This isn't just sexism, this is M&S sexism

[PimmsnLemonade]

Marks and Spencer's window display. The 'must have' for men is "outfits to impress" , for women it's "fancy little knickers", Men must dress powerfully and impress in their suits, women must look sexy in their "little knickers".

twitter.com/FiLiA_charity/status/1064248341763100672

Are M & S being unreasonable? I think so.

@racecardriver can you not see how this is part of the bombardment of sexist shit women and girls see everyday?
These kinds of displays, along with adverts for 'girls' toys like making friendship bracelets or feeding a doll, wearing sparkly dresses and playing with tea sets vs 'boys' toys of dinosaurs/car racing sets with loud music, a loud voice talking about 'action', 'power' etc; online retailers suggested gifts 'for her' including oven gloves, family planner, bath bombs vs 'for him' wallets, golf tee sets, ties.

This shit feed into girls subconscious's and tells them they are useful for home making, dressing up or frivolous, gentle pursuits like baking only. Leave the serious stuff to the men. That is a problem, that is everyday sexism.

Oh, & Leanne Wood.

< think that covers the entire UK >

surferjet, do you seriously think that the fact that there are women in positions of power proves that sexism is not a problem in the UK?

Sorry but for me its a non issue. I dont really bother looking at window displays so has no effect on me. If i happen to stop and stare then it would be a case of "m+s are selling an over priced suit, and some skimpy over prices bad quality knics".
Not everyone psyco analyses these things. Its a display you are reading too much in to it.
I suspect the majority of men would look at that an think oh a new suit, oh er bet the mrs would.look good in thoses, oh i wonder what the football/golf/racing score is/oh shit im late for work" then go about their day. not "oh i must go buy a power suit from ms then i can demand the mrs cooks my tea whilst wearing skimpy knics because thats what the ms window says...."

Women are going to be wearing ankle length skirts , scared to show a bit of ankle again soon at this rate. Ffs.

Great title op, and yes it is very, very sexist. Not a fan of m&s anyway but they are doing themselves no favour with this.

Not everyone psyco analyses these things.

You don't need to - it's the impact subconsciously that's the issue.

Every time you see something like this your brain processes it whether you realise it or not. The more you see it, the less of an issue it is purely because it's the norm and what you expect to see. Therefore it's only when you do analyse it properly that you see the issue that it has on wider society.

Women like fancy knickers? Who cares, move one.

Women are being sold fancy knickers in the same display men are being sold power suits in the context of a world where we have increasing focus on gender stereotypes and a woman's choice of underwear is used against her in a rape trial? Massive fucking problem.

It's not about being prudish. No one is saying that you can't have a window display for lingerie. We're saying that putting the lingerie window display next to a display that is urging men to be powerful is fucking ridiculous (for both sexes incidentally). Context matters.

Why don’t you ask Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson, & Arlene Foster if sexist shop windows held them back?

If you’re seriously suggesting there’s no issue with sexism because a minority of women rose to the top of their field, then you’re being staggeringly obtuse.

The “oh some women are successful so sexism isn’t an issue” is such a fatuous line

Nearly as fatuous as pretending it's not about context.

The juxtaposition of those displays puts them as equivalents.

Women's underwear is not the female equivalent of the menswear products on the other side, unless you have some very dodgy cultural values...

I agree, it's about the subconscious message. Most people won't psychoanalyse the display but a good proportion will continue to take on board the subconscious message.

A window display with underwear for men and women (including non-frilly stuff!) and a display with work suits for both. Simple.

Why don’t you ask Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson, & Arlene Foster if sexist shop windows held them back?

And racism or homophobia aren’t issues either because someone gave Oprah a chatshow and Judge Rinder a pretend courtroom.

This is tangential, I know it is, but it's a part of the every day sexism that goes on. tv ad in Australia, trying to prevent DV by highlighting every day disrespect for women

Why don’t you ask Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson, & Arlene Foster if sexist shop windows held them back?

Oh no you didnt just play that card!

I can't believe how far over some posters heads the point is flying!

'Wuh, so I can't buy frilly knickers now, we all have to go around in a sack?'

To everyone here who is arguing that they / anyone-with-a-brain is unaffected by the miasma of casual stereotyping/sexism....that faint sound you can hear is advertisers laughing at you.

Do you know, I am probably the least offendable person I know but even I've been stopped in my tracks by that.

It's a shocker!

Why don’t you ask Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson, & Arlene Foster if sexist shop windows held them back?

Sure, the answer is probably yes; it's just that they spent their lives fighting back against it

I understand the context thank you.
Man in powerful suit next to woman in frilly knickers.

It’s not the best I admit.
But the vast vast majority of people will walk past that window display and not even notice it.
M&S’s target audience is the middle aged, no person under 30 would be seen dead shopping in M&S, so the young impressionable people are not going to be affected by this.

If you want to worry about young people’s attitude to sexism you’d be better placed listening to some of the music they listen to.

The people looking in M&S shop windows are not the people you should be concerned about, they’re old & set in their ways, you need to concentrate on what young people are being exposed to, & a lot of it makes M&S look like the feminists AGM.

But the vast vast majority of people will walk past that window display and not even notice it

Subconscious advertising

M&S’s target audience is the middle aged, no person under 30 would be seen dead shopping in M&S, so the young impressionable people are not going to be affected by this

This is on the outside windows - do "young, impressionable people" not even walk past M&S?

If you want to worry about young people’s attitude to sexism you’d be better placed listening to some of the music they listen to

I didn't realise it was an either/or situation.

The people looking in M&S shop windows are not the people you should be concerned about, they’re old & set in their ways, you need to concentrate on what young people are being exposed to, & a lot of it makes M&S look like the feminists AGM

Ah the old "they're old, let's let them off" card. Another fatuous line of discussion.

Surely it's ok to worry about different things at the same time in different contexts?

The OP happened to notice blatant sexism on a M&S window and commented on it.

There are no feminist points for othering as a reply.

I don’t know if you discuss everything on the feminist section because I have it hidden.
I’m sure you do which is great.

I don’t know if you discuss everything on the feminist section because I have it hidden.

I think that says it all...

M&S’s target audience is the middle aged, no person under 30 would be seen dead shopping in M&S, so the young impressionable people are not going to be affected by this.

I'm under 30 and I shop in M&S. They make a bloody comfortable pair of black heels which are perfect for work and lift my too long trousers out of the rain

Regardless, the display is to the outside world, not the people that are already in the shop...

The people looking in M&S shop windows are not the people you should be concerned about, they're old & set in their ways

Really? I pass an M&S every week with DD11. She looks at the window display. She obviously didn't get the memo.

I'm pretty easy going about this kind of thing but I actually really dislike the window display.

It's so twee and outdated.