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?!

MarDhea Well said.

OP are you even Irish??

1. I didn't call you a liar
2. You're in Northern Ireland, not Ireland

Good grief. Some people really do have fuck all to think about ...

I think Irish people take it as a compliment to be honest!

I know people who are offended by it. I know people who aren't. But Irish people taking it as a compliment? Away to fuck Intothe. You're really reaching there.

1. There's a reason we want to be differentiated from NI.

As I said, only experience of it I have is my dbro and he was delighted.

1. You said I was making “shit” up. IE; lying. You were calling me a liar.

1. NI is Ireland. I’m Irish.

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

Culturally, you are more different to Irish people than Russians.

I think the Irish sense of humour has allowed them to get through an awful lot. I think most would raise a wry smile at the expression. They have far too much else to worry about, I would imagine.

3.There's a reason we want to be differentiated from NI.

Dare I ask?

You were making shit up! You were saying it was in Ireland. NEWSFLASH: NI is not Ireland!!

I'm an Irish twin, I'm Irish and living in Ireland. Doesn't bother me at all. It's not a slur, it's a reference to the cruelty meted out to Irish women in the past.

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

Are you telling me I’m not Irish?

I don’t think it is derogatory in the sense that it’s having a joke at the expense of thick Irish people who drink too much and can’t family plan (not my words, taken from pp). It has never occurred to me that this might be the case. It always seemed to me to be very clearly a reflection of the status of religion in Ireland and a reflection of its laws around contraception. These things aren’t really in dispute surely?! I think it’s offensive if you are looking for things to be offended about. Yes it’s not complimentary but it isn’t wholly historically inaccurate. I am not Irish though so I wouldn’t presume to have insight into the collective national views on the issue. I have to say I do think ‘what the ....?!’ if I hear people have two children under one who aren’t twins. Each to their own though, I don’t have to live with it so isn’t really any of my business.

I can't believe this is a thing! I've 13 months between my girls and have no problem with them being referred to as Irish Twins. There are far more important things to get upset about!

I've gone abroad and been asked 'Isn't there a war in Ireland?' No there's not.

I imagine South Koreans get asked about North Korea all the time.

DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!

You were making shit up! You were saying it was in Ireland. NEWSFLASH: NI is not Ireland!!

No I wasn’t. NI is Ireland. It’s an island, called Ireland split into two countries. NI and ROI.

Alsohuman I'm embarrassed for you.

Ireland is my country. Yours is NI. Two different countries.

Yes, you’re not Irish if you were born in Northern Ireland.

Oh dear.