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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Covering up mirrors in school toilets with body positive messages

119 replies

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:18

I love this! There seems to be outright fury in much of the British press where it has happened, but no school girl ( or boy) needs to look in a mirror during the school day.

And the anti make up messages that are being used in many cases give me hope that the tyranny of make up may be losing it's hold

I hate seeing girls fall into it's clutches - beautiful young girls taking on skin-care regimes before they are even teenagers! and needing to cover their faces with crap before they leave the house.

I really hope this movement spreads - lets take down all mirrors in all school toilets

aleteia.org/2017/04/05/high-school-replaces-mirrors-in-girls-bathroom-with-love-notes/

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 03/03/2023 10:49

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:25

That is not right, the boys mirrors need to come down too, but to be fair, mirror gazing is largely a female problem in schools

In my house, mirror gazing is definitely my dson’s occupation and not my dd’s!

By all means put positive messages around the mirrors for both sexes but mirrors are needed. What if you have a nose bleed or something and need to check it’s not on your face? Or any other reason - food in your teeth for example?

ZeroFuchsGiven · 03/03/2023 10:49

What an absolute load of bollocks, leave girls alone!

JodiePants · 03/03/2023 10:50

I use toilet mirrors to check for food in my teeth.

hettiethehare · 03/03/2023 10:50

DD needs a mirror to help her see where she needs to clean her braces - is that against your list of things a female might need a mirror for?

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:50

SimplySipping · 03/03/2023 10:34

Any hijabi girls who need to check their hair is covered? Or are tyrannical skin care regimes just more important than students being able to present themselves as modestly as they wish to?

as I keep saying, this does not require a mirror

OP posts:
WetBandits · 03/03/2023 10:51

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:39

they don't need mirrors to do it

I am wearing one right now

no mirror required

That’s nice for you. Perhaps as an adult you have had more practice than schoolgirls might have had?

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:52

WetBandits · 03/03/2023 10:51

That’s nice for you. Perhaps as an adult you have had more practice than schoolgirls might have had?

sure, nearly 3 months 😂

OP posts:
Nosecan · 03/03/2023 10:52

Irritating

Needmorelego · 03/03/2023 10:53

The world is getting more ridiculous by the second.
It really is.

KievsOutTheOven · 03/03/2023 10:53

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:25

That is not right, the boys mirrors need to come down too, but to be fair, mirror gazing is largely a female problem in schools

How much time do you spend in kids school toilets?

Porpl · 03/03/2023 10:53

I'd of hated that at school, I never wore makeup at school or as an adult but I used the mirror frequently, to check after brushing my teeth if I had toothpaste on me, I had braces for years or food on my face. To tie my hair up OK, or put in eye drops, if it had been covered up I'd have just put a mirror in my locker or bag.

EstellaHanclay · 03/03/2023 10:53

Right! Stop the world I would like to get off 😂

DoorstoManual · 03/03/2023 10:54

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:52

sure, nearly 3 months 😂

@Nimbostratus100

The zeal of the convert, makes sense now.

PortiasBiscuit · 03/03/2023 10:54

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:43

I think a lot of posters on here have fallen into the make up tyranny trap! Some people might struggle not to be able to look in a mirror for a few hours.

Why would you want to pass that repression on to your children? surely you would want them to grow up free of all that

And do you think that removing a few school mirrors is going to do that? Even if I agree that there is a problem, do you not think you are going to increase their current anxiety levels if they are still enmeshed in this global make-up conspiracy thing and can’t check their appearance?
My DD is 19, makeup is one way she expresses her individuality and creativity. She finds the application of it soothing and she looks lovely afterwards. My other DD is 17, she may apply a slick of mascara but otherwise is not fussed, she is equally beautiful.
Both would find the concept of covering the school mirrors with messages of trite, woke bullshit extremely irritating and desperately patronising.

WetBandits · 03/03/2023 10:54

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:52

sure, nearly 3 months 😂

Well, congratulations Biscuit

Have you considered that not everyone is of equal ability and some may struggle to coordinate without a mirror to help them? Or are you a little bit ableist in additional to your internalised misogyny? Smile

maddy68 · 03/03/2023 10:54

Don't be ridiculous. I want to know of I have a bogy stuck to my face

WetBandits · 03/03/2023 10:54

*in addition

5128gap · 03/03/2023 10:55

Your use of the term 'beautiful young girls' is at odds with your messaging, and is actually part of the problem.
They don't need to submit to 'the tyranny of make up' because they are young and beautiful?
What about the ones who arent 'beautiful' (its not after all synonymous with being young) or don't think they are? Or when they're no longer young?
Why does their 'beauty' even matter?

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:56

KievsOutTheOven · 03/03/2023 10:53

How much time do you spend in kids school toilets?

many many many hours......

OP posts:
UserNameSameGame · 03/03/2023 10:56

OP the more I see your responses, the more I am convinced this is a wind up.

You haven’t responded with any level of sense to any of the very reasonable suggestions as to why a mirror might be needed.

Are you really suggesting that there should be a huge queue at the medical room for anyone needing to undertake routine day to day care that the usually handle themselves?

Nimbostratus100 · 03/03/2023 10:57

5128gap · 03/03/2023 10:55

Your use of the term 'beautiful young girls' is at odds with your messaging, and is actually part of the problem.
They don't need to submit to 'the tyranny of make up' because they are young and beautiful?
What about the ones who arent 'beautiful' (its not after all synonymous with being young) or don't think they are? Or when they're no longer young?
Why does their 'beauty' even matter?

they are all beautiful

OP posts:
roarfeckingroarr · 03/03/2023 10:57

This is just so twee and utterly ridiculous. Nothing wrong with mirrors. Not all kids are fucked up.

SoupDragon · 03/03/2023 10:57

tyrannical skin care and make up regimes

😂😂😂tyrannical skin care! LOL.

yes, that awful, evil skin care. Fancy looking after your skin. Truly dreadful.

TheNine · 03/03/2023 10:57

Cover the mirrors, so they will check their reflection in their phone camera, which distorts the face and offers the option of a filter? Ok then.

maddy68 · 03/03/2023 10:57

FatGirlSwim · 03/03/2023 10:47

I agreed with your opening post but your subsequent posts are ridiculous. I also don’t know any school that bans make up, but maybe that’s just round here.

I've been a teacher for over 20 yes. Never worked in a school thats banned makeup