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Kleenex rebrands 'sexist' Mansize tissues following customer complaints

85 replies

OpinionCat · 18/10/2018 17:26

news.sky.com/story/kleenex-rebrands-sexist-mansize-tissues-following-customer-complaints-11528558

i just... give up with this country...

i loved the tweet in the article:

Kleenex Mansize tissues to rebrand, as the name is deemed sexist. What can we add to the list...Loose Women, Manchester & Mothercare, perhaps?

OP posts:
letsgetreadytosamba · 18/10/2018 23:04

I really don’t think it’s about being pc mad - it simply doesn’t make any sense outside of being a lazy gender cliche. It’s not worth a fanfare and I’d have more respect for them if they’d just changed it quietly, but ultimately it makes sense. Men’s noses are no different from women’s.

Defrack · 20/10/2018 14:02

Shouldnt they change the brand for mothercare then? Isnt that blantant everyday sexism by suggesting the care of children is the womens responsibilities.

chocolatebox1 · 20/10/2018 14:39

When I was little I always assumed they were for men because men had bigger and snottier noses. There's nothing to stop women or anyone else buying them if they want bigger tissues. I suppose they could be marketed as "extra large tissues," but it does make me despair that in modern times people are getting upset by what tissues are called

birdsdestiny · 20/10/2018 14:42

I think their name is the least of Mothercares worries at the moment.

PositiveVibez · 20/10/2018 14:46

distracting us from the real issues that feminism was created to tackle in the first place

Such as everyday sexism which is everywhere in society?

I agree that that kleenex may have received a few emails/tweets and have used it to rebrand

I don't think there are women up in arms about this, but I'm glad they are changing it.

Defrack · 20/10/2018 16:04

Indeed but we're all on about casual sexism, so shouldnt the people who care about this casual sexism of man size tissues, care about mothercare suggesting the care of kids is all about and the responsibility of mothers?

Santaclarita · 20/10/2018 16:14

I agree with you op. It's pathetic to get upset over it. Same with the yorkies or that sandwich that is being renamed. These people must have nothing to do in their lives to be honest if this is what they can find offense in.

busybarbara · 20/10/2018 16:22

"Large" tissue doesn't really describe the size though does it

FekkoTheLawyer · 20/10/2018 16:33

Huge conk
Big snottery cold
Smokers cough with gobby catarrh

I could rename them...

chocolatebox1 · 20/10/2018 18:49

Why has no one said anything in the media about clothing being divided into "men's" and "women's" yet? That would seem like something obvious to complain about in relation to the subject

StoneofDestiny · 20/10/2018 19:30

cholcolatebox1
Yes - time to complain about women's sanitary products. Woman's and men's scents and men's and women's shoe departments. So much to complain about.....

Fatasfook · 20/10/2018 19:34

Men and women are different! And if a company chooses to target one gender over the other then so fucking what? This is ridiculous and shameful.

StephenFrysMassiveBrain · 20/10/2018 19:41

I seriously don't give a flying fook what they call them, man, women, whatever tissues. Watch the price go up since they're having to rebrand though.

Has it come to this? Really? The professionally offended will be delighted, I'm sure.

StripySocksAndDocs · 20/10/2018 19:41

Why are people getting so upset it's not called man sized anymore?

How odd. Can't have much to be worrying about. Etc.

TokyoKyoto · 20/10/2018 19:42

I never made the connection between large tissues and post-wank clean-up Shock

I don't feel oppressed by 'man size' but on the whole it's better to get rid of these little things

MaisyPops · 20/10/2018 19:44

I'd not complain (who has time) but I've always found myself eye rolling at "man size" tissues.
It's up there for me with "bic for her" because obviously women require the same pen but in different packaging.

There are bigger more feminist issues to deal with but pointless lazy stereotyping irritates me as it's senseless.

Fatasfook · 20/10/2018 19:49

I can’t see how acknowledging that men create more bodily fluids requiring a larger tissue is sexist or in any way eroding women’s rights.

chocolatebox1 · 20/10/2018 19:53

Will we be having a "ploughperson's" sandwich in future?

Fatasfook · 20/10/2018 19:56

All because the person loves milk tray

Gillette the best a person can get

And so on

MaisyPops · 20/10/2018 19:58

Fatasfook
It doesn't erode women's right.

Bin bags come in small, medium and large.
Items of food come in different sized tubs.
Washing up gloves can be small, medium or large.
Tissues can be small or large.

Its not about eroding womens rights (person im not sure who has time yo complain). There isn't any need for lazy branding of large times as 'for men'.

glueandstick · 20/10/2018 20:38

I always assumed they were wank sized 🤷‍♀️ Offended I am not. The people who complained need to take up a hobby (that isn’t complaining)

JamieVardysHavingAParty · 20/10/2018 21:03

But it's not as if it's a new brand that has to decide between the two names, it's an existing brand that has caused no controversy for years and now suddenly, they have changed it to pander to the ever growing PC obsessed few.

Let's be honest here- really honest- about what's happened. There has been no organised pressure group, no secretive lobbying. This, buddy, is capitalism. Some random members of the public tweeted Kleenex, and up in the echelons of tissue manufacturing, the PR department has realised that mansized is no longer a pleasant way to say "generously sized" that increases sales when put on packaging.

These days, a good portion of their target customers (people who do the family shopping who aren't currently snotty and desperate for huge tissues; currently snotty people are captive market) see "mansized" and respond with an eyeroll and a quip about women and children being banned from using them. The rest think 'mansize' is a overt reference to male masturbation.

So now they're renaming that product line. Fair enough, I think.

Like I said, I just think feminists efforts are better placed elsewhere - re naming a box of tissues isn't going to actually affect anyone's lives; it just makes them look moany.

I don't think feminists have put any effort in.

JamieVardysHavingAParty · 20/10/2018 21:10

P.S. opinioncat, what's your stance on the rebranding of Opal Fruits, and whom do you blame for it?

CaptainKirksSpookyghost · 20/10/2018 21:12

whom do you blame for it

Tony Blair.

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