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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

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Original poster

Is purring an acceptable description for any woman..

44 replies

asurreymum · 23/09/2014 22:23

My first thread on mumsnet so please excuse any protocol faux pas.
Suggesting that our queen purred is obviously not the smartest comment for our Prime Minister to make but is it ever acceptable for a man to describe a woman as purring to another man? I can't help but conclude it sounds derogatory in every circumstance and reveals an attitude towards women that in no way flatters the speaker. Am I overreacting?
Comments welcome .....

OP posts:

PacificDogwood · 23/09/2014 22:25

Shiny Dave said the queen purred at him?

OMG, that is so wrong on so many levels!

SqueezyCheeseWeasel · 23/09/2014 22:27

Just disrespectful, hugely unprofessional and belittling on an enormous scale. She should put him in the Tower for treason.

AnguaResurgam · 23/09/2014 22:28

Purring with pleasure is, I think, a reasonably well established idiom.

He was an utter twat to have said this at all where it could be overheard.

And of course, I see the Queen as leaning to equine or canine (not feline) so would expect whinnying or wagging (but neither of those is exactly common parlance)

HolyQuadrityDrinkFeckArseGirls · 23/09/2014 22:29

I was at DC sexualising the Queen like that. 80% offended and 20% .

PacificDogwood · 23/09/2014 22:30

I've just googled the news stories - what a smug, self-satisfied twat of the highest order.
I did think that of him before this latest gaff btw.
I am not a royalist either, but yes, it is belittling, disrespectful and self-congratulatory - I am not sure why I am surprised...

joanofarchitrave · 23/09/2014 22:32

This story brought out my inner monarchist, I have to say. What an utter twat we have for a PM sometimes. I hope the Queen is ignoring it, I would be furious if I were her. Purred indeed.

PacificDogwood · 23/09/2014 22:33

We are none of us amused

SlicedAndDiced · 23/09/2014 22:34

It always imagined the queen would sort of....hiss when pleased.

SevenZarkSeven · 23/09/2014 22:38

Huh?

David cameron said the queen purred at him?

WTAF?

YonicScrewdriver · 23/09/2014 22:39

It's pretty crap but it's of a piece with his "Calm down dear"; he's on the less sexist end of the spectrum but some is pretty ingrained.

Here's the report (DC was speaking to Mayor Bloomberg and was overheard)

Recalling that he had called the Queen to say "it's all right", he said: "She purred down the line. I've never heard someone so happy."

SevenZarkSeven · 23/09/2014 22:40

Oooh yuck that is really inappropriate somehow.

Just.... bleurgh.

NickAndNora · 23/09/2014 22:45

It's a way of belittling a powerful woman by making her sound girlish and coquettish, rather than stateswomanlike, over a very serious matter. In a man-to-man conversation Cameron chose to imply the Queen was sexually grateful to him for retaining the Union. Seeing as how the whole clusterfuck was his fault in the first place and he had to resort to practically crying on television to try to salvage it, I think this choice of language is his way of attempting to reassert his damaged sense of masculinity.

JustTheRightBullets · 23/09/2014 22:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

YonicScrewdriver · 23/09/2014 22:49

"I think this choice of language is his way of attempting to reassert his damaged sense of masculinity"

I don't think so; I think his language is very engrained in him and sometimes comes out unconsciously when he isn't watching it.

tribpot · 23/09/2014 22:56

Utterly inappropriate to comment on the Queen's reaction to the outcome of the referendum in any way, let alone in such an appalling one.

Oh to be a fly on the wall of his next one-to-one with her in which I think a distinctly un-purring bollocking could be in order. Purring down the phone? Do me a fucking favour. (I imagine she won't say that, but Prince Philip might).

BerylStreep · 23/09/2014 23:14

Purring makes me think of that revolting scene on Celebrity Big Brother with Rula Lenska and George Galloway.

NickandNora you have hit it on the head exactly.

Bleurgh. How patronising.

Behoove · 23/09/2014 23:16

He was obviously boasting about "when I spoke to the Queen"
Her maj will not be amused, I wouldn't want to be in his shoes next time he goes to visit her.

YonicScrewdriver · 23/09/2014 23:20

I don't think the prime minister of the uk was boasting to the mayor of New York .

OddFodd · 23/09/2014 23:22

God he really is an odious toad isn't he? How crass and stupid. I'm embarrassed for him

MrsSchadenfreude · 23/09/2014 23:22

Off with his head.

Behoove · 23/09/2014 23:23

That's my impression after watching it on the news, he looked very pleased with himself. I don't know what their respective political positions have anything to do with it.

Biscoff · 23/09/2014 23:24

Misogynist is, misogynist does.

DoYouEverFeelLikeAPlasticBag · 23/09/2014 23:25

Disrespectful, and utterly inappropriate. She is always at great pains to appear impartial politically, and I would imagine she would be furious to hear that her reaction (purring or otherwise) has leaked out like this.

What an utter twat that man is. I hope he gets a severe bollocking.

I too was instantly in mind of the George Galloway 'purring' incident.

YonicScrewdriver · 23/09/2014 23:25

You don't?

If I spoke to the queen, I'd boast about it as a one off, prestigious experience. He's the prime minister - he speaks to her every week and he's a powerful man - why would he boast?

I think it was a twatty thing to say, sure.

applecatchers36 · 23/09/2014 23:26

He's an entitled, arrogant public school boy who can't relate to women and sometimes his misogynistic views leak out of his Teflon Coated suit, Repulsive, disrespectful man.

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