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Original poster

does this sound sexist to you

96 replies

LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:33

DP's works do had organised for the guys to go to Cheltenham for the races for the day, but the women (partners of the men) were to take the children to an indoor playcentre for the day . I am seething over this .

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AwayInAMunker · 16/12/2007 14:34

Were all the men those who worked for the company? Or were any of the women employees?

ArmadilloDaMan · 16/12/2007 14:35

I think it's weird if his work organised a do for the partners of their employees.

But day at an indoor playcentre doesn't sound partic thrilling.

Do all the women partners have kids?

edam · 16/12/2007 14:35

Bloody hell, I would be too! Is it still the 1950s in this firm, or something?

No wonder it's an exclusively male workforce.

Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:36

Yeah they worked for the company, its an all male type environment. No women employees work on the factory floor only the offices.

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TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:36

If it was employees going racing and non-employees to the playcentre - no. If it was men racing, women playcentre - yes.

edam · 16/12/2007 14:36

My friend's husband works in a firm like this, btw, am always surprised she puts up with it. Although the 'wives' day out is a bit bloody better than soft play!

Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:37

Not too sure if the employees organised it. I think it was the guys themselves .

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TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:37

Would it be sexist if they had arranged for all the female partners to go to a spa instead?

NadineHumbug · 16/12/2007 14:38

I don't understand - work arranged for the wives to go to the play centre particularly?

sounds odd, not sexist - very odd really I mean what woman in their right mind couldn't arrange to do something for themself if their partner was off on a day out?

AwayInAMunker · 16/12/2007 14:38

Lapin, exactly it - no, not sexist, imo. Would you have preferred they organised nothing? Or something that was un-child-friendly for the women?

Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:38

that should of read employers not employees.

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Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:40

I would of prefered a day out somewhere with the wives/partners - maybe a meal or something without the kids.

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edam · 16/12/2007 14:40

Yes! It's sexist if you insist gender determines what activity someone does. I know this might be shocking to these clearly delicately reared gentlemen, but some women might actually enjoy racing.

TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:41

edam - I thought the point was that they weren't invited at all - it is just a work outing. And presumably the playcentre thing has been arranged because all the mothers will be on their own with the children while the men are off on the work do?

NadineHumbug · 16/12/2007 14:41

I think if I felt so strongly about it I'd arrange a babysitter and turn up and join the men, whether they like it or not!

madamez · 16/12/2007 14:42

What about the women who don't have children? Or is that a sacking offence at this peculiar company?

TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:42

My husband is forever going off for work dos. I rarely get invited (thank god, far too dull). And vice versa was true when I was working. It sounds like team bonding - well, a jolly disguised as team bonding!

hatwoman · 16/12/2007 14:43

what? I'm not getting it - what about the women employees? presumably the most antiquated of employers has at least one female employee? (I mean who makes the tea? who organises Christmas days out ?) what about partners (male or female) of those who don;t have kids? It's completely premised on the idea that the the default situation is the employees are (heterosexual) men and partners are (heterosexual) women and that they all have kids (whose care is teh reposnibility of the women) I would be fuming. Don't go. If you know/like any of the partners phone them up and persuade them to boycott it too.

TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:45

Please can we clarify something? Are there female employees who have NOT been invited to the races?

Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 14:50

There are only Male empoyees that work on the factory floor - the females work in the offices so were not invited.

i am annoyed because this has been going on for years. The men go every year to Cheltenham races & the women take the kids to an indoor playcentre & tbh I do this twice a week anyway . I would like to go for a meal without the kids.

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hatwoman · 16/12/2007 14:50

if the guys themselves organised it it's still weird. smacks of "we're going to have a good fun day out, why don;t you little women get together while looking after the children." still wouldn;t like it. either you're invited to come to the races with them or they facilitate you having a day out too. Possibly by taking the kids to a soft play area together if they can't face a day looking after the kids on their own...

make no mistake - the wags' day at the soft play area is not for the wags' benefit. It's an ill-conceived way of assuaging guilt because they're doing something properly fun.

hatwoman · 16/12/2007 14:52

LSM - if you've been doing this every year - then you must know the (forgive the term) wags quite well? you should suggest it. or just steam ahead and organise it anyway - it would also include any childless wags - mush better.

TenLordsaLapin · 16/12/2007 14:56

I don't think it's sexist per se. I think it's quite selfish though.

edam · 16/12/2007 14:59

It is sexist because it's predicated on gender determinism. The men do one thing, the women another. And the firm are clearly comfortable with sex discrimination as they have no female employees on the factory floor. 'We don't get any applications from women/Black people' was discredited as a defence thirty years ago.

Original poster
LittleSusiesMum · 16/12/2007 15:00

Yeah it is selfish plus i will have the added worry of how much cash DP will blow away . he is a big gambler & always thinks he is the winner .

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