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.

I get this too op, I'm Scottish and I remember being at a networking event down in London and one of the delegates actually made a sour face and stepped back from me (as if I was infectious) when introduced to me and they heard me speak. I'm not rough spoken, all I said was "nice to meet you" but their face was like I was shit under their shoe. They then said "the trouble with Scotland is it's full of Scots" in earshot of a lot of people who all laughed. I felt utterly humiliated but managed to say "oh you've seen Braveheart, well done for lasting the full 3 hours" before walking away. It's weird I never really understand the mentality of these type of people.

FFS. What a ridiculous answer.

This is a tedious slur on a city full of people. Boring. Wrong. Rude. Not funny.

You don't need to have an incredible sense of humour (and it's just as much of a tiresome cliche to say an entire city has this, IMHO) to say this is a shit joke.

"You are a city full of thieves" is not gentle banter.

Not everyone is comfortable with that sort of "banter" 🙄and that is why it should be kept out of a professional setting and saved for people who know each other well.

Yeah maybe you’re right. But the reaction by many posters here is so over the top.

Seriously? No one should be being made the ‘butt of the joke’ about their origins at a professional networking event!

Anti-Liverpool prejudice is basically anti-Irish prejudice. Do some research.

Neither is inbred or being accused of interfaith sheep. I think that’s a lot worse than being a thief.

And I certainly encountered the latter in professional environments when work8ng in England. From a minority of peiole, obviously, but you never knew when it was coming.

Sure.
Here's mine. L4 OTH. Or I might be at my brother David's place at Bramley Moore Dock. Nearest train stop Sandhills. Hth.

Seeing as you are so honest, as a gesture of good faith, here's my passport photo too. So you know it's me when you call.

Still racing to the bottom? Nearly there now

I’m sure you can find my thread about my grandfather’s cancer if your archeological dig goes that deep? How about that for a race to the bottom?

Well yeah, that's another crass, tedious, humourless, clearly inaccurate regional slur that also has no place in a 21st century professional setting.

Are you really splitting hairs about whether it's OK to say a delegate at a professional event is a thief and/or fucks their family because of how they speak or where they come from?

@MasterBeth not at all. I am saying that people from other parts of the country often receive comments far worse and don’t seem to react with the same indignation.

Then they need to get some self respect.

But surely you san see that indignation is an appropriate response to a ‘joke’ which is a slur, in a professional context? This is not some friends teasing one another.

Yes I do and have been persuaded that the comment was wrong given the circumstances. I am arguing that it is not something that is unique to Liverpool and that other regions seems to be able to not think too deeply about these type of comments.

But now you have thought a bit more deeply about these type of comments, you have been persuaded that the comment was wrong.

So perhaps thinking a bit more deeply about things is a good course of action.

totally unacceptable and unprofessional, I’d just like to add I love the Liverpool accent ( I’m Welsh BTW )

Is that not the purpose of such forums? To read others perspectives, arguments and be open to being convinced? Or is it to contribute with a closed mind and unwilling to listen alternative opinions?

Fucking Scousers. Can't take a joke, eh?

In what universe is it ever OK to have a joke at the expense of someone about something they are and can't help being?

Race and disability aside, a miserable sterile world devoid of humour where everyone takes themselves far too seriously.

I take myself professionally seriously enough to expect someone running a work event not to engage in offensive stereotyping.

Yes and it's great that you have changed your mind.

Except that, now that you have changed your mind, you are simultaneously arguing that anyone who finds it unreasonable to be called a thief because of where they come from "takes them self too seriously."

Surprised people are sticking up for this and trotting out the “sterile humourless” argument.

Imagine being told you’re a thief. Again. And again. And again. And again. By the same tedious arseholes who think their gods gift to comedy.

Just so fucking boring.