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?!

Say what now?

Yep. I have personally experienced this. As have other women I know.

Where have you experienced this?

It doesn't bother me and I'm Irish.
My friend ( Irish - living in Ireland) had two children very close together and calls them her Irish twins.
Sadly, in the past people abided by the Catholic Church strictures on contraception and often had pregnancies that were unwanted. The purchase of contraceptives too was banned in Ireland until the late 20th century.
What mystifies me is so many people in their 30's nowadays have children so close in age - it wouldn't be for me to have a baby and a toddler at the one time. I know it's probably because of work/ childcare arrangements etc.
Different strokes for different folks.

I'm American and I've always found the phrase a bit off. Also, condoms became commercially available in the 1850s. The ancient Egyptians used crocodile dung as a barrier method of contraception. So I guess people were doing their own thing before it became widely available.

Lol at the mickey-money argument.

Where have you experienced this?

At the GPs.

Yes, Ireland took a while to come out from under the thumb of the Catholic Church. But we're firmly out now! I don't know many (any?) of my generation who go to Mass. The horrific sex abuse scandals, mother and baby homes etc., destroyed any hold they had over people.

Where have you experienced this?

At the GPs

Where???????

Where was the GP? And don’t say in their surgery.

Where was the GP? And don’t say in their surgery.

Conversation went as follows:

GP: what can I do for you?
Me: (already a single teenage mother- I had no need for another baby) I’d like to go on the pill.
GP: well you’ll have to go somewhere else for that.
Me: sorry?
GP: you won’t get it here. If I had my way you wouldn’t get it anywhere.
Me: where do I go?
GP: another GP
Me: ok thanks.

Me talking to friend about it:

Me: Did you know you can’t get the pill from Dr X? He said he won’t prescribe it to me!
Friend: oh I could have told you that! You need to register with Z surgery. Dr A at surgery K won’t prescribe it either.

@ILoveMaxiBondi

In what country??? And what century?

We have one of these every ruddy month. The 'beyond the pale is offensive to the irish' was the most ridiculous.

Where was the GP?

In the 1950s apparently.

He was in Ireland, clearly.

This was 10 years ago.

This is ridiculous.

I can assure you I’m making nothing up.

I'm proud of my country and my heritage. For a tiny country we are punching well above our weight. St. Patrick's day is the only globally celebrated nation's day in the world, stretching from Hong Kong to Chicago. We're pretty cool to be fair. That we're renowned for our reproductive tendencies doesn't bother me. There are plenty of women who would love to have the debacle of Irish twins when they are struggling with fertility.

Good apology.

Am Irish doesn't offend me. Have mostly heard it used by the parents themselves. 'yeh my Irish twins haha' type of way.

Doesn't offend me either. I think one Irish person on this thread is offended.

@Intothe no apology for calling me a liar? You’re just going to sail on past that?

Having done an advanced search, I now can see why Bondi is speaking as she is.
Can I just clarify, that when I talk about being Irish, I'm talking about being from Ireland i.e. the Republic of Ireland.