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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think well done for the RNLI for sacking people with naked women mugs

166 replies

jnfrrss · 04/05/2018 08:48

Totally not acceptable to have naked women mugs at work! I applaud them. Nick Ferrari is raising my blood pressure minimising such behaviour.

I've never worked anywhere where naked women imagery is acceptable, even if they are covering their modesty

OP posts:
Nottheduchessofcambridge · 04/05/2018 08:51

I don’t think they deserved to lose their jobs. Reprimanded, yes, sacked no. Didn’t the naked ladies have the mens heads superimposed on?

LoopyLou1981 · 04/05/2018 08:51

Really?!
It’s a jokey mug! I bet there wouldn’t be this uproar if the women had mugs with naked men on them.
They save lives and do a stressful job...surely they’re allowed a bit of a laugh 🙄

Singlenotsingle · 04/05/2018 08:52

Total overreaction to sack them though, especially as these are volunteers giving their precious time for free, going out and risking their lives at sea. They could have just explained that the mugs are not acceptable and to get rid of them.

Storm4star · 04/05/2018 08:53

From what i’ve Seen, they didn’t have the mugs to ogle naked women. It was a joke where their heads were on naked women’s bodies. No I don’t think they deserved to be sacked, as pp said, reprimanded yes, sacked no.

Dubdoor · 04/05/2018 08:53

Yes they save lives. Yes they deserve a laugh. Naked women aren't it. Regardless of heads superimposed or not.

Though I'd probably have just suggested they get rid of the mugs and don't do it again, sacking is quite extreme.

Crispbutty · 04/05/2018 08:54

Really? These were men who voluntarily risked their lives to save others. Have you even seen the mugs in question. They were hardly xxx rated.

Original poster
jnfrrss · 04/05/2018 08:55

I suspect that was only the thin edge of the wedge of their behaviour.

Not acceptable as school children visit. Would you like teachers to have mugs like that?!

OP posts:
PurplePotatoes · 04/05/2018 08:57

Total overreaction on their part

Storm4star · 04/05/2018 08:57

I suspect that was only the thin edge of the wedge of their behaviour.

Wow, massive leap there! None of us are saying the mugs were ok, but you asked whether we agree it was right they were sacked. We’re saying we don’t agree. Don’t ask if you don’t want other people’s opinions.

tortelliniforever · 04/05/2018 08:57

If it was just about the mugs it would be unreasonable, but it seems there is something else more serious going on.

ThymeLord · 04/05/2018 08:59

No, I don't agree they should have been sacked. These people risk their lives as volunteers to save others. Naked women on mugs are bad taste and I thoroughly despise the misogynistic culture we live in, but I can't agree that they should have been sacked.

Ginorchoc · 04/05/2018 08:59

I’d read in on one of the news sites that they had originally been asked to throw them and that was the end of it however issues relating to WhatsApp were reported which ramped it up, no idea on content which led to the sacking? Hard to gauge the full story, if it was just the mugs it seems a bit of a nutcracker reaction.

purplelass · 04/05/2018 08:59

Yeah, far more important to be PC than to save lives... FFS Angry

kaytee87 · 04/05/2018 09:00

A disciplinary, yes. Sacking straight away, no.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 04/05/2018 09:01

Hmm, I think it's a tough one. Many years ago I did my engineering sandwich year in a place where there were pin ups in practically every area I spent time in. It was a very male dominated place and they probably hadn't had a woman there in years, if ever.

Without exception the men were mortified when the new placement student turned out to be a young woman and either offered to take the stuff down or simply took it down without anything being said.

I genuinely think some men just don't think, and need educating more than anything as to how intimidating and demeaning this kind of thing is to many women. And yes it is the 21st century and shouldn't be the case, but sadly it still is.

Tinycitrus · 04/05/2018 09:01

No they shouldn’t have sacked them. How ridiculous.

Postiest · 04/05/2018 09:02

I wonder if all the female staff were sacked for this... "As a I turned the corner, the first assistant director had all the female crew members assembled waving five-dollar notes.”

Everanewbie · 04/05/2018 09:03

It was utterly ridiculous. A word in their ear from the boss to the effect of "lads, do us a favour and take those mugs home, we get kids on board and not everyone will find it funny" would have more than sufficed. The images were nothing more than you'd get on the front of mainstream women's magazines and newspapers, and we've lost some experienced RNLI volunteers in the process.

I'm all for calling out sexism when its found, but this will see the Mail and Express rubbing their hands with delight ti stir things up and will ultimately turn people against the cause.

gameNight · 04/05/2018 09:05

"I suspect that was only the thin edge of the wedge of their behaviour."

Yep. They're almost certainly big rapey misogynists!

I think it's sad that men who did such an important job have been hung out to dry.

I hope mo lives are lost because of this virtue-signalling sacking. It's fucking stupid.

SilverySurfer · 04/05/2018 09:06

You had better hope it's not you or one of yours who is floundering in the ocean but not rescued because these men lost their jobs.

MaxPepsi · 04/05/2018 09:08

It's fucking disgraceful.

And I am not talking about the mugs.

HelenTheHunter · 04/05/2018 09:09

From the RNLI statement it looks like it was more to do with bullying behaviour than the mugs themselves. No doubt being sensationalised by the media big time...

Original poster
jnfrrss · 04/05/2018 09:11

I don't think the people commenting know the full story.

They refused to get rid of them and there were apparently very bad WhatsApp messages that left them with no choice. So yes the mugs were the thin edge!

OP posts:
theeyeofthestormchaser · 04/05/2018 09:11

Looks like there was more to it - inappropriate comments on the WhatsApp group.

But we don't know what was said or have the full story, so it's hard to call it.

theeyeofthestormchaser · 04/05/2018 09:12

X-posted!