Help end medical misogyny. Sign our petition.

Help end medical misogyny.
Sign our petition.

Sign the petition

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Joke at my expense at networking event

251 replies

Reubensway · 09/06/2026 14:26

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.

OP posts:
Notgonnalieaboutthis · 09/06/2026 23:19

Nasty little man probably with a tiny dick

travellinglighter · 09/06/2026 23:22

Pippa12 · 09/06/2026 14:33

I went on a course last week, the Liverpudlian course leaders (2 gents) actually cracked this exact joke about themselves.

Yeh, but they can.

MasterBeth · 09/06/2026 23:23

Notgonnalieaboutthis · 09/06/2026 23:19

Nasty little man probably with a tiny dick

Always surprises me when people complain about unjustified slurs by making unjustified slurs. Some of the nicest men I've known have had tiny dicks, and some of the nastiest have been perfectly endowed...

Triskellion75 · 09/06/2026 23:24

Everanewbie · 09/06/2026 18:45

And therefore forever exempt from any gentle banter while simultaneously engaging in it in regards to other cities, especially Manchester and London, but that’s fine because it’s the legendary scouse wit.

Did I say that? No, I did not.

GreenCandleWax · 09/06/2026 23:41

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 09/06/2026 14:29

That's not funny at all. Very unprofessional.

i would speak to him afterwards, and say how very unprofessional it was - no hint of being upset though, just putting him right on something he should have known better about. Then stalk off, don't engage further. Moral high ground! 🌺

bittertwisted · 10/06/2026 00:46

Everanewbie · 09/06/2026 14:41

I lived in Liverpool for a while. It is definitely true that the scousers have an incredible sense of humour, but they don't seem to have the ability to be the butt of the joke gracefully.

You think stereotyping a group of people as thieves is ‘not taking the joke’? I’m a scouse girl and I find it offensive
is it Ok to stereotype Muslims as terrorists?

bittertwisted · 10/06/2026 01:03

Tangyfan · 09/06/2026 16:18

The context is getting completely missed in a lot of these responses. Joke being funny/offensive etc etc is one thing. But OP had just finished delivering a presentation at a corporate event and the Chair of event then said something that belittled her, in front of the audience. He immediately undermined her with that comment and the comment could have been any number of things (patronizing remark, saying something about her looks etc).

It's completely inappropriate behaviour and I think you should complain. What he should have said is "thanks very much, that was great"

Context is everything and everyone always ignores it in these discussions and instead give examples of why it's fine - but it's in a completely different situation.

I'm fuming on your behalf!

I agree
I’ve heard it a billion times, along with ‘bin dippers’ etc
just brush it off in a social situation , or given as good as I got
but this was a networking event, and that comment is what people will remember, not the OPs professional capabilities

Imtornanddontknowwhattodo · 10/06/2026 02:41

That's mean and unprofessional. I've been to Liverpool a few times and have met Liverpudlians whilst on holiday. Friendly funny and kind people. What a cheap way to get a laugh. They showed themselves up, not you.

TheZanyScroller · 10/06/2026 04:51

What a tosser he was. He was out of order to be derogatory about people from Liverpool, it was a completely ignorant comment. Sounds like he showed himself up for the thicko he clearly is. Those that laughed are no better.

If there's a way you can leave a review about this event I would do so. Even better if the review is publicly seen. Name and shame the little twerp and mention the minions who laughed with him.

I'm sorry this happened to you.

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 09:43

Everanewbie · 09/06/2026 22:34

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?

What an earth are you on about now? Shame on you using your sick Grandad to play the victim yourself. Poor man. That's awful.

You don't like your Mam being allegedly bullied by the Scots School Committee and you, literally, fly to her aid. You claim then that you are bullied because you are from the West Country. Much worse apparently?

It's not a competition for goodness sake.

The thread is not all about you and how you cope, it's about the OP and how SHE felt and advice she asked for. But she's long gone now, thanks to your own, and a few others, unhelpful obsession with stereotyping her background. The first reply here was deleted as being against guidelines as it fed into that awful attitude.

A stranger taking the piss out of someone's background, accent, character, in front of a group of people a young woman doesn't know when she's trying to promote her business, isn't banter when she doesn't find it funny and feels belittled. Whether from Liverpool, the West Country, Hull, London, Brum or elsewhere. It doesn't matter. It's bullying if it's deliberately done to humiliate and undermine, which this was. Unacceptable.

Especially when in a position of power as that bloke was to the OP. He was an arse.

You clearly have your own grudge against Liverpool people, and keep endlessly trying to dress it up as something else. Carry on. I'm not stopping you. Zero fucks given.

However, you are proving the point the rest of us are making, about divs in the workplace who think they are being clever, but in reality are just old stock in thinking in a world that's thankfully moved on from decades ago.

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 09:59

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 09:43

What an earth are you on about now? Shame on you using your sick Grandad to play the victim yourself. Poor man. That's awful.

You don't like your Mam being allegedly bullied by the Scots School Committee and you, literally, fly to her aid. You claim then that you are bullied because you are from the West Country. Much worse apparently?

It's not a competition for goodness sake.

The thread is not all about you and how you cope, it's about the OP and how SHE felt and advice she asked for. But she's long gone now, thanks to your own, and a few others, unhelpful obsession with stereotyping her background. The first reply here was deleted as being against guidelines as it fed into that awful attitude.

A stranger taking the piss out of someone's background, accent, character, in front of a group of people a young woman doesn't know when she's trying to promote her business, isn't banter when she doesn't find it funny and feels belittled. Whether from Liverpool, the West Country, Hull, London, Brum or elsewhere. It doesn't matter. It's bullying if it's deliberately done to humiliate and undermine, which this was. Unacceptable.

Especially when in a position of power as that bloke was to the OP. He was an arse.

You clearly have your own grudge against Liverpool people, and keep endlessly trying to dress it up as something else. Carry on. I'm not stopping you. Zero fucks given.

However, you are proving the point the rest of us are making, about divs in the workplace who think they are being clever, but in reality are just old stock in thinking in a world that's thankfully moved on from decades ago.

I was referencing you digging up years old posts to use against me because you don't like my opinion that a) the facilitator was a unfunny and a crap comedian but is hardly some great bully; and b) many Liverpool folk love a laugh until they are the punchline.

You bring up Hillsborough and my ancient posts from times where me and my family have been vulnerable because someone dare not polish the halo of a city. And prove my point that many are just too thin skinned.

MasterBeth · 10/06/2026 10:08

Again, you don't need to be thin-skinned to feel that being told "you are probably a thief because the city you come from is full of thieves" is unacceptable.

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 10:29

This reply has been deleted

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

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 10:57

This reply has been deleted

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

You reposted a reference to from another poster. I don't think it is relevant or fair to bring it up.

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 11:01

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 10:57

You reposted a reference to from another poster. I don't think it is relevant or fair to bring it up.

I didn't. That's absolutely pure makey up drivel.
As I said. Goady.

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 11:04

I'm sorry I disagree with you on this but I don't see any point in responding to you further.

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 11:09

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 11:04

I'm sorry I disagree with you on this but I don't see any point in responding to you further.

That's because you are inventing shit and tying yourself up in knots.
Goady.

Everanewbie · 10/06/2026 11:11

This reply has been deleted

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

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 11:14

This reply has been deleted

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

You've realised you are misrepresenting me and are scooting. Byee

LilyMumsnet · 10/06/2026 11:40

Hi folks

Just requesting a bit of peace and love, as this is turning into an argument between two posters.

Let's draw a line now - further posts that derail the thread will be removed and may result in temporary suspensions.

KittyWilkinson · 10/06/2026 12:05

Fair enough @LilyMumsnet point taken. Stepping away now. Thanks.

SisterMidnight77 · 10/06/2026 13:08

It’s not funny (it’s the billionth time anyone has said that joke) and it’s appallingly unprofessional.

TheKitchenLady · 10/06/2026 14:03

I hear you! Blonde raised in Essex here. I've heard all the jokes many times over, but I receive them as exactly that - jokes.
I give as good as I get, too.
I find it quite sad that the workplace has become so serious, and everyone is offended by something somebody else said in jest. I've been in the workplace for over 40 years, during which there has been massive change. Some of it has been positive change, but I do think it's gone too far and people are now not allowed to have any fun. It is possible to be professional and have a sense of humour.

HorrorPudding · 10/06/2026 14:26

The OP isn’t about the workplace @TheKitchenLady it’s about the OP attending a networking event where she doesn’t know people and they don’t know her. She attends in a professional capacity, gives a talk about her business to an audience of people she doesn’t know and then a joke is made at her expense. That to me is inappropriate and designed to make the OP uncomfortable or inflate his own standing. It’s a different scenario to the ongoing workplace relationships where there may be jokey to and fro.

Lyndy74 · 10/06/2026 17:03

Its not ok! But as a fellow scouser who has also been at the butt of the exact same jokes, just take it in good humor and move on. To me its a low blow to make the joke making person look funny. Its not funny and shows them up more than any impact it has on you. Feel sorry for them!