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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask what you think about 'Grid Girls' no longer being used?

530 replies

Sallystyle · 31/01/2018 19:19

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/42890261

I think it is a great thing.

Some people on my FB clearly don't.

OP posts:
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5
lalalalyra · 02/02/2018 14:33

I'd be more impressed if I though Liberty/F1 were interested in being remotely forward thinking when it came to women. However they and the FIA recently showed their true opinion on that by appointing a woman who doesn't believe that women can ever compete with men in the sport to the women's council.

It's a publicity stunt by accompany worrying about lowered viewing figures figures and nothing more.

billyfivebellies · 02/02/2018 14:36

I can see your point but as has been said before the consequences on attitude in wider society are far more damaging that the individuals right to have a job four hours a year.
I was at an Engineering show last year on our companies stand. Now this isn’t anything exciting or ‘glamorous ‘ like a car show or boat show. It’s engineering for aerospace and other high tech industries and tbh bloody dull! On the last day you always get a load of Student in and I was talking to three girls around 18-20 years old I would guess about machining carbon fibre. I know - exciting!
Then two ‘models’ came around the corner dressed basically in high heels and not a lot more than bra and pants. The girls looked up stared for a few seconds, open mouthed I thing, then turned to carry on our conversation but were obviously flustered and forgot the train of our conversation. Now we are encouraging girls to go into science and engineering and they come along to a mainstream show at 2.30in the afternoon and are met with that. Does that send the right message.
I just wish I had remembered the name of the company they were advertising at the show as they should be named and shamed.

Kursk · 02/02/2018 14:38

However I am totally against anything that dictates to a woman what she can and can’t do and what society deems to be respectable of her.

I think these roles are a bit archaic, but if a woman wants to work in that type of role she should be free and able to do so without judgment.

ChelleDawg2020 · 02/02/2018 14:53

On the one hand I am glad that they are gone because they were an embarrassment to the sport. But it's weird that being progressive means taking jobs away from women. Jobs that were well-paid, which women were queuing up to do.

The message anti-grid girl people send out is that it is wrong for a woman to choose a job she wants to do. Which surely isn't very progressive?

Thehairthebod · 02/02/2018 14:55

On the one hand I am glad that they are gone because they were an embarrassment to the sport. But it's weird that being progressive means taking jobs away from women. Jobs that were well-paid, which women were queuing up to do.

Generally, 'grid boy' or 'walk on boy' isn't an job option for young attractive men as, well, those jobs don't exist. No one is moaning about men being 'denied' these jobs.

chestylarue52 · 02/02/2018 15:14

If someone wants a job in f1 they should learn about cars, broadcasting, marketing, logistics etc and use their skills or talents. No one is owed a job.

BitOfFun · 02/02/2018 15:33

Did the same people bemoaning this decision also wail about the employment prospects for jazz-handing dancers when the Black & White Minstrels were decommissioned?

AssassinatedBeauty · 02/02/2018 15:35

@ChelleDawg2020 you're mixing up the individual with the role. It's not wrong for women to do a job that they're happy to do. I have no criticism for the women who do this job. I don't think there's a place for decorative women in sport, so I think it's a good thing that this role no longer exists in F1 and darts.

Writersblock2 · 02/02/2018 15:38

It's utterly depressing that people seem to think that women choosing to be a "grid girl" or similar is a free choice. Do you people understand how systematic oppression actually works?

Example: Little Jimmy and Little Rosie are brother and sister. Little Jimmy gets to wear trousers and play with toy trucks, is encouraged to climb trees and to play rough and tumble. His voice and opinion matters. Little Rosie, on the other hand, has to wear frilly dresses that are restricting, play with baby dolls and learn how to nurture, is encouraged to sit passively and look pretty while her opinions are dismissed. Little Jimmy and Little Rosie do not grow up in isolation, they grow up with peers who are treated exactly the same as they are. It permeates their culture. Little Jimmy becomes Big Jimmy, who is praised for being opinionated. Little Rosie becomes Big Rosie, who is praised for standing around looking pretty and keeping her gob shut. Big Jimmy gets to drive the F1 cars and Big Rosie gets to parade around in her knickers in front of them. Both Big Jimmy and Big Rosie think this is a fine idea because, guess what? They have been taught since they were little that this is the way of the world. But not only that, they are also taught they receive praise when they fulfill those stereotyped gender roles, and torn down when they do not. So their self-esteem is tied into those behaviours.

Back to the grid-girls. Of course many of those women choose to do it, thinking it's an awesome thing to do. They get praised for their looks, just as they have always done. They receive the ultimate female prize: male attention. They fulfill society's expectation that the worth of a female is in her sexiness to men. And in today's world, they get to also say they are "feminists" because they are females making a choice (nb. Liberal feminism is anything but...).

It's all bullshit. Oppression, and emancipation from oppression, does not take place on an individual basis. Little Rosie wearing her frilly dress or growing up to become Big Rosie on the grid are not feminist choices simply because a female made them. They are choices that contribute to the continuation of oppression for millions of other Little Rosies out there.

And no, that's not to say the grid girls are bad people. They are simply women making the choice that is dictated by the status quo in a patriarchal society.

Frankly, the suggestion that the grid girls losing their jobs is a reason to continue with the practice is the exact same reasoning that slavery should not be abolished because it means the people enslaved at that time would lose a roof over their heads.

thenightsky · 02/02/2018 15:38

I'll tell you what I'm sick of... telling people on FB for the millionth time that this is a business decision and nothing to do with pressure from some heavy handed feminist groups. Still they ignore me. What to do?

AssassinatedBeauty · 02/02/2018 15:45

@thenightsky if they're your friends then maybe unfollow them or unfriend them depending on how much it annoys you. If they're randoms on a public thread then just disengage. People who want to rant about feminists aren't going to engage with reality.

Morphene · 02/02/2018 16:04

The presence of the grid girls was making a monoculture of females in the sport. It was making it all but impossible for women who wanted other roles (in the management, pits, and heaven forbid driving). For that reason alone they have my total support in ditching the 'tradition'.

Feminism IS about choice.

The choice being offered to grid girls was removing the choice of any other role in F1 from being offered to women. It was adding to the drip drip drip sexism that sees women forced out of all sorts of roles against their choice across society.

The removal of grid girls has vastly increased the choices available to women as a whole.

NewYearNewUsername · 02/02/2018 16:19

Maybe they don't want to be changing tyres or monitor on board computers. Maybe were happy doing the jobs they had.

Given that I personally don't count "standing around in tight or skimpy clothing to be objectified" a job can you elaborate on what I've missed? What vital role do they play? What is the job exactly?

Presumably if it were an integral role in the sport then F1 would not be able to carry on without them?

Yes I understand that it was probably easy money for standing around looking good but I think anything that objectifies women is bad for us all. The more women are viewed in this way the more likely we are to stay in our current misogynistic climate where women are not respected. Sexual harassment and abuse is rife, as we've seen in our headlines. Don't kid yourself that it's not linked to how our society views women. This includes allowing them to be employed as "something nice to look at" The more acceptable something like this is the more problems it causes for us all.

jacks11 · 02/02/2018 16:22

I don't want my daughters seeing women being paraded as objects while men do sport. I don't want to have to explain that to them.

These women are just there as non speaking non achieving non accomplishing female bodies and faces. Just women being quiet and looking pretty.

sends the message that men get to do the fun and cool competing and women are just pretty things to look at.

Agree with these statements. I understand the individual women doing it don't mind, may see it as fun and/or easy way to make some money. However, it's the principle. Same with the women parading the darts players in. They just parade around smiling, looking pretty and that's the only point to them being there. Objects to be paraded (and ogled by some men, I should think- irrelevant to the rest)- while the men actually do something. Sends the message that women are there to parade around, looking sexy but nothing more whilst men are the ones taking part, having fun, being skilled/competitive and earning the plaudits.

I would say the same about attractive young men being paraded round and women only events. Only that doesn't happen anywhere near as often...

And if the girls are simply there to "advertise" for the sponsors, why can't there be "grid guys" as well- surely they could serve the same purpose?

Lillygolightly · 02/02/2018 16:23

@Morphene I’m sorry but I think that’s not the case.

As I stated earlier there are women in F1, there have been female team bosses, female engineers, test drivers and technicians. Yes it is predominately male but midwifery for instance is predominantly female. Are there male midwives? Sure but what ratio of men want to persue this role in comparison to women? So it’s not that men can’t become midwives, more the case that there are far more women than men who choose this career.

F1 is an incredible elite sport, getting into F1 as a driver is like trying to be the next Mariah. Is it possible if you have the talent? Yes, is it likely? No. When you factor into this the ratio of women to men trying to break into the sport, and the very rare and few drives available I’m not surprised a women driver hasn’t happened yet, but I don’t believe the sport is against it.

There are women nascar drivers, Rally and Indy it’s only a matter of time before there is a female formula 1 driver.

jacks11 · 02/02/2018 16:25

excellent post writersblock!

DeleteOrDecay · 02/02/2018 16:28

The difference between f1 and midwifery is that midwives don't have men walking around the wards in their undies for decoration.

AssassinatedBeauty · 02/02/2018 16:33

@Lillygolightly do you ever wonder why more women don't choose a career in motorsports? When it is prestigious and potentially well paid? I wonder why more men don't go into midwifery as well?

NellMangel · 02/02/2018 16:33

I'm pleased with the news. The whole thing makes me cringe - especially when they hold umbrellas over the drivers. Wtf.

I go to trade exhibitions where sexy girls hand out leaflets to middle aged businessmen on stuff like radio band with. Makes me cringe for both parties.

Thadeus · 02/02/2018 18:12

Why can’t we focus on changing the perception of these girls instead of just removing the roles.

AssassinatedBeauty · 02/02/2018 18:13

How would you want people's perceptions of these women in this role to change?

gluteustothemaximus · 02/02/2018 18:25

Just picturing female midwives doing their jobs, whilst young attractive semi naked men wander around stopping every now and again to mop the brow of the midwife, and applaud every time she delivers a baby Grin

Cadence70 · 02/02/2018 18:31

I have noticed that when this is being debated on TV between pit girls and a "feminist" the one doing the objecting always has a figure like a melted welly and a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp
Funny that...

KalaLaka · 02/02/2018 18:33

Why can’t we focus on changing the perception of these girls instead of just removing the roles.

Firstly, they are women, not girls.
How would you like them to be perceived? How do you think this could happen?

KalaLaka · 02/02/2018 18:34

I have noticed that when this is being debated on TV between pit girls and a "feminist" the one doing the objecting always has a figure like a melted welly and a face like a bulldog chewing a wasp
Funny that...*

Hilarious.
Why do you feel feminist needs to be in inverted commas?

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