Joke at my expense at networking event

[Reubensway]

I am self employed and attend various business/network events, this morning I went to one I hadn’t attended before but had heard positive things about.

There was about 25/30 people there, and it is essentially ‘chaired’ by one man. After I have my presentation about my business, he made a comment about where I am from (Liverpool). He said that anyone with their purses or wallets in front of them on the table should hide them immediately, to some muffled laughter from a few others.

Am I being unreasonable to expect professional standards as opposed to stereotypical jokes? I won’t return to this particular meeting.

Absolutely not appropriate. I’d complain.

Unacceptable and unprofessional. I would complain to the organisers, and if you get no sensible reaction, leave a poor review.

What a fucking bore that bloke sounds. I mean, jokes about scousers being thieves, how original and witty.

I get the same about being from Yorkshire - “eh up”. Always from a bloke, without fail. Never from a woman.

100%. My BFF here in the UK is American and what she is expected to put up with is disgraceful.

Well, tell her I'm sorry! I've been here 25 years and people still go out of their way to try to insult me! If she ever wants a shoulder to cry on, give her my details ha! x

YANBU OP. Please email and let the organisers know how you felt. This bullshit needs to be called out. I’m originally from a particularly rough part of the city where I grew up so I’ve gotten so much of this crap over the years. And take no notice of those who ask you why you didn’t say this that or the other at the time. Hindsight is a great thing and that type of comment was the last thing you expected.

It’s just really dated humour. And people have heard it a million times so it’s not really funny. A joke about blondes wouldn’t bother me but fucking hell it’s all a bit Jim Davidson circa 1984 and this is the same.

I’d be tempted to email the host and say

’I enjoyed the conference on Tuesday, it was good to meet the likes of Joe Bloggs from Company XYZ.

What I didn’t appreciate was the really dated, reference to Scousers stealing. It’s 2026, what stereotypical crap to spout when introducing someone at an industry conference.

Agreed. And also, as for the comment about women not being able to be the butt of the joke "gracefully". OMG

OP I hope you report this idiot to the network organisers. He shouldn't be chairing this meeting and creating an atmosphere like that. What a dinosaur.
Or report him to the local chamber of commerce.

I wouldn't ignore it because you are probably not the first woman who has been deterred from networking with that organisation due to comments like that from this man and he deserves to be called out... gracefully or not.

It’s EXACTLY the same. Using a nasty trope and applying it to a group of people based on them sharing one characteristic.

Report the arsehole. It’s not funny.

This. Remember how easily people bought The S*n's vicious lies about fellow fans picking the pockets of the dead?

Guy's a wank.

Do you?

I've been involved in a few business networking organisations and I do find them regularly full of blokes making jokes using outdated stereotypes. It's tedious and massively puts me off working with or recommending them!

Unfortunately it doesn't seem to have the same affect on many of the other attendees, who tend to be of a similar demographic!

Where are you from and why were you here?

He made a fool out of himself. People may have laughed out of shock at the stupid joke he made.

But not everyone is blessed to be thick.

Count your blessings, @Everanewbie.

I would have said; 'If I am going to be the butt of your joke, I'm going to show you my arse,' and with that bent over and pulled my knickers down and given them all a moon.

Honestly, whatever happened to professionalism!

Yes.

Says you, I'll bet other people think differently.

Some men (and misogynistic women) can’t handle successful women, especially when in the same room as them. I’m from Liverpool and we’re used to ribbing each other and being ribbed. He sounds like he was being obnoxious.

Haha exactly - we’re our own country 😁

I’d hope not. I try not to take gentle piss taking to heart and don’t give people reason to think otherwise.

Not sure which “Scousers” you were around, but we’re literally the opposite of that! Or your jokes weren’t very good- one or the other 😉

Unacceptable. But the usual 'you just can't take a joke' crew are out, I see.
I'd send him a brief, factual email making clear how unimpressive his little sally was.
I'd also be tempted to put something on LinkedIn about it, maybe anonymising it.

Appalling - but don’t let it stop you attending if the meetings are useful. Then he’s won!