M and S ad - Mrs Claus

[Northernlurker]

Loved it!

Actually, the root of 'hysteria' is deeply misogynistic, and is basically about people with wombs being a bit bonkers and overexcited.

Absolutely Broom

BroomstickOfLove we disagree but I take your point. I do though think this ad would never have been made with a younger sister doing what the boy does and an older brother reacting as the girl does. I think it tries to present her as society deems teenage girls are - difficult, angry, materialistic, love/affection to be bought. And the boy as society sees boys - fun, active, mischievous in relatively harmless ways but deep down considerate and thinking about others, almost protective of his sister in wanting to ensure her happiness. The sister did nothing for the brother at all, only shown as sulking then happy when given a thoughtful gift.

Men get overexcited because "boys will be boys", he's just being "a lad", it's "banter". Women get hysterical and irrational because we're bitches.

She went and played in the snow with him because he gave her a gift. Her affection was bought by a possession, before then she'd been only negative towards him.

Wouldn't you be negative if your little brother destroyed your favourite pair of shoes?!

I would be

I'm always negative towards my little brothers because they're boys and I'm a feminazi.

I liked it. I think it actually went against sexism, in that Mrs Claus was the one with the gadgets and doing the best job :-p

I used to love the Naughty Little Sister books..... Now they depict young girls as terrors as much as boys get the press for.

But this advert wasn't about materialistic things as such (well it was as it is a clothes shop advert but....). But more the fact that the brother teases, then goes too far, and is affected (maybe proper empathy for the first time aged 6 regardless of sex?) By how upset his sister gets about her favourite shoe being destroyed. So he tries to rectify that.

They could have switched the sexes. They could have had an all boy or all girl offspring set up (2.4 families wind me up having never been in one!) But in the grand scheme of things I do think people may be reading a little too much into the advert and what younger viewers may think.

And the "reinforces idea all women should take their husbands name on marriage" - she has always been known as Mrs Claus. You can't change that to suit your own situation surely? That's like saying actually Jesus was a girl, to make it fair nowadays. (Although I will argue God is a woman sometimes!)

Surely anyone with half a brain cell realises the advert is only showing the incidents where the boy understands what he did was wrong. Is it not obvious that half a dozen incidents over the year is normal? Does anyone really not understand that an advert showing a little boy trying to make up for the bad things he's done to his sister isn't going to show the many many days and hours they got on just fine?

I was that boy in the advert many a few years ago... except I'm a little sister.

Having her hiding what she'd done from her husband as she had to pretend to have been a good wife, staying at home waiting for him to get back from his work was sexism to me, suggesting even if women achieve things we should hide it from any male partners as it deviates from our role letting them achieve while we passively support. I don't think there will be any adverts with young girls doing anything for siblings purely out of love in the way this boy did.

I just get wound up about the sexism of women changing surnames upon marriage...

Definitely classmate - Mrs C is the modern woman. She's just respecting tradition. Let's not forget that us parents pretend it's Father Christmas who delivered the presents too

Fair enough if women want to but that choice isn't made in an equal society. If as many men changed their surnames upon marriage as women did then it would be.

NavyandWhite 'hysterical' refers to the 'ungovernable emotional excess' particular to those with wombs ('hyst'), caused by the very condition of being female. It has its roots in misogynistic medical attitudes towards women. It's used with reference to men and women today, but make no mistake that it's a nasty word and deeply derogatory towards women at root.

Women deemed to be "hysterical" are pretty much just expressing rational anger about something, or just upsetting men by challenging them.

well I liked it and my knickers are also very twistable
the family are v MC and aspirational- but it's an M&S advert, of course it will be
I liked that Mrs Claus was competent, cool and had lots of tech- she was flying a helicopter ffs- when did you last see a woman doing that?
when you think how incredibly dire adverts, including christmad adverts can be (remember Sainsbury's armistice one and the one with the put upon mum) - I'm pleased to see one where a VISIBLY OLDER woman has a starring positive role.

Navy I don't describe anyone as hysterical because it's a horrible word. And as it expressly refers to wombs, I don't think it can be applied to men even if I were of a mind to do so.

It's often used as a word to dismiss womens' genuine emotions, MH issues etc. 'She was fucking hysterical'. I've had it used against me in a very negative and unfair way in the past. It's a bit like a man calling his ex 'mad' when all she's done is stand up for herself/tell the truth about her situation.

A very nasty word indeed, and it has no place on the Christmas board (or anywhere)

Shallisanti excellent point about the casting of an older actor (and I adore Janet McTeer!)

That woman was aggressive, rude and in the wrong. There are plenty of ways she can be described which doesn't involve misogynistic language. Glad she apologised and that you were alright!