A lot of things annoyed me yesterday. Here is my list.

[EllieG]

1. DD got given a barbie for her birthday. It was a doctor (as a nod to me as I often rail against them). She was a paediatrician with lolipops in her pocket, pink high heels and a sparkly white coat. DD complained that she doesn't stand up because her feet are too small.

1. Went out for tea with female friends. Got mocked for about 15 mins as I said 'oh, I joined this thing called UK feminista today'. Best mate told me in so many words that I was boring and worthy and blah blah for my 'new obsession' about feminism and that it was just my latest cause and it was stupid. She asked how I personally felt oppressed - I said I didn't much but other women do and that is why I am a feminist. She asked me to state how and I said well um, how about the tiny percentage for conviction for rape cases, I was laughed at for being boring (in so many words)

1. Best mate went on to say that she thinks about '70 per cent of women are stupid and boring' and that she thinks she gets on better with men.

1. Friends moved on to talk about other friend's job as zoo keeper and managed to have long and serious discussion about issues to do with dogs. Dogs, ffs.

1. Now I was laughing throughout this, I know I was being ribbed and my friends are all very empowered and strong women who laugh at many taboo subjects and are actually very feminist, but I am getting slightly pissed off about having to pretend I don't care. I need some feminists where I live......

No, I didn't hear anything either.

Little note - feminism is about equal rights for everybody, men included (or it is as far as I see it). And our rants (on a thread that is not, after all, a major debate thread but a light-hearted discussion of the things that annoyed us personally that particular day) are based on things that we feel devalues men and women. I do not object to wearing pink, I like looking pretty, but I do object to my DD having a particular ideas about her gender assigned to her by her attendance at nursery school, at the age of 3. I do not object to being nice to people who have done a hard day's work, but I do object to assuming that is automatically a man. I absolutely agree that people who make up false complaints about aggression are wrong, because it devalues it when people who are really oppressed speak out bravely. I do however think that society in general values aggressive traits in men, and that this serves neither men or women well.

Now am not going to say anything else about this and get back to chuntering about things that annoyed me. See above.

I was told recently that I was only a lecturer in education because I was a mum and therefore would naturally be interested in it.

This was a senior lecturer in social psychology at an elite university Otherwise incredibly politically correct.

Believe me ladies, discrimination is out there, and it's real.

"You've got to fight
For your right
For parity"

(my own suggestion)

I'm now playing with the idea of starting a thread so people here can rewrite sexist lyrics so they would be more pleasing to those of a feminist persuasion....

Could be fun!

These stupid trolls never notice who runs the TV schedules and who the senior managers in charge of TV stations are do they.

A clue: they generally don't have wombs.

The video was odd - didn;t it end up being a woman?

And good for the beastie boys - I had no idea about all that :o

Do some research on the controllers of TV channels though - many are/have been women.

Does anyone know if when people on the Ethical Living threads are having a nice chat about compost and getting by without a car, they get Jeremy Clarkson types coming on and haranguing them?

Just wondering.

Yes, it's not a hey-everyone-let's-debate thread, it's a just a little thread tucked away in the corner minding it's own business. Had I wanted a free for all, I would have posted on chat or AIBU. Ah well.

I like that about the Beastie Boys - good on them.

I have another thing to add to my list of things that annoyed me

1. DD got a late birthday present. It was a pink fairy princess outfit. That is her third one now. She loves it (of course) but I wish people would not just assume that's the only dress up to get a girl. I'm going to buy her a tiger outfit I think.

1. DD went to party. All girls party bags were peppa pig with pink necklaces in them. All boys got Ben 10 and contained cars. I was the only one who said (mildly, I don't like to be rude) 'Isn't it funny the way they gravitate towards the stuff geared towards boys/girls'. All women said, yes, must be something inbuilt. I sighed a little inside and said um don't you think it might be because we encourage it? They said oh no my DD has always loved pink/my DS has always hated dolls it must be a natural thing etc etc. Stupid.

Ellie maybe you should one of the dresses to my DD

I'm buggered if I'm buying one of the buggering things!

lend sorry missed a word out!

Seriously - she has 3 now - complete with wings and everything - you can have one if you want it - I can post to you no prob

Oh god my DD had about 6 of them all together.

None of whcih I bought I hasten to add - all birthday presents or inherited from friends.

She is now going through a backlash though - she's 9. She doesn't want girlie stuf anymore, I think it's an distancing mechanism from being a younger girl. She now wants to be considered older and cooler than little girl obsessed with princesses.

Ellie the other week I went to my nephew's party - my sensible SIL had put edible jewellery kits in all the party bags, regardless of their pinkness, knowing full well that ALL 5 YEAR OLDS would like them.

Quite right, they all like that nonsense really, irrespective of gender, it's just people who tell boys that they are not supposed to.