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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Am I right in thinking this is really bloody patronising

39 replies

travellingwilbury · 29/09/2010 18:56

A TKmax in my local town is having a lot of work going on outside , so big fences etc outside . With two great big signs on said fence saying

Men at Work

Never stopped women shopping

I am really grumpy about the whole thing and I am going to e mail said company .

I am not being over sensitive about this am I ?

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 29/09/2010 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
travellingwilbury · 29/09/2010 19:02

I don't normally get annoyed by things so I don't think I am over reacting .

Apart from the fact that there could be Women at work or even shock horror men shopping it all just seems so 1950s .

Thank you for not thinking I am a loon .

OP posts:
DurhamDurham · 29/09/2010 19:04

I don't think you are a loon at all but I do think you should take it as the joke it was intended to be. Save your battles for the big things!!

AnnieLobeseder · 29/09/2010 19:05

Oh good grief, that would have me FUMING! And I would contact the company too.

Do they not know that women work (even in construction) and men shop?

I was out shopping at lunch today (cos I work, see, though not in construction!), incidentally went into TKMaxx, and there were actually men in there, doing, of all things, shopping!

It's just horrible gender-stereotyping all around.

AnnieLobeseder · 29/09/2010 19:06

Durham - it's the constant bombardment of these 'little' things that perpetuate the gender stereotypes, IMO.

AliceWorld · 29/09/2010 19:08

No you're not being oversensitive. Email away. And Annie, exactly.

frgr · 29/09/2010 19:08

I would be offended too (I don't fit the female shopper stereotype, will try anything to avoid it, and when I must do it, I go in with a list - apparently a very "male" attitude )

It's not a very polite or professional sign to put up, I'm surprised that it was allowed (even if it was intended in jest)

ANTagony · 29/09/2010 19:08

And yet there is no such thing as negative advertising and this ad has provoked a reaction!

dittany · 29/09/2010 19:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

lal123 · 29/09/2010 19:09

Its like the signs in our local carpark - for "mother and child" parking

frgr · 29/09/2010 19:10

p.s. my little sister is a trained electrician, this is exactly the sort of crap that makes the job a little bit less enjoyable to do (having to put up with the gender stereotyping - most men on sites assume she's health and safety or something apparently).

it's not trivial to her - she used to get quite upset about this type of stuff (but never showed it, that would have made things worse apparently)

DurhamDurham · 29/09/2010 19:11

I've never felt bombarded, maybe I just walk around blissfully unaware. Will try harder to be offended in the future Grin

AnnieLobeseder · 29/09/2010 19:13

Absolutely Durham, you must be offended by everything immediately! Wink

JaneS · 29/09/2010 19:21

That would have me fuming, it's twattish.

Original poster
travellingwilbury · 29/09/2010 19:27

Honestly Durham I am the least offended person ever , even if it had been written in marker pen by an over excited manager I would have probably ignored it . It is the fact that this must have gone through a few different bods to get approved for printing that has pissed me off .

Anyway I have decided I am going to traipse back there tomorrow and take a pic and e mail it to local paper and company head office .

OP posts:
PennyDreadful · 29/09/2010 19:34

Love Dittany's idea...i'm sure it can be changed easily to:

Men at Work
Men are Wankers

Never stopped women shopping
Never stop women ....erm, now i'm stuck...

MotherofHobbit · 29/09/2010 19:37

Nope, that is patronising and would have definitely had me annoyed if I'd walked past it.

Original poster
travellingwilbury · 29/09/2010 19:38

A big marker pen is a good idea but as someone else suggested to me , I would just put

No but the sexist sign did stop me !

OP posts:
Footlong · 29/09/2010 20:31

Men are Wankers

That is so pleasant....

I am sure all the kids walking past would love to read that....

Great strategy, dont make the offensive sign inoffensive... just change who it is offensive towards.. brilliant. Hmm

Original poster
travellingwilbury · 29/09/2010 20:34

I agree footlong , hence my post above .

I was telling my dh earlier about it and my ds who is 6 looked all confused and said "does that mean boys can't go to the shops then?"
Even he knows it is stupid .

OP posts:
ISNT · 29/09/2010 20:35

Yes because it's obviously a serious suggestion and the only post on this thread Hmm Nothing to say about the OP?

IsThatTheTime · 29/09/2010 20:47

I'd be a bit pissed off if I was a woman working on that site and for that reason I think you should complain. Forget the women shopping thing, I find the Men At Work thing much more offensive (exclusive).

Footlong · 29/09/2010 22:04

ISNT - Eh? I am only allowed to comment on the OP, no subsequent posts? When did this rule come into force?

And given the poster, yes I do believe it was a serious suggestion.

Footlong · 29/09/2010 22:04

And evn if it wasnt, the sentiment behind it is still pretty offensive.

JaneS · 29/09/2010 22:22

I agree the 'men are wankers' suggestion was a bit Hmm given the thread topic.

I liked 'no but this sign might' much more! Grin