... to wonder if these pictures are offensive?

[MrsPeacockInTheLibrary]

There were shared by an artist on a Facebook group. I think they seem offensive in some sense - but then I have also been told I am too sensitive and overthink everything. I also wonder if the original intention of the author matters, or the geographical origin of the pictures in relation to what is the style of humour captured.

I am trying to be more aware of when to "get over myself" so I would be interested to see what others think.

YABU - they are not offensive at all
YANBU - I can see what you mean

I may share a gran with mermaid - mine used to do that too.

I have also had a wash in a tin bath in front of the fire.

Seen the neighbours over the fence.

And great granda had shires and a cart. (Oh I miss them!)

I can’t get terribly upset by them as I’ve known them if that makes sense.

(I’m not offended, they’re just weird pics and not what housewives looked like! Especially from a kids point of view)

For me it's the way the woman's body has been portrayed (objectified?) in comparison to the other figures in these drawings. It broadly links to an area of academic study in my past - female representation in media etc

They're cartoon-esque drawings. If you look hard enough you can be offended by just about anything. I think you're looking for something OP. I don't like the pictures personally but find this a little ridiculous.

Just without all the nipplage and bounce.

@DumbledoreAskedCalmly
I do understand your point of view,
But women are allowed to be sexual, that doesn’t detract from their core value.
I am learning too 😊

@Megatron

For me it's the way the woman's body has been portrayed (objectified?) in comparison to the other figures in these drawings. It broadly links to an area of academic study in my past - female representation in media etc

They're cartoon-esque drawings. If you look hard enough you can be offended by just about anything. I think you're looking for something OP. I don't like the pictures personally but find this a little ridiculous.

That is exactly what I need to hear Megatron, thank you. As I have posted previously, old me would have been arguing against everybody and basically saying "well you may think that, but actually..." and telling you what to think rather than listening.

I know it is ridiculous - just some pictures on a website. Maybe it's also just a bit of a distraction for me after some news heavy stuff recently.

A lot less offensive than any modern day advert.
Nice depiction of the olden days a bit. Like the other thread on here but in picture form.

I can see why someone might find these a bit offensive. They're pretty crude and show a harassed looking woman in a domestic setting with porny tits. I mean what is that saying?

They're quite ugly, so they offend my sense of aesthetics. I wouldn't expect to have much in common with the artist or to like him much.

Not sure my first thought would've been to label them "offensive", though.

Gosh I think they are offensive! They are portraying a woman as a gross caricature of a housewife to be laughed at as she does Her housewifely tasks, which are being ridiculed from a superior point of view.
She’s warming her bum in front of a fire in a totally Ridiculing and unsympathetic and ugly way. The artist is ridiculing her in a viscious way, yet he still has to give her massive breasts and the outline of her lady bits is clearly defined. Worst kind of view of a woman - sexual object and ridiculed all in one go. Yuk. Absolutely misogynistic and totally offends me.
Humph! Don’t think you are overthinking at all. Wish the artist had overthunk. If he’s not a 70 something white lower middle class male, full of himself and probably voting brexit, I’ll eat my scarf and curlers!

"Women are allowed to be sexual..."

She's not being sexual, she's been sexualised in the images. Hardly empowering.

Unfortunately when women are 'drawn' from the male gaze their value often has been detracted.

Yeah it’s true, ridiculing and sexualising... she doesn’t look like any of our areas housewives back then! What’s with her being so knackered with housework but bouncing tits and massive nipples?! It’s a bit of a creepy combo

Take the main character out of the pictures and they are nice enough nostalgic portrayals of day to life as it was 50 odd years ago.
Put her back and it becomes a disturbing representation of the mother figure. Slutty and slovenly. The neighbour is more 'correct' in my view.
They are confusing pictures and not very attractive. If you hadnt uploaded them I would never have cast even half an eye on them. They dont even show the locality specifically . I am not from the north east and fully recognise the elements depicted.
Quite poor all round really.

No. They are not offensive 🤦🏻‍♀️ Unless your looking for something to be offended about then yes, sure.

@shinyredbus

No. They are not offensive 🤦🏻‍♀️ Unless your looking for something to be offended about then yes, sure.

Please read my subseqent posts. I have made clear that I am not 'looking for something to be offended about' - my post would have a different tone. I have already reflected on the use of the word offensive.

I think they are offensive. The woman has large breasts and very prominent nipples, and is shown in quite a "degrading" way. Dirty , untidy, doing menial jobs... especially the one where she is walking while the man sits on the cart resting.

There is something quite unpleasant going on here.

 You're being ridiculous. The man on the cart is a rag and bone man;  in my childhood they used to drive round the streets in a horse and cart shouting "rag and bone" and  women or children would run out to give him rags scrap metal  or unwanted stuff which he could sell  for a pittance    Early recycling . In return, he gave  donors some  small trinket  (a balloon in the pic. the woman holding it is a customer ) ) or a dolly blue bag for laundry. 

There's nothing defamatory to women or misogynistic there; that;s how working class urban housewives looked and behaved in Manchester after the war.

@Treatedlikeamaid This is the artist

www.jans-art.co.uk/pinnie_hinnies_art.html

The first second and fourth reminded me of my grandma. She always warmed her bum by the fire! She was a proper "over the garden fence" gossip (it was the FB/MN of its day) and almost every family in the UK bathed their kids by the fire at one point.

Pointing out the reality of life for women in days gone by is anything but offensive.

Child care isn’t menial@Shedbuilder, it’s one of the most important things someone can do.

I know that, Samtsirch. I'm a woman even though I build sheds.

The artist is a man and he has chosen to depict the scenarios that don't celebrate the dignity or strength or skill of women and domestic labour. He's pictured her on the loo, or bending over displaying her breasts and bum, or with her stockings down as she works. It may be a theoretically affectionate portrayal of a working class woman but I don't think it shows her any respect.

Do you know the work of Beryl Cook? She has a lot of fun with women but always from a woman's point of view. She can draw women naked, but never with that offensive sly sexualised gaze that this artist has — and also with humour that women appreciate.

Here's a Beryl Cook. Compare and contrast:

www.berylcookprints.co.uk/product/party-girls/

@2bazookas So the women who is the main "focus" of the cartoons (and who the artist says invokes memories of his childhood) has massively prominent breasts and nipples in all situations, whereas the neighbours etc don't - you don't think that is weird at all?

I like them. And for all of you shaming big boobs, I disagree. She looks like my paternal grandmother. Most mums were in their 20s then so she'd be quite fit.

@Shedbuilder
I am not aware of Beryl Cook, but will certainly have a look. I try to always be aware that others have more or different knowledge and I am always grateful for it to be shared.
Thank you for the link .
Ps . I was aware that you were female, I remember some of your previous posts.
😊

Ah yes I do remember Béryl Cook, I have just clicked the link.

Another example of artists work attached - i.e a fantasy of what a women working in a colliery canteen should look like! (title of drawing is "pit canteen")

I don’t think they are offensive.
They’re cartoonish but represent working class, 1950s as remembered by the artist.
I disagree that the women’s bodies are being objectified. There are two women, one thin and one curvy. The curvy one is realistically proportioned. Shes got strong and sturdy arms and legs, she has a tummy, etc. I don’t find her ugly at all, she’s believable.
She’s not all boobs, teeny tiny waist, and stick thin limbs which is what you see when women’s bodies are objectified- proportions become unrealistic.
As for her being untidy, well mums then were harried off their feet more than we are now. A real 1950s housewife would not be wearing heels, pearls, a dress and fancy set hair like the adverts of the time showed, they’d look more like this cartoon. And how many threads have we seen on mumsnet about mums walking their children to school in PJs or sweats? With their hair a mess or even unwashed for days? Bleary eyes and not had breakfast? Imagine how much more work a woman had to do then! They had less time to make themselves look like fashion models. If someone drew a cartoon of today’s mums doing the school run, how fashionable and made up with styled hair do you think you’d see?