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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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To stop accepting everyday sexism and never use Asda again

723 replies

Canadalife · 08/11/2019 19:38

We had an Asda order delivered this evening. One item was incorrect (much more expensive item delivered instead of what we ordered....duck instead of chicken!). Being (stupidly) honest I raised it with the driver. He explained that the orders must have been muddled, Fair enough! He searched through the orders. No luck finding the chicken. I said ‘we need something to roast on Sunday’.

He kept calling me “love” throughout the conversation. When I said “please don’t call me love” he accused me of abusing him on the doorstep. I spoke firmly but was in no way confrontational or aggressive, didn’t shout, swear et cetera. Notably he didn’t call either my daughter or husband anything, but did refer to me consistently as love. I felt seriously patronised and belittled.

My husband said “no one is abusing you, she just asked you not to patronise her by calling her love”. The driver repeated that he would not be abused and drove off.

We certainly did not swear, shout or get angry. I am very upset and hate confrontation. I put up with lots of everyday sexism as we all do. I am totally fed up. AIBU to never shop at Asda again.

OP posts:
purplepalace · 10/11/2019 12:18

If I took offence every time someone called me 'love' I'd be a very angry and bitter person.

Cheer up love, and chill.

IamAporcupine · 10/11/2019 12:24

I am not from the UK but live in the North East.

I am aware that some people use the word love/pet/petal/duck as a term of endearment, but also as a colloquialism (likely related to socio-economic brackground)
It is also well known that some men (and possibly some women) use the term love in a patronising/derogatory/sexist way.

No one likes to be patronised (by anyone), but as a PP said that comes mainly with the tone/context and not only/so much with the words used.

So if the OP would have said that the driver was talking to her in a patronising way and calling her love, then I could understand why she asked him to stop.
But based on the OP, the only thing we know is that the driver just kept calling her love (while trying to find the lost chicken - why? I have no clue, as if this was a substitution, the chicken was nowhere to be found, hence the presence of the duck...) and she does not like that. Full stop. She assumed that the use of 'love'=patronising.

This is what most of the PP are disagreeing with.

Also, the fact that the driver kept doing it after she asked him to stop may be interpreted in two ways. He either didn't give a shit about a woman confronting him and decided to keep doing on purpose, or, he didn't even realise that he was doing it because this is just the way he speaks and something that comes automatically to him - and here is where class comes in.

IamAporcupine · 10/11/2019 12:30

@WhiskeyLullaby

You are missing the point about the class comments.

It's not about getting food delivered.
It's about not accepting that different socio-economic backgrounds might talk differently to you, and that you are not superior for that.

WalkofShame · 10/11/2019 13:49

@IamAporcupine

Yes.

Gwenhwyfar · 10/11/2019 13:56

"he didn't even realise that he was doing it because this is just the way he speaks and something that comes automatically to him - and here is where class comes in."

Well this is similar to the point I made above that people can't just change their accent and dialect at will - and why should they? It would be like telling someone not to drop their 'h's.

IamAporcupine · 10/11/2019 14:01

@Gwenhwyfar - exactly, I saw your post, and I agree with it.

meyouandlulutoo · 10/11/2019 16:45

@WhiskeyLullaby
do the men use it for other men ? Yes, it's not unusual for men to use the term to other men. We don't think anything of it and it is an ingrained speech habit with some people.

Just like the people who pepper their sentences with 'you know' every few words - might be irritating but they don't realise they are doing it.

Nursejackie1 · 10/11/2019 16:51

I think that yes you should stop using them. The poor bloke will be relieved never to have to deliver to you again. Do him a favour.

belay · 10/11/2019 17:02

Everyone says this in the big city where I live. Total non-issue

Aprilsinparis · 10/11/2019 17:51

In the name of God, and all that's holy, get a life.

katseyes7 · 10/11/2019 17:54

lsaididont And other parts of the country where you'll get called 'cock'….

katseyes7 · 10/11/2019 17:55

Yes, men do use it for other men. Or at least they do here in West Yorkshire where l live. My ex (a South Leeds lad as he described himself) used to call his dad 'love' on the phone.

littlehappyhippo · 10/11/2019 17:56

OP been back yet? Wink

ArthurEyeTits · 10/11/2019 18:02
Biscuit
katseyes7 · 10/11/2019 18:02

l'm female. Working class Northerner. l call people 'sweetheart' and 'darling' all the time. No one's ever said they were offended by it.
l don't believe for a second that this man meant to be offensive or disrespectful. l'm more inclined to think that that's just the way he talks and he doesn't even do it consciously.
lt's probably best for all concerned that you don't order online from Asda again, and run the risk of an ordinary working class person bringing your food . Try Morrisons. l had a delightful man bring my delivery from there. He parked his van outside my house so l opened the front door to save him time. He was very rude and grumpy when he came to the door, muttering about it being his 'break time'. (Why he was going to have his break sitting outside someone's house is beyond me.)

Perhaps Waitrose/Ocado is the way to go....

spanglydangly · 10/11/2019 18:07

OP been back yet?

Nah, she's busy tasting the delivery driver!

littlehappyhippo · 10/11/2019 18:08

@spanglydangly TASTING him?! Shock

Typo??? Grin

SteelRiver · 10/11/2019 18:23

I think you're being a little over-sensitive at the word love, unless he was spitting the word in anger, of course! However, he should have stopped when asked to. That's just basic manners.
As for complaining. Well, I think you should just chalk this one up to experience. All of Asda isnt sexist.
FWIW, in my bit of Scotland, both men and women get called 'pal' and I hate it. I'll take 'love' over that any day.

spanglydangly · 10/11/2019 18:33

That was for @Chloe84 a benefit!

BooFuckingHoo2 · 10/11/2019 18:47

This thread actually makes me quite embarrassed.

Some of us are striving for equality in the boardroom and to be taken seriously and yet here we have others moaning about a colloquial term of endearment. Do you think a man would have moaned about a female delivery driver calling him love?

Oh and if you’re such a feminist why did your husband have to jump in to defend you? Hmm

This has got to be a wind up.....

WotchaTalkinBoutWillis · 10/11/2019 18:58

Nah, she's busy tasting the delivery driver

[shocked]
Grin
Never mind the delivery driver saying love, giving him a lick is far more inappropriate haha

spanglydangly · 10/11/2019 19:00

@BooFuckingHoo2 so true, I'm a feminist and my husband makes sure he speaks for me whenever he can......

spanglydangly · 10/11/2019 19:01

@WotchaTalkinBoutWillis I wonder if he's on dadsnet saying he's never delivering shopping again!

MargotB7 · 10/11/2019 21:10

I actually feel sorry for people getting their knickers in a twist. I'm so busy enjoying my life that I wouldn't have the time to get upset about someone calling me love. We aren't on this earth that long. I did have time to cook a roast though and then went to the pub.

Creepster · 10/11/2019 21:46

I too feel sorry for women who have had so effing much everyday sexism from men that they finally say please don't call me that and get told off on MN for being uppity to a man.

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