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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed with the Daily Mail on Miriam Gonzalez Durantez's behalf?

56 replies

Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:15

I know I shouldn't have looked but I followed a link from somewhere on here and arrived at the DM website.

There were at least two articles about and/or referring to Nick Clegg's wife as Mrs Clegg or Miriam Clegg, when that is not her name.

She has made it abundantly clear that her name is Miriam Gonzalez Durantez.

More irritatingly the DM were referring to her correctly in March and early April, but then she made a comment about how patronising it was for the media to devote so much time to the spouses, and since then the DM seems to be making a point by taking her identity away and deliberately calling her something that (IMO) puts her in her place, so to speak.

So AIBU? Or should I just stop following links to the DM?

OP posts:
FabIsGoingToGetFit · 14/05/2010 16:18

I think you are over thinking this.

She is as much Mrs Clegg as he is Mr Gonzalez Durantez.

2shoes · 14/05/2010 16:18

well if you put Mrs clegg I would know who you mean,
had no idea who it was you were talking about...
so maybe that is why

AbsOfCroissant · 14/05/2010 16:18
  1. You should probably avoid the DM for your own health but
  2. YANBU. The DM HATE her, lots, almost as much as they love SamCam. I nearly puked at some of the comments they made about SamCAm (gorgeous, effortlessly stylish, sexy ... blah blah blah. I'm sorry, but she looks like a horse in drag).

They don't like her because she has a "job" and is a married woman and mother. It's like she's Satan to them.

sethstarkaddersmum · 14/05/2010 16:21

yanbu but I bet she doesn't spend too much time worrying about it
They're just patronising sexist tossers, really.

Fibilou · 14/05/2010 16:26

The Daily Wail
a) is highly misogynistic
b) thinks women with brains and their own identity are the antichrist

For your own sanity do not read it.

Original poster
Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:26

I dispute that 'She is as much Mrs Clegg as he is Mr Gonzalez Durantez'

When have you ever seen a public figure of a man referred to with his wife's name rather than his own?

I don't have a problem with women taking their husband's names. I didn't take my DH's name but I don't mind if someone refers to me as Mrs XX.

I really got the impression that the DM are making a recent and conscious decision to go against her wishes to be addressed by her own name, especially as she has made a point of it.

And I can't believe anyone has lived in the UK the last few weeks without being aware of who she is. Unless of course, the Daily Mail or the Sun is their only source of news.

Readers of the Daily Mail - I will judge you! And reserve the right to do so.

OP posts:
AMumInScotland · 14/05/2010 16:29

YANBU - it's basic politeness to refer to someone by the name they choose to use (unless they demand to be addressed as Napoleon of course ). I guessed who she was from your thread title, but only because they've been in the news so much lately, but if they feel they have to clarify who she is they could easily say "Miriam Gonzalez Durantez (wife of Nick Clegg)" until we all get used to it!

Northernlurker · 14/05/2010 16:29

The DM hate Nick Clegg - she comes in for the sideswipe from that. Plus she was born in Spain, gave her children 'foreign' (and lovely) names, works, enjoys her work, works, was born in Spain, works...She's not really the DM's type^ - and I imagine she's hugely grateful for that fact!

badgermonkey · 14/05/2010 16:30

I agree with you - they are clearly doing it to make a point. Spanish women don't change their names when they marry so it isn't her name at all!

ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 14/05/2010 16:34

DM are tits. Is Kate Winslet still...12 or something? Whatever they had her age down as the other week. And I got irrationally pissed off when they kept saying Gordon Browns Jaguar. It was a fucking Daimler.

Original poster
Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:34

I can't imagine she'd be as silly as I was to even look at the DM. And I'm sure she'd just dismiss them as the arrogant tossers, misogynistic arsewipes that they are if she did.

OP posts:
doggiesayswoof · 14/05/2010 16:37

YANBU

Clegg is not her name

simples

mayorquimby · 14/05/2010 16:37

surely you should be equally mad at her then. She said she didn't want them focussing on her so they're not.

doggiesayswoof · 14/05/2010 16:38

lol at Sam C looking like a "horse in drag"

I thought that was just me

(just me thinking that I mean, not just me looking like a horse in drag - oh forget it)

brogan2 · 14/05/2010 16:41

What worries me more is the bloody comments page. Full of comments like, isn't it a bit strange that all 3 boys have foreign names and one said something like, 'if they live here they should have given their sons (poor boys) English names.

I had to laugh at the irony of the 'poor boys' comment. Yes because it's her children who need pitying.

Original poster
Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:42

I don't understand your point mayorquimby. They are focusing on her in a really pointed fashion. By consciously ignoring her own name and making her an appendage of her husband.

Fine, if you've made the decision to change your name - no issue with that. But for the DM to ACTIVELY change from using her real name to one that 'puts her in her place' after she dared to suggest that the media were shallow for following the fashion choices of the political wives....

And she's made no comment about it - this is all my own conjecture! So, no, I'm not made at her.

OP posts:
Cartoose · 14/05/2010 16:42

" The DM HATE her, lots, almost as much as they love SamCam. I nearly puked at some of the comments they made about SamCAm (gorgeous, effortlessly stylish, sexy ... blah blah blah."

You know what? I'm just waiting for the DM to come out with 1000000 WOH vs SAHM "articles" pitting MG against SC now that Samantha Cameron has now decided to leave her job (apart from keeping her foot in the door slightly). It'll be lovely SC vs bad MG. You just wait!

brogan2 · 14/05/2010 16:43

And yes, they always used her correct name until she mentioned not wanting to be defined by her husband. The Mrs Clegg thing is recent.

Rollmops · 14/05/2010 16:44

Get a life, dear.

Nancy66 · 14/05/2010 16:46

The DM website is written by a bunch of work experience kids - it's ridiculously popular but very amateur.

Original poster
Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:46

And it is really not on to start insulting Samantha Cameron - just because she married a Toryboy doesn't mean we should insult her.

Looking at the Relationships thread there are lots of women who've married questionable guys and i'm not going to insult their looks.

What is it with wimmin making such comments about each other?

OP posts:
Clumsymum · 14/05/2010 16:46

When my parents first married, My father went to work in/run my mother's family business (her dad was ill, and suddenly had to retire).

As the business was called by the family name (as in Farnsbarns Soap Ltd), It wasn't long before most people were referring to my father as Mr Farnsbarns. He got used to it, and was happy to be referred to as Mr Farnsbarns (mother's maiden name), or by his own surname, it didn't matter to him.

I think we get too het-up about this whole name thing. I seem to remember a former PM's wife insisting she would be known by her maiden name, and carry on with her carreer in her own right etc etc. When did you last hear of her being referred to as Cherie Booth ???

mayorquimby · 14/05/2010 16:47

If your accusation is that they have taken her identity away then that is exactly what she asked for. If she felt that the papers were focussing too much on the wives they are doing what she wanted. Her only relevance to the newspapers is by virtue of her husband (as far as I know,is she famous in her own right) so they are no longer putting the spot light on her and only mentioning her in her only relevant way as far as they are concerned. As wife of Mr.Clegg.

Original poster
Oenopod · 14/05/2010 16:48

take your face and get on with your own life Rollmops - you can walk away from the thread.

OP posts:
Clumsymum · 14/05/2010 16:51

oenepod, thank-you for that, I agree

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