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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

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Original poster

has feminism passed "Essex" by?

72 replies

eyeofhorus · 11/04/2011 22:35

any of you seen The only way is essex? frightening how a prime time itv show celebrates women as so overtly dressing up/ changing body image for men's pleasure AND the pub quiz which rejoiced in how dumb some of them were. Saddens me deeply that today's 'role models' for teenagers have bypassed the feminist movement....

OP posts:

TheFarSide · 12/04/2011 00:39

But American TV is full of impossibly beautiful people with fake boobs/teeth, not to mention a multitude of crass stereotypes.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 00:44

Thats true, nowhere is perfect.

I think America is even worse than here for valuing beauty above all else, but Britain is still snobbish and ruled by a (distorted) class system.

claig · 12/04/2011 00:45

Yes, but American TV is aspirational. They have beautiful houses and fancy cars and all look perfect. It is not real, but it is part of the American Dream and people believe they can achieve it. Class won't hold them back, it's not about getting ideas above your station. America is a positive, dynamic society which offers hope to people, which is why so many people around the world try to get visas to get into America. Much of their TV is positive and much of ours is negative.

nullius, you're right. There are so many barriers in our society, class, accent etc. Social mobility has declined.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 00:47

err, dont forget the white pickett fence ;)

claig · 12/04/2011 00:48

If you park a Ferrari here, you are likely to return and find a lovely scratch mark made by an envious, bitter person. People are kept in their place and don't believe they will ever get one. In America or Italy, they will admire the car and won't scratch it.

expatinscotland · 12/04/2011 00:48

'Yes I think I remember reading that he didn't like the school they sent him to.'

He wrote them letters begging to come home, confessing to his father that he was being horribly bullied. Phillip basically told him to buck up and left him there.

He was 11.

That's fucked up.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 00:49

From TOWIE 's attack on feminism, to the differences in class and social mobility between Britain and America.....

I think we have done well!!! ha ha.

Night all

claig · 12/04/2011 00:50

Night nullius.

claig · 12/04/2011 00:51

Yes you're right expat, it's the old stiff upper lip, make a man of him aristocratic tradition.

TheFarSide · 12/04/2011 00:54

Before I go to bed ... Claig - if you say American TV is aspirational (beautiful houses, fancy cars) then you have to accept that The Only Way Is Essex is also aspirational .

I agree class is an issue in the UK but I don't think America is the way forward - a lot of the bad things about our culture are direct imports from America.

The desire for perfect teeth, for example.

claig · 12/04/2011 00:58

Essex is the county that voted for Thatcher. The people of Essex are very aspirational. They want the fancy things in life. That's why the middle class luvvies keep sneering at them and joking about them. They want them kept in their place.

America is not perfect, but it is more dynamic and offers more social mobility than our society.

claig · 12/04/2011 00:59

I live in Essex. We voted Labour out of every seat apart from two in the entire East of England. If that's not aspirational, I don't know what is.

expatinscotland · 12/04/2011 01:00

That level of emotional detachment from your own offspring is scary, isn't it, claig? Hopefully it's becoming less and less common. Charles seems to have tried to shape up with regards to his kids after their mum carked it.

claig · 12/04/2011 01:02

If the people of Essex ran the country, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in. The Only Way Is Essex, the Only Way Is Up.

claig · 12/04/2011 01:04

Yes you're right expat. It's not healthy and must have had an effect on him. Times have changed and they have become more like the ordinary people, which I think is better all round.

TheFarSide · 12/04/2011 01:05

expatinscotland · 12/04/2011 07:28

If they're like ordinary people, then I want their fucking life.

Essex? Never been there, never watched the show, have only seen trailers. Looks like a car crash.

Meh.

claig · 12/04/2011 08:05

Essex has it all. Style, charm, humour and the people. The whole county is blue, it's Tory through and through. There's more aspiration in the finger of an Essex person than in all of John Paul Getty.

Essex is the Hollywood of the UK, it is where dreams are made and realised.

Elvis is a saint in Essex and when he sang
'Bright light city, gonna set my soul, gonna set my soul on fire'
we know he was singing about the famous towns of Essex. If he were alive today, he would be singing 'Viva Essex'.

www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/features/2914277/Denise-Van-Outen-Why-my-Basildon-beats-Hollywood.html

claig · 12/04/2011 08:09

I doubt there's a county in the land that sells more copies of the Daily Mail.
That's not a car crash, that's people who know how to make a splash.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 09:12

Oh dear claig, part of me really hopes that was sarcastic.

Essex is the way up?

The Daily Mail?

Thatcher

Where did it all go wrong.....

claig · 12/04/2011 09:19

nullius you're obviously not from Essex. If you were, you would realise it is not sarcastic. Essex is representative of the true aspirations of the people, Essex people want to move up, that's why the Essex way is the way up.
Essex is for social mobility and getting ahead unlike the TV executive Islingtonistas who want to mock the aspirations of good, honest, hard-working Essex people.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 09:23

Im all for social mobility and I realise that the stereotypes about essex are often unfair......

But thatcher .....Really???

Your right, im obviously not from Essex, nor did I ever, ever vote for that witch or her offspring

claig · 12/04/2011 09:26

Are you saying that the entire county of Essex, which is blue through and through, without a single Labour MP, is wrong? I hardly think so. The people of Essex are renowned for their sagacity. They don't suffer fools, they break down barriers and rules. They are not people to forget, they didn't vote for the Labour rosette.

claig · 12/04/2011 09:34

You wrote about social mobility. You have to take account of the people's wishes. The people are not as stupid as the bigwig politicos like to paint them. Essex is not Surrey, yet it still votes Tory. The jokes about Essex stem from those who look down their nose at the people of Essex and their choices. They're not playing the game, they want fortune and fame. They won't be stopped, Islingtonistas can't hold them back. They are too large in number and too dynamic, that's what causes the elites to panic. They can't shut the stable door, because the Essex horse has bolted. It wants freedom and fortune and fame, for the elites that is a shame. They said Essex had ideas above its station, Essex voted Thatcher and changed the nation.

nulliusxinxverbax · 12/04/2011 09:51

Ok ok, I get it. Wasnt asking for a tory ad campaign with rhyme.

Personally, I dont see how you can put social mobility and thatcher in the same sentence.

I would understand your "aspirational" argument if it actually made them see you in a different light, it doesnt and it wont. Tories still see working class as working class (whether they define themselves as that or not....) And still look down their noses at 80% of the country. They just laugh that they have managed to fool you into voting for them.

As for the Great Witch Herself, not only do I hate her for bieng blue, I hate her for what she did to women. Many people did not want a female PM, and after her performance and appaling reputation, I will be amazed if I see another female PM in my lifetime. There will always be those who say, "well we gave thatcher a chance, and look what she did!!"
Crushing for female mobility nevermind social mobility.

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