To think this was a dick-ish thing to say?

[chancerprancer]

DH related to me how in a business meeting he described a particular niche market in a particular city as "like a women's toilet" he meant as in "everyone knows everything" and people gossip etc.
He was quite pleased with himself.

I was a bit
I asked if there were any women present in the meeting (there weren't) and suggested this was a weird thing to say, a bit sexist and how would he know what ladies toilets are like anyway.

It's stuck with me and is really irritating me. He has form for saying stupid things, as our marriage goes on I'm finding myself less tolerant of this.
English is his second language but he's been here nearly 20 years and I'm not sure that's an excuse here
AIBU?

I agree it's an inappropriate thing to say, particularly in a business meeting.

It's a weird expression- is it a translation of something in his native language?

It wouldnt bother me... id take it as light hearted joke.

Is he other wise sexiest

Definitely inappropriate in a professional context. And a bit wierd in any other......

Haha if I heard that expression in a meeting or anywhere else for that matter I wouldn't have a clue what he meant

Well, I think he has a point. In my experience of women's toilets anyway, particularly the ones where alcohol has been consumed. I can confirm that we (as in myself and my friends) do know everything and we are partial to a good gossip.

Ah ok, interesting. So far consensus seems more odd than dick ish.

No, I don't think it is a well known German saying, he confirmed this and said he just thought of it himself. He does that - makes up 'clever sayings' .

You might want to mention that this one isn't clever, just a bit weird.

I've certainly never gossiped in the ladies at work. Maybe I'm missing out?

And, no LTB! (Yet.....)

I wouldn't have known what he meant.

I would just wrangle my nose and feel a bit repulsed if he said that at a meeting I was at. I definitely would not be thinking, 'Aaah, gossipy and and lots of interpersonal connections.'

Sounds like an attempt at humour but it's lost in translation.

I wonder if he's drawing on phrases like 'having a mothers meeting' etc.

Not a dick thing to say at all though.

I'd have thought it didn't smell. The most common comparison I know of men's and woman's toilets is the smell. And the queuing times.
I know this isn't the point of the thread but did he qualify afterwards? Or are all the attendees perplexed about niche markets and toilets?

I wouldn't have had the faintest idea what he meant - tbh even with your explanation i don't really get it! (my first thought about a women's toilet is that there is always a bloody queue!)

I would have thought he was being a bit strange and possibly sexist, depending on the delivery - if it was all nudge, nudge, wink, wink, i would think he was a dick, yes.

It kind of comes from "locker room talk" and "mothers' meeting" (which latter I haven't heard for years) I guess. I think I'd probably be more irritated by his smugness than by the phrase itself.

I would have no idea what he meant but if he speaks with a German accent I'd assume he was translating a saying from German.

I'd suggest he doesn't make any similar remarks in future but I don't think I'd feel offended.

Odd. I wouldn't have a clue what he meant. Not. A. Scooby.

I'd be inclined to go somewhat easier on him though since English is his 2nd language.

I am German, and I find this v odd - feed that back to him

I can honestly say that I have never gossiped in a women's toilet either.

I wouldn't have understood what he meant either, nor do I think it was dickish. I agree with PPs that I'd have probably thought it was one of those lost in translation comments - although I would have asked him to elaborate.

Nope, don't really get it even with the explanation!

If he means an informal meeting place where discussions/gossip happens, is he thinking of "water cooler"?

I wouldn't have had a clue what he was on about, to be honest. With the explanation I recognise the cliche he's drawing on, but I have never gossiped in the toilets in my life and I haven't really noticed other women doing so either. I tend to piss, wash hands and leave.

I'm sure it just comes from situations where lots of young girls all pile into the toilet together.

We have all done it, house parties, nightclubs and bars etc even restaurants when someone gets up to go to the loo and then someone else will jump up saying "Oh I'll join you as I need to go to" it is common for the girls to congregate in there. There was even a sketch in a nickolodeon show called "The girls room" Where all the girls hang out and talk in the toilet and it was funny to younger women because it's true it is what we do.

It is odd to bring it up but not in the least bit sexist IMO as it is just what happens.

He's being a MCP and thinks he's smart because of it.

Weird dome girl power by withdrawing all bedroom privileges for a year. With immediate effect.

Weild some! ^^

Bloody autocorrect.

Well, it shows that he thinks women are gossips and that's what women do when they go to the loo. That's incredibly sexist and he introduced the idea in a meeting, full of men.

Well done you for not tolerating this, that is so important especially if you have kids.

Did he take your comments on board and learn from them?

Tell him he is coming across "like a knob in a mens toilet"

No, I don't know what it means either