To be livid at Marks & Spencer's sexism: 'Women Must Have Fancy Little Knickers'?

[EmpressAdultHumanFemale]

A tweet from FiLiA, along with a photo of two M&S window displays. Men's Must-Haves: Outfits To Impress. Women's Must-Haves: Fancy Little Knickers.

This would be crass enough at any time, but even more so when an Irish girl has recently been blamed for her own rape because of her lacy knickers.

I think I've set foot in M&S for the last time.

Well the Irish rape trial showed us that wearing fancy little knickers means that you have automatically consented to sex with any man who wants it. So I hope the knickers will have a warning label attached.

I didn't think knickers were meant to be small. That was panties? ,--not envy

I shall have to revert to drawers.

Shoot me down but we can where fancy little knickers if we want.
Maybe they could have labelled it better but what? are we now not allowed to where fancy pants?
That rape case was awful and tbh I don't think it would of mattered what knickers she was wearing it would if happened anyway (yes the lawyer was awful). And m & s aren't thinking along those lines.

And I like to wear fancy pants sometimes, makes me feel nice.

Of course you can wear fancy little knickers if you want. It's the suggestion that we "must have" them that makes me feel a bit weird.

Men get to dress for the boardroom. Women get to dress for the bedroom. In underwear designed for the male gaze, rather than for comfort and practicality.

When DH and I first met and were at it like rabbits all the time, I bought 'sexy' undies in my size and wrapped it up and gave it to him. It was basically an invitation and an offer to him. I would be horrified if he bought me underwear that appealed to his eye rather than my comfort.

@CrAzYmUmOf2 you can have them. You can love them. You can wear them.

But ask yourself this are they really a must have? And if they aren't, why do M&S assume so. Even more so why doesn't that extend to men,who are fully clothed,some even with coats on.(well the male mannequins)

They actually wrote rhat
I'm a lazy cow but I can feel an email coming on! Aye to "boardroom/ bedroom"
divide:

Some posters are taking this far too literally and, well, getting their knickers in a twist.

The M and S Christmas campaign has nothing to do with the rape trial, if they checked every news article it would be the time for the Spring collection - but if you feel you must boycott them go ahead.

I'm genuinely appalled.

WTF were they thinking??

‘Fancy little knickers’ sounds sooo gross and creepy - like something a gropey old man might say.

It's ridiculous - I'll be only satistfied if a thong mankini is on a display in the other window.

I think they were going for a Bridget Jones sort of tone...'definitely an occasion for genuinely tiny knickers'

I don't think it really worked though 😬

@RebelWitchFace
Yeah fair one, didn't see the must have.
But man the world is going crazy, we can't do or say anything with out someone being upset.
No one can win.
But actually what is sexy about mans underwear? Maybe that's why they didn't do that. A man looks nice in a suit.
I like to wear nice stuff now and again, makes me feel good.
But hey ho we all have our opinions.

I can't believe it really says fancy little knickers. Who thought that was a good idea? I don't usually get that bothered about this kind of thing but that really isn't good at all.

God, that is awful.

Ugly but honest reflection of our beliefs about aspirations.

Where is this taken?

Is the photo real or fake?

Good question. Link says page doesn't exist.

Maybe that's why they didn't do that. A man looks nice in a suit.

No love. Men go to work, whilst women just hang around waiting to be deposited into. Life goals eh?

I hope it's not real. "Fancy little knickers" makes me feel a bit sick. Sounds like something a dirty old man would say.

why cant men have silly little undergarments and women wear status enhancing attire?

fuck off back to the 1970 marks and spencer

I like nice underwear. I wear it a lot. Sometimes I even wear it for DH.

But I will not buy from a shop which thinks it is acceptable to send the message men do things, women are things to decorate. It absolutely is not the subconscious message I want my child seeing when I work hard to make her believe in herself. (And yes I am aware that sounds a bit won't someone think of the children).

Ugh what a revolting message

It's actually fascinating to see those two displays side by side, with the fully clothed male model and mannequins, compared to the women in underwear and matching mannequins. It's quite a stark comparison. Men must have outfits to impress, women must have fancy little knickers. Bizarre.

I'll wait with baited breath for the window display of men in tight underwear next to women in smart comfortable clothing...

OpalIridescence link is broken but the Tweet is genuine, i found it on Twitter.

This is the kind of thing to raise at a shareholders AGM or a few timely tweets.