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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:
Thread gallery
5
TheBrilliantMistake · 02/02/2018 20:19

*they (no idea of gender!)

BanyanTree · 02/02/2018 20:43

I am not any gender. I identify as a tree.

TheBrilliantMistake · 02/02/2018 20:48

I know you're branching out, but what are your roots?
OK..- enough puns already, I've leaf (sic) you alone!

BanyanTree · 02/02/2018 20:50
Grin
Morphene · 03/02/2018 00:19

lily there was a woman who had worked in F1 in a different capacity than glorified umbrella stand who had seen and heard women being dismissed and passed over because they weren't glamorous enough for F1 to be an engineer or driver....because ALL F1 women needed to be glamorous....because...that's the only value women had to F1. That's the destruction of women's choices and opportunities that were caused by the employment of grid girls. Ditching them will bring more choice and opportunities for women in F1 not less.

Lloyd45 · 03/02/2018 07:22

It's funny such a big media reaction about F1 girls who enjoy what they do, but yet when Rotherham happened not one feminist or media stood up for those poor girls and it's still going on and people still want to hide it under the carpet

Dipitydoda · 03/02/2018 07:40

I think it’s shit and the sight of the world gone mad. It’s women judging other women. People have pushed their own agenda to make these women unemployed. What was wrong with them precisely? It seems everytime a beautiful woman uses her beauty to earn money it’s derided by certain other women.

Woollypinksocks · 03/02/2018 08:04

Lloyd what are you talking about?

Where are you getting your information from?

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 03/02/2018 09:23

Surely lots of jobbing actors and male/character models would like the work as well as these standard model woman

I might start watching if they had pirates or miss Marpke doing this

gluteustothemaximus · 03/02/2018 12:03

Dipitydoda - couldn't be further from the truth.

It's about the reason why sexual harassment is so huge, the reason why men treat women the way they do, the reason 2 women die every week at the hands of men. It's attitudes towards women.

And these attitudes towards women are made worse by these male/female roles. Made worse by porn. Made worse by women thinking these roles are innocent.

These women are beautiful, and there's no reason why they shouldn't use their looks to earn money. Both beautiful men and women model fashion, to sell clothes.

And Lloyd - I've seen that shit spouted time and time again on twitter. For some reason, we feminists get our ugly knickers in a twist over this, but don't get involved with FGM or muslim men raping our white girls. I don't know how to answer that, it is beyond reprehension that a feminist would not be insane with anger of girls mutilated or raped. Just proves that sexism and racism go hand in hand.

GoingforitNowIthink · 03/02/2018 12:06

It's funny such a big media reaction about F1 girls who enjoy what they do, but yet when Rotherham happened not one feminist or media stood up for those poor girls

That's just not true.

NeedsAsockamnesty · 05/02/2018 09:46

One of the main reasons why more women are not involed in motorsport is the huge cost associated with it, it’s a very expensive sport.

I know a fair few pit girls and car promo models who have used the opourtunity to take advantage of being up close with the team and the cars to learn and have then gone on to do it themselves personally I’ve been to race days and drift days in my younger days with loads of women drifters a few of them are on professional teams. Michelle Westby is one of them who openly talks about it, almost all of the women I personally know who make money from doing motorsport have used modelling and promotions to fund their sport.

BubblesBuddy · 05/02/2018 10:00

I agree with Dipit.

I think this insistence that these women should develop a “talent” that suits the feminists is not acceptable. They should be able to do what they want to do. It is not up to others to tell them what to do. Or not to do. The sisterhood is alive and well, but only if you agree with them. If you don’t, you’re out of a job!!!

DeleteOrDecay · 05/02/2018 10:33

This decision had nothing to do with feminism. If you want to blame someone for these women losing their jobs then blame the organisation who made this decision.

Where is all this upset and outrage at all the people losing their jobs as a result of cuts made by m&s and Sainsburys?

LadyinCement · 05/02/2018 11:44

This from Camilla Long in the Times, making the point that wealthy women (pop stars, actresses etc) are "empowered" if they strip off and flaunt a super-dooper body, but those at the bottom of the food chain are being exploited.

"And so the hypocrisy continues: rich women are happy, successful and in control of their bodies and sexuality; poor or uneducated women are stupid, deluded, moo-cow “victims”. It’s especially dispiriting to find such snobbery on the left, such illiberal sentiments expressed by women who in any other conversation would unhesitatingly describe feminism as “freedom of choice”. "

I thought it was an interesting point. She also says that social mobility by looks (bagging a minor footballer to...er, marrying Donald Trump) has always been a viable option for the pretty but poor girl (look at Cinderella!) but one that is snorted about even more nowadays.

HandbagKrabby · 05/02/2018 12:02

F1 is not a hotbed of radical feminism is it? Why people are equating the two is beyond me.

Ah yes, poor but pretty girls should aspire to be a Cinderella. You too shall do to the ball my child, but only if and whilst the men there deem you sexually attractive enough to get in and naive enough to put up with their shit.

bizmum1 · 05/02/2018 12:08

I agree StickThat - why didn't they just bring in a few hot guys too to balance things out.

I think feminism is about choice and many of these women enjoyed the job they did and felt patronised by people being offended on their behalf.

Thehairthebod · 05/02/2018 12:11

I think feminism is about choice and many of these women enjoyed the job they did and felt patronised by people being offended on their behalf.

But men don't generally have the 'choice' to be grid boys or walk on boys, because those roles don't exist. But no one is worried about men being 'denied the choice' to work in those roles.

Why is it only women who need to be 'empowered' by working in jobs where they are nothing more than dehumanised objects?

gluteustothemaximus · 05/02/2018 12:13

I think this insistence that these women should develop a “talent” that suits the feminists is not acceptable

This misses the point entirely. We don't want all women to be F1 racing drivers, or engineers...just the opportunity.

If the roles are constantly men drive, and women look pretty; women that do want to be in the man's world, aren't likely to succeed.

A woman who is born unattractive by society's standards - but is clever - will use her talents accordingly.

A woman who is born beautiful by society's standards (whether she is clever or not) can choose to use her body as her talent.

Feminists have NO ISSUE with this.

To explain it another way. If all the women were fat, over forty, wearing normal clothes (with a F1 logo somewhere obviously), and smiled sweetly, walked the drivers to their cars, held umbrellas, clapped them when they won etc - THIS WOULD STILL BE SEXIST.

It doesn't matter a jot that these girls are beautiful and young, it is not a jealousy issue, and it isn't a 'women should be using their brains instead' issue.

It is about women serving men. Everywhere. Whether darts walk on girls, f1 grid girls, tour de france podium girls. Men do sport, women look pretty.

This sends out a very bad message, and is the reason women are treated so shit and like objects to be yelled at , wolf whistled, grabbed, harassed and more.

Now. If there are 100 grid girls at each race, and their role (to f1) is imperative - then split the gender - 50 men and 50 women.

THAT would be fair. THAT would redress the awful imbalance.

But no. F1 want to erase the girls. Blame the feminists, and not learn.

gluteustothemaximus · 05/02/2018 12:16

But men don't generally have the 'choice' to be grid boys or walk on boys, because those roles don't exist. But no one is worried about men being 'denied the choice' to work in those roles.

Why is it only women who need to be 'empowered' by working in jobs where they are nothing more than dehumanised objects?

Oh halle-fucking-lujah!!! This with a load of bells and whistles on it Grin

troodiedoo · 05/02/2018 12:18

Excellent post @gluteustothemaximus

Wish I was brave enough to post that on the boxing page I was reading yesterday. Instead I just put it on ignore.

gluteustothemaximus · 05/02/2018 12:21

troodiedoo

Thank you Smile

You can pinch it if you like Wink

I'm desperate to get this message across - but I don't seem to be getting very far. The only people who seem to appreciate it are the ones that think the same anyways Grin

Twitter is a rife bed of sexist daily mail and sun readers. I really should step away...

UpstartCrow · 05/02/2018 12:28

Lloyd45 Sat 03-Feb-18 07:22:22
It's funny such a big media reaction about F1 girls who enjoy what they do, but yet when Rotherham happened not one feminist or media stood up for those poor girls and it's still going on and people still want to hide it under the carpet

No Lloyd, its just that you ignore women when we talk, unless it stops you doing something you want and then you complain.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/3525507/sara-rowbotham-rochdale-child-grooming-sex-abuse-scandal/

troodiedoo · 05/02/2018 12:30

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155454428854072&id=508054071

Eloquent words from boxer Stacey Copeland for anyone with Facebook.

bizmum1 · 05/02/2018 13:20

Just bring in a few men to balance things out rather than getting rid of the women who would prefer to keep doing a job they love