does this sound sexist to you

[LittleSusiesMum]

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 .

Mothers often have themselves to blame at home because they choose to take on childcare responsibilities (or in your terms allow their men to oppress them). That's the principal oppression. They are not oppressed in most work places. Most employers are happy to employ men and women who are good at their jobs.

It is a political decision which affects us all every time a woman assumes she fixes child care and not the man. That's where the battleground is and it's in the hands of all working parents to deal with that.

What about the huge numbers of men who assume their jobs are more important, that housework isn't their concern, that childcare isn't automatically their preserve?

"There are lots of sectors with no sexism."

Name them. With figures, please.

"What about the huge numbers of men who assume their jobs are more important, that housework isn't their concern, that childcare isn't automatically their preserve?"

Are you talking about my DP motherinferior? .

I know of one nursery that will not employ men because the parents would object. I personally find that very sexist and insulting to men.

IMO, yes, it's sexist. However, not in the sense of being illegal unless there are female employees who were also sent off to the soft play. It is not illegal for a company to have a good party for the workforce and offer something a bit crap for partners. Now, if there were female employees who were sent off to the play centre, that's another matter...

In a more general moral sense, yes, I think it's sexist and stupid to give the 'little ladies' a day out like this. Either let you come to the good party, or don't do anything for other halves (my place doesn't...)

I meant looking after their own children.

Can't really say that the company in the OP is inherently sexist because it has no women on the shop floor. Some manufacturing industries have a high proportion of rather old fashioned processes, such as milling and grinding; I have worked in manufacturing environments for 12 years and I have never seen a woman work on the shop floor in these places. And I have never met one who would want to.

Also, there is a very distinct divide (rightly or wrongly) between shop floor staff and white-collar staff in manufacturing environments, large or small. I work for one of the largest American companies, who really work hard to promote and implement equality, and this is still the case.

To be honest, I don't think it is unusal for a shop floor workforce to have a jolly. This has only reared it's ugly head because someone (idiotically, admittedly) decided to have a separate wives and kids day. The majority of companies would not bother with a wags day out, it would have been blokes to Cheltenham races, and that would be the end of it.

Regarding the women who work in the offices not being invited, I would be extremely surpised if the office/managerial/admin staff did not have a separate, work funded day/evening out. I have never heard of the shop floor having a jolly and the office not. There would be uproar!

What would it take for all the naysayers here to acknowledge sexism, or do you all just think it doesn't exist?

just to clarify something. The women employees, i.e. the office worker were not invited & had their own separate office party, i.e. no factory floor staff went.

Factory floor staff (the men) went to the races the wags to the playcentre paid for by the company. The company paid for the mens transport to and from Cheltenham & paid for free booze & a buffet for the men. those that gambled obviously paid themselves for the bets.

sorry if i didnt explain very well earlier just reading some post some of you are clearly confused and i apologise.

so the partners are having a Christmas treat, but there's no wine?

Sorry, just tell me again - the partners are going on a Christmas outing - but there's no wine?

No, you'll have to run that past me again. The women are babysitting IN HELL - but there's no wine?

What did the directors and senior managers do LSM (all men too I'm guessing)?

onebat that made me laught - no there was no wine (unfortnatly).

Elizabetth - not sure what the senior manager did tbh, i will ask dp.

apologies for my poor spelling & grammar I really am not feeling myself lately (thats my excuse anyway).

Did no-one read MY post [accountanty grumpy emoticon] - if ALL employees are not invited to company events then the employees who attend should be charged income tax on the event cost. Even if there is one non-shop floor woman, she must be invited or everyone else has to pay tax on it.

Missed it the first time bahKewcHumbug. Very good point. How nice that the tax system makes it difficult for sexists.

I think you're overestimating the egalitarian spirit of the revenue E.

I think its a side effect but a helpfulone E - in fact I beleive it was a rule put in place to stop director taking themselves outfor expensive chsirtmas lunches and not treating it as a benefit in kind but as "staff entertaining". So staff entertianing is only not taxable on the individual if all staff are invited.

Heh, I didn't think they did it on purpose.

Just that the tax service isn't the first place you'd expect to have rules that would mean people would have to be treated fairly.

er, yes

sorry not you you Eliz to OP