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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be shocked and disappointed by this sexism?

97 replies

awfullyproper · 18/02/2016 11:29

This is the sticker page from dd's activity pack from the lounge at Gatwick. The male chracters: captain, Steward, photographer and spy.
The female characters: stewardess, movie star and model.
Not only that, but the male characters are 4 times wider than the females. The stewardess looks like an exaggerated Barbie.
AIBU, or is this just so wrong!

to be shocked and disappointed by this sexism?
OP posts:
DraenorQueen · 18/02/2016 11:32

Ugh, yes, I totally agree, OP. You'll probably get told by some to "give your head a wobble" or asked "is this really all you've got to worry about?" but this kind of image keeps the idea alive that men are the "do-ers" and women just need to look good and smile and wiggle.

witsender · 18/02/2016 11:35

You're not wrong. Paw Patrol has being doing my head in this week. Boy out there saving the world, girl washing pups and keeping it looking clean.

Original poster
awfullyproper · 18/02/2016 11:35

Last year DD laughed when I asked her if she'd like to be a pilot and said don't be silly, girls can't fly planes! I have no idea why she thought that. This can only reinforce such thoughts.

OP posts:
LilacSpunkMonkey · 18/02/2016 11:35

Wait.

Did you know that there'a FGM happening elsewhere and you're worrying over silly little things like this? Shame on you and your ridiculous feminism.

Thought I'd trot that one out before someone else comes along and does it. I agree with you, OP. There's a lot of 'mild' sexist about lately and apparently we're meant to ignore it because it's not important. Are there contact details where you can complain? Something along the lines of 'no positive female role models'?

AdrenalineFudge · 18/02/2016 11:39

Yanbu. It's really this sort of shit that ingrains stereotypes from such an early age. Last year I asked my niece what she wanted to be when she was older and she replied "pretty" Hmm

Original poster
awfullyproper · 18/02/2016 11:39

Wow lilacspunk, thought you were for real at first! Was discussing FGM over breakfast just this morning.

Am definitely complaining. Fed up with this sort of sexism. Precisely because it is easy to belittle criticism of it.

OP posts:
CallieTorres · 18/02/2016 11:41

awfullyproper - where did your daughter get that idea from? my DCs (fair enough they are boys) have never uttered anything like that (one of them does dance as he wants to extracurricular)

I never thought anything like that (child of the 1970s) so where does someone get the idea that there are jobs you cannot do because you are a girl?

(I agree the original point is out of order and should be addressed)

Original poster
awfullyproper · 18/02/2016 11:46

Callie, no idea but she got it from somewhere.

OP posts:
uglyswan · 18/02/2016 11:48

YANBU. Is this recent? Shock Blimey, you'd think there'd be some effort not to reinforce severely limiting gender roles for children in 20fucking16. And is it me, or are two of the male characters actually ogling the women?

LilacSpunkMonkey · 18/02/2016 11:50

Sorry, OP, we had a thread yesterday on a very similar subject and someone did appear and pretty much say 'you can't moan about stuff like that because THIS is happening' and they used FGM as the 'thing' feminists should be concentrating on instead.

Lightbulbon · 18/02/2016 11:52

Why are we still having to deal with this shi*?

Original poster
awfullyproper · 18/02/2016 11:55

I Missed that thread Lilac as I'm away. I do think that unless we fight it on all fronts we might as well give up and get back to the 1950s.

OP posts:
CallieTorres · 18/02/2016 11:58

have you complained to the lounge?

there are female pilots out the commercially

Flashbangandgone · 18/02/2016 12:00

Yanbu

It's as though it's come straight out of the 50s..... You should definitely consider complaining.

maydancer · 18/02/2016 12:02

but I guess it is just reflecting life.Most pilots are still men and most cabin crew are female.I think you need to tell you DD though she will get that stewardess sacked if she doesn't get her shoes off the seating.
I get more irritated by the roadworks 'Drive carefully, my mum works here'

LilacSpunkMonkey · 18/02/2016 12:03

Exactly, OP, we know that but apparently we shouldn't care about the little things that are there everyday because sexism doesn't exist anymore, dontcha know?

FithColumnist · 18/02/2016 12:03

awfully, that is dreadful!

NeedAScarfForMyGiraffe · 18/02/2016 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenofLouisiana · 18/02/2016 12:11

I agree that it's sending out all the wrong messages. I discovered today that DS couldn't believe the man he saw at the doctors on Monday is a nurse because he's a man. I was Shock as I thought we were pretty good on equal op's here. I was a bit miffed to say the least!

TheMshipIsBack · 18/02/2016 12:12

awfully DS (3.5y) informed me yesterday morning that "car shirts are for boys, not for girls". Guess he got it from nursery? I was really taken aback - he accepted my gentle correction, and today we will be buying some transport theme babygros for his soon-to-arrive baby sister. Get your DD the Robert Munsch book "Angela's Airplane" maybe?

Pedestriana · 18/02/2016 12:13

I'd be tweeting Gatwick to ask about it. I did this recently with a budget hotel chain who have discounts online. Their ad was blatantly sexist; I called them on it, they amended it the same day.

LastInTheQueue · 18/02/2016 12:13

YANBU
Please complain.

And to whoever mentioned that most pilots are still males and most cabin crew are female, yes, that's true. But maybe it's stuff like this that is reinforcing that kind of gender imbalance.

kaitlinktm · 18/02/2016 12:15

I also hate the way all the "men" in the picture appear to be leering at the "women" - or is that my imagination?

uglyswan · 18/02/2016 12:16

"but I guess it is just reflecting life.Most pilots are still men and most cabin crew are female."
So there's nothing to be done about it, then? No way of encouraging children and young people to consider careers that don't correspond to 1960s gender norms? No way children's entertainment could contribute to providing children with more options instead of further limiting them? Because a Gatwick airport activity pack is apparently a sociological record or a piece of 21st century verismo and has to depict social roles exactly as they are, is that what you're saying, maydancer ?

Muskateersmummy · 18/02/2016 12:17

Genuine question, not intended to be goady, but whilst I see this constant imagery for women isn't great, I do wonder what difference it really makes to how women turn out?

These images (and worse) were around as I grew up, but I never believed that only men could be pilots, woman can only be nurses, home makers, etc.

I genuinely would like to see more images of women pilots etc, but don't sweat it when I don't. It's just an opportunity to teach our daughters they can be anything. I believe women learn far more from the structure they see around them, at home and close friends and family than they do from random pictures. My mum worked in the motor trade as I grew up, was the Cub Scout leader, so despite the imagery around me I saw that women work where they want to