That this company really just don’t get it (International Women’s Day)?

[CottonBallsUp]

I got an email from Hawsmoor restaurant today, International Women’s Day. Here’s the first paragraph (the bold is my emphasis.): ‘Hawksmoor without women. Just imagine it! Dull. Disorganised. And, to be honest, just not anywhere near as good. From our food and service to a better understanding of how to properly look after our staff, the women of Hawksmoor define (and refine!) us.’ Am I just being over sensitive in my feminist sensibilities (YABU) or are they basically commending the women in their team for doing warm and wooly wife-work (YANBU)?

@BrioNotBiro

It's the quote, "women define ... us "that's annoying too, as if women are excluded from the target audience and it's written by and for men.

I actually disagree on this one.

The women of Hawksmoor (women who work here) define and refine us (Hawksmoor).

They're saying the company us not the male oppositional us.

I don't know anything about who is a domestic abuser... but what's wrong with the message?

One pictured player is Sevu Reece

www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/sevu-reece-goes-from-domestic-violence-incident-and-having-connacht-contract-cancelled-to-all-blacks-jersey-38277727.html

Another is, I think, Aaron Smith

www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/aaron-smith-sex-scandal-a-huge-mistake-all-black-speaks/ILGVXENCQIZQI3NFIQGUHCZR6U/

There are plenty of players in the Al Blacks who don't have this sort of crapin their past. But they seem to have been selected, maybe to add more rehab publicity for them, with little thought for the wider look of the thing.

[quote Taffy8567]And another -

readingmate.co.uk/what-international-womens-day-teaches-our-children/[/quote]
This one is bad. There is an International Mens Day (Nov 17) that they're welcome to also celebrate.

[quote Taffy8567]And another -

readingmate.co.uk/what-international-womens-day-teaches-our-children/[/quote]
This is pretty awful. Right down to the accompanying photo at the top of the page. Two kids out to play in the countryside, boy wearing suitable clothes, girl wearing frilly pink tutu skirt.

@Marrakeshmaybe

That’s nothing compared to the all blacks rugby Twitter post, I can’t work out how to link.

Thanks women for all their “wife work” in support of the men, no mention of the Black ferns (womens team) and they’ve included a player who’s a convicted domestic abuser in the photos.

Oh dear god

@ABitBesotted

I find it cringeworthy, but suspect the poor schmuck who wrote it is probably quite a well-meaning man.

I prefer Women's Day in places like Russia, where it's a paid public holiday.

Good heavens do you have any idea what you are talking about? I've lived there and in other post-Soviet countries, and IWD there is about the most stereotype-laden, unfamiliar and embarrassing cringefest you could possibly imagine. All flowers, "ladies" and "the fairer" sex and zero mention of women's rights. At the same time as de-criminalizung domestic violence, mind you.

Unfeminist not unfamiliar. Autocorrect must have been programmed by MRAs.

@Ifeelgoodgoodgood

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Nope. Sorry. Still trying to unpack that one!

Bugger. It wasn't rude, honest, just daft! I didn't expect it to be deleted!

[quote Taffy8567]And another -

readingmate.co.uk/what-international-womens-day-teaches-our-children/[/quote]
Fucking HELL!! There is an International Men's Day. Problem for The Men is, they don't actively celebrate or mark it. What does THAT teach young boys?!

Good heavens do you have any idea what you are talking about? I've lived there and in other post-Soviet countries, and IWD there is about the most stereotype-laden, unfamiliar and embarrassing cringefest you could possibly imagine. All flowers, "ladies" and "the fairer" sex and zero mention of women's rights.

Yep, lived there for years. Very cheerful holiday. I did not find being showered with gifts and getting the day off embarrassing in the least. Horses for courses.

Omg, the All Black's one!
They didn't even mention their amazing woman's team who have won 5 out of 6 world cups just made it all about the men. Then to use photos of a man who assaulted his partner in the street and another who cheated on his girlfriend in the toilet of an airport.
What a way to celebrate women.

It's patronising. It's a shame as they are a good company to work for and their food is delicious!

@cuno

the women of Hawksmoor define (and refine!) us. Refine? This in particular stood out to me. Like our delicate little selves are taming and reigning in the big manly men.

I'm choosing to interpret it as "...like a refiner's fire"

There's a brilliant twitter feed that is quoting the official gender pay gap figures for organisations tweeting about International Women's Day. The contrast between their right-on marketing and the actual figures is stark.

The All Blacks thing - well for starters their women are the current world champions (whereas their men didn't reach the latest final) aside of anything else. And IIRC the women have won it 5 times, which is also more than the men. So not only ignoring hugely successful women but also only referring to the women they do mention in relation to how lovely they are to men. It is sick making, and that is without all the DV stuff.

Have greatly enjoyed looking at the Gender Pay Gap tweets. To be fair, at least one company redid their tweet and also wrote about how they will address the gender pay gap.

OP i agree with you. I would have said something though, otherwise the people who write this guff don't realise it's, well, guff.

As for International Men's Day (it's 19th Nov, btw, not 17th) a group of us used to tweet a lot of men's mental health resources on that day, and other interesting stuff for men. We often used to contact men who had replied to our IWD tweets with the "when's men's day?" rubbish, and tell them it was their day and did they want to help us out. Greeted by deafening silence, of course.

Out comma team (large organisation with a workforce of around 50% women) posted an ‘article’ on our intranet today. Featuring two people. One woman and one transwoman. Now, whilst the TW deserve support and is probably an asset to the organisation, why on IWD out of the hundreds of women did we all but one have to budge up? I don’t know this person and like I say, they’re no doubt doing a cracking job but how tone deaf of our comms???
And I doubt they were the only 2 people willing to participate, cos I wasn’t asked.