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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what Working Class stereotype really annoys you?

264 replies

FrostyPaws · 29/12/2022 19:57

On Mumsnet/in general

Mine is that we are all really feckless with money because we are dripping in flashy clothing brands from head to toe, whilst being up to our eyeballs in debt.

In real life, I and my fellow WC friends are always snapping up charity shop bargains as the cost of living bites.

Annoys me every time I see it!

You?

OP posts:
Goodvibes84 · 29/12/2022 20:09

That council houses are free/you must be on benefits to live in one.
I work full time, as does my husband, and can’t afford £1200+ per month to rent privately. And I love my council house for the security of it, knowing I’ll never be evicted because a landlord wants to sell up.
it’s a really sensible way of renting if you’re lucky enough to be offered one.

Goodvibes84 · 29/12/2022 20:10

Just to add, you’re actually in a higher band and will be offered social housing quicker if you’re in full time employment! At least where I am, anyway. We were placed in a higher band because we were working fully time when we applied.

Uninterestedfamily · 29/12/2022 20:13

That:
A regional accent means you are thick.
Social housing is free and scummy people live there.
A non-professional job means you are thick.
The myth that we live in a meritocracy.
That the children must be deprived.
Domestic abuse only happens in working class families.
That we don't have the same rich inner-lives and thoughts as everyone else.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 29/12/2022 20:14

That everyone on universal credit is workshy and rolling in money

IHeartGeneHunt · 29/12/2022 20:14

All the above, plus-
We all vote Tory
We're all thick

sst1234 · 29/12/2022 20:16

That the term working class has been hijacked by the non-working class, the lazy class, the underclass. Call them what you will. How is it that you are not allowed to say anything about people who have never lifted a finger in their lives, had multiple kids, and taken from the actual working taxpayer and somehow that is seen as speaking out against the working class. These people are NOT working class.

That being dense, potty mouthed and making poor lifestyle choices is seen as a hallmark of the working class. A classic example of this is Angela Rayner. It lowers the bar for working class kids.

BaublesandBangles · 29/12/2022 20:18

That we don't care about our children's education.
That we want to be middle class.

southlondoner02 · 29/12/2022 20:20

That living on a council estate is awful and full of anti social yobs. Not my experience at all - where I live people take real pride where they live - keep everything tidy and most have lovely plants outside etc

Goodvibes84 · 29/12/2022 20:21

IHeartGeneHunt · 29/12/2022 20:14

All the above, plus-
We all vote Tory
We're all thick

This is an interesting one! I’m working class through and through, from a working class Northern town and honestly don’t know anyone who voted Tory. I didn’t know this was a thing-in fact I thought the opposite.

PlaitBilledDuckyPuss · 29/12/2022 20:21

The big telly/flash car/designer clothes stereotype. Stereotypes about language; 'tea' for evening meal is working class and so on. We are working class and have always called the evening meal 'dinner'; TV is 32 inch and usually switched off as DH and I are readers; car is the smallest, cheapest one we could buy at the time and apart from underwear I haven't bought any new clothes for years as I get them from charity shops and eBay.

ILoveeCakes · 29/12/2022 20:21

This reply has been deleted

Not in the spirit

Iam4eels · 29/12/2022 20:21

Goodvibes84 · 29/12/2022 20:09

That council houses are free/you must be on benefits to live in one.
I work full time, as does my husband, and can’t afford £1200+ per month to rent privately. And I love my council house for the security of it, knowing I’ll never be evicted because a landlord wants to sell up.
it’s a really sensible way of renting if you’re lucky enough to be offered one.

Yes to this! DH and I both work and have a council house, we were both working FT when we applied and he's still FT although I'm now PT due to other commitments. This isn't even our first/only council house, we moved to this one after going back on the list because our needs had changed. Working was no barrier at all.

I'd like to add the stereotype that council housing is really hard to get. That's true for some areas of the country but not all of them, we weren't on the list longer than six months both times. We even got priority for this property because we had a connection to the parish it is in and we were/are working.

BaublesandBangles · 29/12/2022 20:22

sst1234 · 29/12/2022 20:16

That the term working class has been hijacked by the non-working class, the lazy class, the underclass. Call them what you will. How is it that you are not allowed to say anything about people who have never lifted a finger in their lives, had multiple kids, and taken from the actual working taxpayer and somehow that is seen as speaking out against the working class. These people are NOT working class.

That being dense, potty mouthed and making poor lifestyle choices is seen as a hallmark of the working class. A classic example of this is Angela Rayner. It lowers the bar for working class kids.

Angela Rayner is a very successful WC woman. How exactly has she lowered the bar? Is it because you think talking with a Northern accent is not the done thing for an MP?

Mydogatemypurse · 29/12/2022 20:22

Goodvibes84 · 29/12/2022 20:09

That council houses are free/you must be on benefits to live in one.
I work full time, as does my husband, and can’t afford £1200+ per month to rent privately. And I love my council house for the security of it, knowing I’ll never be evicted because a landlord wants to sell up.
it’s a really sensible way of renting if you’re lucky enough to be offered one.

They were also built for families so in my experience practical and provide a nice life.

MiniTheMinx · 29/12/2022 20:22

That working class kids are thick.

Mydogatemypurse · 29/12/2022 20:22

That you are stupid or uneducated.

sst1234 · 29/12/2022 20:23

I think this comes from actual statistics of crime in social housing neighbourhoods with neighbourhoods with only privately owned housing. And reflects in house prices and home insurance rates. I know that not it’s not fair on all social housing tenants but the actual statistics do back up this perception.

MrsSchrute · 29/12/2022 20:24

That the reason we have lower paying jobs is through some deficit of our character, or laziness, and if we worked harder we could all be earning six figures.
That we all want to be middle class and live in leafy suburbs.
That we are all desperately jealous of the middle classes.

Anotherusernameanotheday · 29/12/2022 20:26

@sst1234Divide and rule. Deserving and non deserving non-working class. Wow.
The point about Angela Rayner is weird. Surely she's an example of someone who came good despite a rocky start. The comment about her accent is just pathetic and says more about you.

sst1234 · 29/12/2022 20:27

Anotherusernameanotheday · 29/12/2022 20:26

@sst1234Divide and rule. Deserving and non deserving non-working class. Wow.
The point about Angela Rayner is weird. Surely she's an example of someone who came good despite a rocky start. The comment about her accent is just pathetic and says more about you.

What comment about her accent? Are you even on the right thread?

Mydogatemypurse · 29/12/2022 20:31

MrsSchrute · 29/12/2022 20:24

That the reason we have lower paying jobs is through some deficit of our character, or laziness, and if we worked harder we could all be earning six figures.
That we all want to be middle class and live in leafy suburbs.
That we are all desperately jealous of the middle classes.

My friend was a young single parent. Was housed on the 'bad council estate' when her middle class parents dispaired of her. She was in a cul de sac where she was welcomed with open arms. The support she received from her neighbours, practically allowed her to attend college whilst neighbours picked baby up from nursery etc. And more than once her electricity was topped up when she was stuck.

Once she had 'bettered herself' she moved to a flat where she was from 'better place to raise a child/schools etc' she had utter war with her gentrified neighbours who didnt approve of her, her crap car taking up parking they 'needed more' because they worked. (She did too) she said it was the worst thing she ever did moving from the 'shit' area and eventually bought a house there where she remains. Very happy.

Anotherusernameanotheday · 29/12/2022 20:32

@BaublesandBangles Absolutely. That comment about AR is such twisted mixed up logic. AR has worked hard and has a northern relatively unpolished accent but according to sst1234 not the right kind of cap doffing demeanor or accent.

Squirrellane · 29/12/2022 20:34

Well I've learnt something, I had no idea full time working people would be allowed a council house!

sst1234 · 29/12/2022 20:35

Anotherusernameanotheday · 29/12/2022 20:32

@BaublesandBangles Absolutely. That comment about AR is such twisted mixed up logic. AR has worked hard and has a northern relatively unpolished accent but according to sst1234 not the right kind of cap doffing demeanor or accent.

Why? What’s wrong with her accent? That’s a bit mean of you to pick on her accent.

AreOttersJustWetCats · 29/12/2022 20:35

Squirrellane · 29/12/2022 20:34

Well I've learnt something, I had no idea full time working people would be allowed a council house!

Why did you think they wouldn't be, out of interest? Plenty of my family live in council housing and all have jobs (or had jobs, and are now retired).