to be outraged by Nativity casting as 'Innkeeper's wife'!!!

[PIPERHELLO]

Daughter (6) has been cast as 'someone's wife' in the Nativity play at school. 'Innkeeper's wife' to be precise.

Err...hello!?

This is fucking not OK! In 2019, to be identified as 'someone's wife'.

Normally I am pretty relaxed about all things school, and I certainly feel sorry for he teachers' workloads, but come on people!? This is 2019 - no woman should be identified by her relationship to a man!? SURELY!

Itching to call them out on this. Itching!

I hear you OP
It is definitely how sexism gets ingrained!
Why ias't it the Inkeeper & her Husband???

Eh, of course it's dated, it's set in the third century

You're pissed she's not Mary, aren't you OP?

It doesn't matter that its dated.
They could just be called Mr & Mrs Inkeeper no? Still married but stops it seeming like she's only defined by being his wife. Give her a name maybe?
What's so outrageous?

Jesus wept. No literally, he's actually crying.

Not so bad. My son was usually livestock.

Oh FFS it's the fucking school NATIVITY!! I've actually heard it all now. Perhaps it should be Innkeeper and his non-gender conforming, was born male used to identify as female now flexible, with the soul of an ancient deer, flexitarian life-partner ( earthly life that is, not spiritual)

FFS. This is not a feminist issue. The innkeeper didn't even have a wife in the original story, extra parts have to be invented so that everybody gets one. If the innkeeper had a name, and his wife didn't, that would be weird. But he doesn't have a name either.

Mention it to the head so that the staff get a bloody good laugh while they're working themselves into the ground for the sake of your child. And maybe they'll decide to save themselves a shed load of work and not fecking bother next year.

Going back to my “mental furniture” analogy- there are so many little things that reinforce stereotypical thinking with little children. It’s always worth looking at the active woman characters in the books they read and the telly and films they watch. It all builds up. “Innkeeper’s wife” on it’s own isn’t a big deal, of course. But if it’s part of a pattern- then that’s the furniture we’re building in their heads.

And the irony is that if you‘be seen as many Nativities as I have you’ll know that the innkeeper’s wife is usually one of the best, if not the best, part in the play.

Thanks absolutely a feminist issue and isn't good enough. Schools play a fundamental role in setting our children's expectations. As much as the tea towels on their heads won't be authentically "period", it wouldn't kill them to pitch the roles appropriately so your DD can be an innkeeper in her own right. I'd have a word.

Oh get over yourself! This is a Nativity play set in the time of Jesus, not 2019, there was an innkeeper, he had a wife, your daughter is cast as the wife, you have way too much time on your hands if you're upset about this ffs, I despair at the non issues on here sometimes, how the fuck would you cope if something actually distressing happened to you, grow up OP!

Does the wife have any lines?

I was casted as a cow one year.

I was over the moon, my mother on the other hand wasn't and kicked up a real fuss. Why had I, her perfect little angel, been landed with the role of a cow?! Oh yeah so all the kids had an equal opportunity to perform on stage

Main thing is, I was happy with the role. No need to be a snowflake now, if your DD is happy stop creating drama where it's not needed.

Hallelujah Jesus was a woman! 🤪

@PIPERHELLO
You mention a camel . The three so called Wise men arrived on camels. Ask at your DD’s school if there will be camels in the Nativity this year as they always seem to be excluded unfairly .

If you take umbridge with archaic ideals and traditions, tales of misogyny and sexism I question why you’ve even sent your dd to a religious school that allows the nativity? The entire nativity, in fact the entire bible could be picked apart for sexism etc, if it’s that important that your dad isn’t brainwashed with such “horrifying” messages put her in a different school!

Sorry, but you are that parent!! Get a grip! 😂

@Bluntness100
Set in the 3rd century ? A.D . ?

Thanks absolutely a feminist issue and isn't good enough.

and.. this is why "feminist" is used as an insult. .

Wait until a vegan feminist minister has a say on the Nativity, the sheep are not just there as pet, are they...

So much "outrage".

If it’s an Out of the Ark nativity called The Inn-Spectors, the Innkeeper’s Wife is a larger than life, strong, domineering character who rules the roost over her husband Stanley.

YANBU OP!!! I can’t believe the reaction. Why not just call her innkeeper? This is how girls learn at the youngest of ages that one of the main goals of female personhood is to become some man’s “wife”.

My daughter is playing the innkeepers wife in the nativity this year - she’s so excited! 😁

I can’t believe the reaction to your post here on mumsnet that is..