To think that “Irish twins” is an offensive term?

[CroissantwithCheese]

I read a thread on an American pregnancy forum about the term “Irish twins”. The OP posted some gushing statement hoping she was pregnant and that it would mean she had Irish twins. A commenter said it was offensive and I deeply agree. It was an idiom apparently created in the US in the 1800s, referring to the large families of Irish immigrants. It was derogatory, stereotyping the Irish for not having any sort of family planning and not using contraception. But this was hardly their fault as the church had banned contraception. The term has now become some sort of cutesy way of referring to two children born within a year of each other, and seems to be completely accepted. How can that be accepted and not considered offensive?!

Because nobody Irish would take a professional interest in getting offended!
Now are you talking about Irish people or are you just talking about your brother again Intothe?😂

I have no idea why that was addressed to me @Witchsglove. You should be talking to the people in the 1800s alluded to in the OP. Oh wait - they’re dead.

I am from NI.

Saying it's just known for murder and terrorism, is offensive. And ridiculous.

Also people born there are Irish. If you are born in England, you are English. Born in Wales, Welsh. Born in Scotland, Scottish. Born in Ireland, Irish.

That's factual.

I do find, however, there is s different culture.

Also I do find alot of the NI get more offended by Irish terms of phrase.

But that's just a personal opinion. Probably, not helped by people saying things like 'ah you are not actually Irish'

I can assure you, though, that plenty of us in NI are not offended by terms such as 'Irish Twins'

Hello folks, this is just a friendly reminder that we won't allow posts which are offensive or derogatory towards other posters based on where they're from. It's not a good look.

Thanks.

My mums Irish and will always say her self that she has two sets of Irish twins.
People make things as offensive as they want too

Intothe youre the only one making a holy show of yourself.

Inrothe, with your bizarre rantings about potatoes, virility, infertility, Russians, terrorists and whatever else, you're doing a fine job of making a holy show of yourself.

NI is part of the UK. Anyone born there is British

Rubbish. Strictly speaking for the purposes of a passport and legal formalities they are British but they can be Irish, British or Irish and British in exactly the same way anyone born in Wales or Scotland can select Scottish/ Welsh identity.

It was by way of passport and legality I was speaking.

Alsohuman a person born in NI who identifies as Irish would apply for an Irish passport.

It was by way of passport and legality I was speaking.

You’re still wrong.

The people of NI can hold Irish passports and citizenship Alsohuman, which is what makes NI a pain in the arse Brexit-wise. It's a region of the UK where the people can simultaneously be British and EU citizens.

I was wrong. I apologise for being wrong.

Alsohuman do you also point out to people who say 'I am Scottish', that their passport says differently so they arent Scottish?

Wow this all got a bit mad! I'm Irish, from NI, have an Irish passport, etc etc know lots of people in both NI and ROI who use the term Irish twins and I have never known anyone to find it derogatory. It's just a bit of craic! People seriously need to lighten up

Speechless...

So many people who can’t work out whether NI is Irish or British. This is exactly why we should never hold referendums.

I don’t know about the ROI, but I have many middle aged friends from NI and they have suffered through some serious turmoil. I cannot imagine them being offended by the term ‘Irish twins’. They are proper ‘ard.

I do find the idea that British/American women are "privileged" if they use the term "Irish twins" a little strange. Is that because the pp thinks we have unlimited access to contraception and abortion and Irish women do not (yet we know very well that Northern Irish women don't, either, and quite a few American women don't).

I do think people should stop being professionally offended and consider if offence is meant. If not, move on. Life is too short and you will make yourself very unhappy.

So many people who can’t work out whether NI is Irish or British. This is exactly why we should never hold referendums

Totally agree with this!

I don't like "Irish twins" as a term. I'm Irish.

If it doesn't offend you can I ask would you say "Welsh twins" to a Welsh person or "English twins" to an English person etc. with no thought that it could be offensive? Why is there a nationality mentioned at all?

To me Ireland is all one country. It's just part of it was kept by the UK so people born there can have dual or Irish or British heritage. I didn't see the posts that were removed and I'm glad I didn't.

Im Irish and it doesn't bother me, but is that because I don't have "Irish twins" and I haven't been brought up with "Irish twins"....

AmericanHousewifeFan but what would Welsh twins refer to.

Irish twins arent twins. It's a term that come from a stereotype.

I dint know what the welsh equivalent would be.

Without the Irish, it's just twins. But they arent.

I’m Irish from the Republic of Ireland and the term Doesn’t offend me in the slightest. You hear it used a lot and no one bats an eyelid. People make a career out of being permanently offended these days.