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Original poster

Help me school this prat at work

334 replies

WobbleHead · 08/03/2018 20:19

IWD today, obvs, so one guy on our team work messaging chat (about 20 people on there) shared this pic. What banter eh.

I replied saying ‘sorry I don’t get it Confused - can you explain the joke’, and he’s said that he will explain to me tomorrow at work, the delight that he is.

Cue others on the chat offering to book a meeting room, film it, send a company wide invite etc so we can all witness his explanation.

I feel like just watching him squirm in front of the whole team won’t be enough, so I wanted to plan a line of questioning or whatnot that would maximise the enjoyment for all involved, except for him, and not make me look like a humourless fun sponge in the process.

Ideas?

Help me school this prat at work
OP posts:
Arealhumanbeing · 09/03/2018 05:57

I am based in the UK, and was talking about women in my country, not the ones suffering worldwide. How can that not be clear to you.

It was clear. You’re just wrong. Open your eyes, read something occasionally. Women’s oppression takes many different forms and absolutely exists in the UK.

ClaryFray · 09/03/2018 06:44

A simple explanation would be enough. Could be tongue in cheek humour? While in bad taste, doesn't deserve ridicule and humiliation as you are planning.

But that's the society we live in now. Going backwards, these people are less intelligent, have different views to us, or political stances we don't agree with. Oh that means suggesting violence (bring in and iron and hit him with it - before someone says that's a joke. So could this have been. Bad taste. But then some people, who have suffered from that exact incident may not find it funny) and bullying is acceptable. It's disgusting and disgraceful OP.

But by all means I hope you have fun! eyeroll

VikingVolva · 09/03/2018 06:49

Maybe it was intended at a more subtle level - only someone who was uneducated (ie makes a grammar mistake in a message where itnwouid matter) would ever make an old joke.

Or he used to work for the Women's Press

FlouncyDoves · 09/03/2018 06:52

It’s funny. Move on.

TheNavigator · 09/03/2018 06:57

When is International Men’s Day? Fair is fair.

19 November - how do you plan to mark the day?

Bettyfood · 09/03/2018 07:11

It could be a comment poking fun at sexism, but it entirely depends on the context and the person saying it. If he generally makes sexist comments then it isn't funny at all.

Bettyfood · 09/03/2018 07:13

When is International Men’s Day?

All 365 days a year.

echt · 09/03/2018 07:13

Would he have posted it about an event/day based on race?

No, he wouldn't. That's why it's not funny.

Twat.

extinctspecies · 09/03/2018 07:15

This meme has been widely shared on social media. Mainly by women, in my experience.

I don't think it's very funny, but I do think you are over-reacting OP.

Rudi44 · 09/03/2018 07:15

Oh god, it's not a big deal. I actually think it's pretty funny and I think trying to make him look stupid in front of the office is nasty. Either you laugh or you don't but just leave it and don't make a massive deal.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/03/2018 07:17

Was going to say the same as VikingV - first thought was that it was a dig at the sort of bloke who makes sexist comments - I.e. too thick/uneducated to know his 'of' from his 'have'.

But then that sort of bloke would miss the point anyway.

Still struck me as funny from that POV, though.

YvonneGoolagongsDugongDoug · 09/03/2018 07:18

Maybe ask HIM to iron it? It looks pretty silky and would need some skill. I suspect he would fuck it up instantly and that would prove a point in itself.

SimplySwimming · 09/03/2018 07:25

It looks pretty silky and would need some skill. I suspect he would fuck it up instantly

Why would you suspect that of a stranger you know nothing about? Ohhh that's right...

I personally think women are often just as bad at helping sexist stereotypes endure tbh.

kateandme · 09/03/2018 07:26

ask him to impart his skills and iron it for the poor woman folk and you can let him know whist hes teaching you this you can teach him how to do grammer,take out misspelled printout and sound out the wording for him to correct

sar302 · 09/03/2018 07:27

Not funny in the current climate. However, I would just have sent an email back saying "How kind of you to offer! Lovely to see such solid male support on IWD." and be done.

Clearly he's just a low level dick.

NotACleverName · 09/03/2018 07:30

8 pages and still no explanation as to why it’s funny. I thought someone would’ve been able to explain it.

fiorentina · 09/03/2018 07:35

Someone sent this to my colleague and I. We laughed and sent something similar back. Whilst I know not all office banter is harmless (far from it) the guy who sent it to us doesn’t generally act in a sexist way so it didn’t offend me.

sar302 · 09/03/2018 07:38

At a push @NotACleverName I would assume a supposed comedic juxtaposition between the idea of the little women who should be doing the ironing, and the little women fighting for their rights to be seen as equal in society.

Ha.
Ha.
Ha........

ItsuAddict · 09/03/2018 07:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TorBrowser · 09/03/2018 08:16

"Cue others on the chat offering to book a meeting room, film it, send a company wide invite etc so we can all witness his explanation."

Hilarious.

The thing is, all these people on the thread suggesting assault, harassment and other pretty weird 'revenge' would be the first to cry out about the patriarchy if a group of men decided to do this to a woman.

It's a joke.

@NotACleverName

There have been several. HTH.

sashh · 09/03/2018 08:32

Well as he has said (not very well) that he could have ironed it why didn't he?

Have a whip round at work to buy him an iron and let him get on with it.

In fact as he is so concerned about ironing maybe you should all bring your ironing in for him to do.

BootyO · 09/03/2018 08:40

Really depressing that even on a woman-centred site like this is, women are still being told they are fun sponges and to lighten up when their entire existence and struggle is made a mockery of and they point that out.

I like fun and jokes but not when they undermine important issues massively and in an inappropriate context.

I wouldn’t waste my time schooling the prick though. He won’t be intelligent enough to understand the issues.

NotACleverName · 09/03/2018 08:42

TorBrowser I understand it’s [allegedly] a joke, but still don’t understand why it’s funny.

9toenails · 09/03/2018 08:48

sashh In fact as he is so concerned about ironing maybe you should all bring your ironing in for him to do.

Yes. Pile of damp clothes/sheets, iron & folding board, smile: 'Kind of you, X, can you show us how?'

TorBrowser · 09/03/2018 08:55

NotACleverName

What's that expression? "Not clever by name, not clever by nature"?

No idea why allegedly was in square brackets. Because you don't find it funny? Humour's very subjective. Hadn't you realised?

Do you think you could write a joke in your reply and then explain why it was funny?