'woman are Useless at this' Sentence in Peppa Pig book

[canteatcustard]

Reading a ladybird book 'Fun at the Fair' with Peppa Pig.

I understand this is meant to be an empowering story, but did not feel comfortable reading these lines aloud.

'Woman are useless at this'! says Mr Labrador

and when mummy pig wins, the following comment : 'Unbelievable'
is for me just as annoying.

So its OK for men to say that woman are useless, and when they are proved wrong, it is still Unbelievable'

I dont want children to hear that woman are useless in any way or that when they achieve something that its unbelievable!

aibu?

Piggy Pig gets far more of this. And I think both ways are equally damaging.

However, children hear this crap all the time and maybe the book is trying to highlight it and show how wrong it is.

This is why DD reads Rosie Revere: Engineer.

Daddy Pig, rather.

I think it would be more concerning if Mummy pig didn't win. I think the point of it is, a lot of people do think women can't do a lot of things that men can, but we can and do, prove them wrong. Sexism is still very real in this day and age and it's showing children from a young age that women CAN do it.

She's also not actually a woman she's a female pig

and yet when this female pig wins, she is said to be 'unbelievable'?
I agree there is plenty of sexism in the world, and kids hear it. But to approve of a comment stating that woman, or indeed anyone are useless is still not something that any one should feel is acceptable .

YADNBU! I'm all for letting kids know that women can do anything but ths is just introducing them to the idea that some people think they can't. I don't think it's helpful. It would be nice if women achieving stuff was seen as something completely normal rather than a surprise.

I always took that episode to be satire; maybe that's not as clear in the book version (haven't read that one). I've always found Peppa Pig somewhat feminist.

You're right OP, that is absolute shit for a book aimed at a Peppa-aged audience. It just normalizes gender roles and sexism and makes it seem as though calling people "useless" on the basis of their sex is acceptable behaviour. Rotten.

It's very clear in the TV episode that Mummy Pig comes out on top - she proves the disbelieving men wrong and outdoes them

Sorry, but in children's books as in adults' the Bad Guy has to say the Wrong Thing for it to be corrected or disproved.

I dont feel this has been corrected. I think it isnt clear that mummy pig is equal as she is commented as being 'unbelievable'

If this was a clear bad guy after realising he was a sexist doggy he would of said some form of apology after seeing mummy pig win. He didnt, he said it was unbelievable.

I deeply suspect that Mr Labrador goes home to Mrs Labrador and calls her useless all day.

Poor Mrs Labrador 🐶

I change the words in books that aren't empowering for young children
Just make your own up.

I deeply suspect that Mr Labrador goes home to Mrs Labrador and calls her useless all day.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I think Mr Lab should apologise to Mummy pig.

Sounds like a bad re-telling of the episode, which is actually quite funny and Mummy Pig really sticks it to the men

I think it wasn't meant to be sexist, it challenges sexism. Showing that there is still sexism today, but that it can be challenged and overcome. But I don't think a child would understand that.

Do you mean women? that is the plural, singular is woman.

Sort of undermines your outrage when you can't get the word right!

I also think this story sounds like it has a downer on men/labradors, which is also rather negative.

I think for small children it is best not to let them know misogynists exist at all, as they are as likely to imitate/repeat what they hear as they are to understand the moral nuances of Mr Labrador being a tool.

Can't see how this is challenging sexism. All small children will hear is women being judged useless and the 'unbelievable' remark.

My DD's 3 year old used to love Peppa pig. Her sense of irony however, is not yet developed enough to understand what some see as the finer nuances of PP I'm afraid.

Can't see how it is any different to the episode where all the male animals compete over who should man the barbecue (to then be rescued my firefighter Miss Rabbit) or Daddy Pig religiously following the satnav in Italy whilst driving on the wrong side of the road. It's tongue in cheek and aimed at parents watching. I'm more offended by Peppa's adenoids. And am more interested in what meat was on the barbecue....

Peppa Pig has some pretty horrrible messages generally.

Peppa is an obnoxious spoilt brat, and they all fat shame Daddy Pig.

It's fine having jokes aimed at watching parents Captain but not when the joke is reinforcing 'stupid' women stereotypes to small children.

YABU - it's a story about pigs, not women. It's pretty offensive actually to suggest that women are worth no more than pigs, surely? Also, this is a children's book - it's not meant to be high art.

To be honest, the actual episode of that book wasn't that awful. Not compared to all the gender separation in many other episodes- Daddy Pig can't wear a pink shirt for his football, the girls and boys can't both be in the treehouse, the boys need a castle for themselves instead, Peppa and Susie don't play silly boy games, they play girl games like fairy princess. Not to talk about all the fat shaming and making out Daddy Pig is useless.

I had to laugh when I saw the interview with Morwenna Banks defending this show as somehow 'normal family stuff'. Well I guess I live in an abnormal family where we don't insult each other, boys and girls can play whatever they please and children aren't obnoxious brats who never hear the word 'no'.