minor problem or frustration (implying a contrast with serious problems such as those that may be experienced in the developing world).
"it's a First World problem, but still if you're staying at a 5-star resort you expect some decent service"

OP posts:
KittensOnAPlane · 04/08/2015 14:42

no, i dont hate feminists, why would i - i mean i dont like the ones that take offense to everything, but rational ones dont.

do you think the poster meant this actual item is a first world problem that the patriarchy use to keep women down, instead of this phrase in general. I read it as -in general- not as in this case only.

I have read the thread again, and i cant see where it would be in the first case, at all?

OP posts:
KittensOnAPlane · 04/08/2015 14:44

no, they definitely weren't talking about the thread,

"BTW, "first world problem" is a disparaging term the patriarchy people use to keep women down. Don't give it that power. Pursue your happiness."

OP posts:
Pootles2010 · 04/08/2015 15:05

Hm, I think you're picking up on a little comment someone said in a thread about someone's relationship - I don't get why you even noticed it?

And when the people in that thread ignored your side-tracking, you came on here to make something more of it?

You said you don't like feminists who 'take offence at every little thing', but you seem to have done just that.

KittensOnAPlane · 04/08/2015 15:35

erm, no, 'not picking up a little comment', and a thread is a living moving thing like a conversation, and if you don't like something on it, then you either comment or ignore.

I put it in here as i was genuinely interested in the answer - is it now a feminist thing to dislike the use of "First World Problems" in the same way you are not supposed to have a 'beach ready body' because all bodies are ready for the beach, although you can have a thread about 'beach body ready' which is a bit confusing

but obviously no one else saw it, or cares about it, so no harm done,

OP posts:
msgrinch · 04/08/2015 15:42

Hmm thought taat weren't allowed. Confused even weird ones such as this.

TheGirlFromIpanema · 04/08/2015 15:48

Well as you seem unable to comprehend the post made on the other thread I'm not sure I can help, but I'll give it a go...

Usually in society women are expected to be the fixers of relationships. The ones to put up and shut up. Theones to make the problems go away. The ones to minimise and make better.

This is the patriarchy in action.

That poster was trying to let the OP know that she doesn't need to minimise. To make better. Or to put up and shut up. She can choose to end it herself. For no real reason other than she wants to.

I'm really not sure what your problem is with it tbh.

Oswin · 04/08/2015 15:48

Oh fucking hell. Another word that feminism has claimed? Ffs. Whys it always bash the feminists on here. Its rude to be honest.

Pootles2010 · 04/08/2015 15:56

Yes its like a conversation, if I were to talk to someone about my shitty relationship and they were to start talking about whether 'first world problem' is feminist or not, i'd be peeved.

Anyway, no 'first world problems' is not something feminism generally has issue with as far as i'm aware, all it has in common with 'beach body' is that they're both stupid meaningless phrases.

whois · 04/08/2015 16:11

It's nothing to do with keeping women down. It's just saying 'oh no, I've encountered a minor annoyance in my otherwise quite nice lofe'

dodobookends · 04/08/2015 16:30

I've only ever thought of the term "first world problem" as relating to the somewhat trivial, eg: your branch of Waitrose has run out of carrier bags, you've broken a nail, your dp wears unattractively-coloured socks, that sort of thing.

Can't see why anyone would think otherwise.

Never used the phrase myself, in our house we use "Oh well, worse things happen at sea".

Reubs15 · 04/08/2015 17:16

I think getting stressed over the phrase "first world problem" is in itself a first world problem Grin

KittensOnAPlane · 04/08/2015 17:37

So you think that the comment meant because the oh is female that the other poster took it to mean that the op should put up with it as the first world problem because she is female?

Fair enough - I can see that

BTW I'm not stressed about wording, I'm less than extactic about the jumping on some of the threads here but this is abiu and I've been here long enough to see that's how it works

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