"The Mummies on the Bus go chatter, chatter chatter" Really?

[BespokeStereophonicVinyl]

So, I attend a regular nursery rhyme session at my local library and 'The Wheels on the Bus' now seems to comprise the above delight, together with the equally offensive "The Daddies on the bus go shush, shush, shush"

I'm really bristling at this example of everyday sexism. Yes, I am a mother, but I am also educated to Post Grad level and have a bunch of fairly heavyweight professional qualifications too. Prior to having DD, I held a senior position in a very male dominated field and really resent the implication that when a woman (who may or may not have children) speaks, it should be assumed that it is mere 'chatter'. I'm also really unhappy with the idea that a big manly man has to step in to shut up all these hysterically chattering women, otherwise where would the world be, eh?

AIBU to take this up with the library/council? I just don't want DD to face the same constant battle that I did, to be taken seriously in life just because she's a woman. I think we owe it to the next generation to challenge this trivialisation of women's opinions.

I say 'The mummies on the bus run their start-ups from their laptops'.

Then I feel guilty for neglecting the children and not being a SAHM. And wish I had time to go on buses with friends and their kids and have fun chattering.

Grass is always greener, right??

That's the flip side of education sometimes, the better educated we are the more unreasonable we become. Nursery rhymes are to be taken for simply what they're meant for FUN and a way of teaching children new words.

If you feel very strongly about it I say take it up with the council/library at the risk of finding out you may be the only parent who feels this way and coming across as being unreasonable.

Your DD is very lucky to have a mum like you with such worldly experience and is able to advice her appropriately should she face such prejudice. Please remember your DD may take a different path in life from you and the world is continuously progressing. Fighting "everyday sexism" from a inoffensive nursery rhyme is taking feminism to extreme lengths.

The percentage of Mumsnetters who travel on buses? Very low.

But why can't daddy pig be a bumbling person? maybe he is? Why can't women chatter on a bus? Some people bumble some women chatter so what? I honestly feel it's ridiculous. Can't say black board? It is a black board..?! Can't say brain storm anymore. We are just looking to be offended .

The Daddies on the bus go read, read, read apparently.

"But why can't daddy pig be a bumbling person?"

Because one of the stereotypes of a "dad" in popular culture is of a bumbling incompetent who can't cope and has to be rescued all the time. Children's TV and stories are part of the way they learn to piece the world together. It's important not to reinforce stereotypes if possible.

Libraries are closing thick and fast and the lovely people who run groups such as this will be gone soon. What a crock of shit.

"We are just looking to be offended"

Nobody's offended!

There's a significant amount of under thinking on this thread. BertrandRussell is right, but people on here are at times weirdly resistant to having everyday sexism in something they clearly haven't thought about pointed out to them. I don't think anyone is suggesting that depicting mothers as chatterboxes on a bus in a fucking annoying children's ditty is the major issue facing women today, obviously, but what's wrong with pointing out minor things?

I have thought about it and I don't have an issue with it. H ow is that underthinking?

There is quite a lot of overthinking on this thread IMO.

I'm not offended by it though.

Don't patronise me by saying I'm underthinking.

And it's not as if anyone is being massively inconvenienced if it's changed, is it? It's not Great Verse that's been around since time imemorial. .Not like painting clothes on Boticellis Venus' or something. Or rewriting Shakespeare so Othello didn't murder Desdemona. Just change chattering to cuddling. Sorted. And you get an extra cuddle as a free gift. A bit silly for people to get so worked up about it, really. Shame the people defending chattering don't have a more important cause to fight for............

Shame the people defending chattering don't have a more important cause to fight for............

Bert on offense but you've spent 3 days on this thread. About a nursery rhyme verse which doesn't even exist in every version of the rhyme, using a word most people haven't heard of in a rewal world context and which a good portion of people don't think is sexist.

Maybe you shouldn't be telling people about more important things right now.

There is quite a lot of overthinking on this thread IMO

This.

you might need a mirror to read some of the backward stuff in that post.

Ah, but the difference is that I do think it's quite important. Not this particular rhyme of course, but what it represents. I think this sort of thing is worth going into bat for. You don't. So why are you here?

I am here because it's quite an entertaining AIBU. For once.

You don't. So why are you here?

I do, where have you got this idea that i do not?

I've even suggested a sexist poem above. This is just the wrogn exmaple to use.

But that said i can see you are getting a bit um.... invested in the thread and being a hypocryt.

I'm also here for the entertainment. And to see if anyone had answered my question that I asked at 9.30 am this morning. So far no

I'm here because threads like this make me despair. Why the eff would anyone have enough time to care about if mummies chatter on the bus. Gawd give me strength.

Nobody's offended!

I think it was quite obvious that OP was and other consequent posters.

Where is OP btw

The OP was so offended they were 'bristling'

bertrandrussel I hope you're happy of the fact that you actually put me off posting in the feminist boards. And a few others I know who are mumsnetters. That's really sad and totally goes against what ever it is you're trying to achieve.