Halfords and every day sexism

[Baxer]

A poster started a thread about this on another section but I think it warrants a mention on here.

This might be a small issue when it comes to the huge battles women face at the moment, but for me these small instances of everyday sexism are a huge problem when you add them all together.

Halfords have decide to call two of their women’s bikes ‘Entice’ and ‘Virtue’. [name edited by MNHQ at OP's request] As the poster pointed out on her thread, it feeds into the misogynistic attitude that women are either enticing or pure.

On the other thread a large number of people couldn’t understand why it was a big deal, but for me these small acts of every day sexism are a big problem when you add them all up and whilst I can see through them, I worry about my daughters and other young women being exposed to these attitudes.

I have tweeted Halfords, but I suspect they will just ignore me like other companies do when I point these issues out.

(just to be clear, I am far from girlhood now!)

The other examples from Halfords are just awful. Honestly, we sneer at 1950s stereotypes but I think the 2010s have been far worse in many ways

The "other examples" appear to have been stored by a poster from goodness only knows when to trot out as another outraged example. Halfords' current website so far as children’s cycles and helmets scrupulously avoids designating items for boys or girls. The "other examples" are fictitious.

So far as adult bikes there are several names which are applied to men's and women's bikes (Phaze, Hellcat, Carerra are just some of the ones I remember)

The OP has cherry picked 2 names out of a long list and decided to attribute the worst possible meaning.

As for Halfords staff, they did my MOT this year for the first time after my usual big name dealer couldn't fit me in. I was pleased that unlike the big name dealer they didn't offer a pile of expensive and unnecessary additions but stuck to exactly what they quoted.

I'm wondering what 'Entice' and 'Virtue' have to do with cycling unless it's things like 'I will entice you up that f%cking huge hill, or 'I wish I had virtual legs to get up that f%ing huge hill'

The "other examples" appear to have been stored by a poster from goodness only knows when to trot out as another outraged example. Halfords' current website so far as children’s cycles and helmets scrupulously avoids designating items for boys or girls. The "other examples" are fictitious.

Yes, it did cross my mind that those examples were possibly doctored images.
However, dh and I were recently directed by my sil to buy a 'more girlie' version of a traditionally unisex plaything for our little niece, so I'm feeling slightly jaded by all this at the moment!

@PlanDeRaccordement

I just can’t get worked up about this as everyday sexism. These are brand names of bike models. Not women. You look at a list of car model, perfume and shoe brand names and you get just as many silly names.

That doesn't make it right though, does it. It's the constant drip drip effect, so that we barely notice it anymore, unless it's more extreme.

@aliasundercover

This sort of stuff is annoying, but it's always worth remembering that companies - certainly successful companies - respond to demand. Halfords wouldn't have an aisle of pink accessories for women if there weren't a significant number of women buying them.

I doubt if there's a patriarchy committee at Halfords trying to maintain male supremacy by giving names such as 'virtue' to bikes aimed at girls, but they will know which models sell well and will order more of them. Nobody at Halfords would care in the slightest if the top selling bike for girls was called 'Apollo Pretty' or 'Apollo Suffragette', all they care about is if it sells.

The thing is that I have a ton of cycling clothes in my wardrobe that are pink - do I love pink? Nope. Is pink often the only available colour in what I'm looking for or the cheapest price or on sale? Too blimmin often. So yes, I buy it, but I'd rather blooming well have it in a different colour.

I've ranted about sexism in cycling shops on MN before. I was a decent junior rider, but will they still address DH if he's with me or generally patronize me if I'm on my own? Uh huh. Sadly, sexism is rife in the cycling world. Want to talk about "getting chicked"?

Fortunately, there are cycling shops out there who will treat you as a cyclist and not "a lady".

@FunnyInjury

Plan it's not the name per se but the message!

Entice/Virtue is the age old madonna/whore tag.

There are millions of words they could use instead which would be more appropriate than that shit.

You mean that's what you thought of when you read those words. Other people didn't.

There’s a male one called Evade? As in evade paying child maintenance? Yes, suits them!

Silly names and why are their male and female bikes anyway? Why not different sizes? The names might seem trivial but they matter!

*Is pink often the only available colour in what I'm looking for or the cheapest price or on sale? Too blimmin often. So yes, I buy it, but I'd rather blooming well have it in a different colour. I've ranted about sexism in cycling shops on MN before. I was a decent junior rider, but will they still address DH if he's with me or generally patronize me if I'm on my own? Uh huh. Sadly, sexism is rife in the cycling world. Want to talk about "getting

Not sure I believe you. I was an avid mountain trail cyclist in my youth and there was never any problem finding cycling shorts or shirts in colours other than pink. Even when I was a poor student and could only shop the sale rack. And this was 30yrs to 5yrs ago. I never really had an issue with shop staff treating me in a sexist way, but I’d often show up at the shop having cycled there and just looking at me and my bike were confirmation enough that I wasn’t some weekend park path cyclist. I still cycle, but have slowed down a bit due to age.

Maybe MumsNet should suggest names to Halfords? Nightingale, Curie, Pankhurst, Bronte, for example. I had a bike called a Raleigh Athena in my youth. Seemed a strong name.

Or actually what about Boudicca? It could have pink swords coming out of the wheels. Ideal for social distancing.

The thing is that I have a ton of cycling clothes in my wardrobe that are pink - do I love pink? Nope. Is pink often the only available colour in what I'm looking for or the cheapest price or on sale? Too blimmin often. So yes, I buy it, but I'd rather blooming well have it in a different colour.

I agree with this.

On its pure aesthetic qualities, pink would be, to me, a middle-of-the-road colour: not my favourite, but not abominable. However, I deeply resent the assumption on the part of businesses that sell women's sportswear that I must love pink, if I'm female. Whenever affordable, I go out of my way to buy gear that isn't pink.

Apart from anything else, pink exercise gear clashes with the shade of red my face turns when I'm hot and sweaty and I don't want to see that out of the corner of my eye in the gym mirror. I don't expect anyone else does, either.

@PlanDeRaccordement

*Is pink often the only available colour in what I'm looking for or the cheapest price or on sale? Too blimmin often. So yes, I buy it, but I'd rather blooming well have it in a different colour. I've ranted about sexism in cycling shops on MN before. I was a decent junior rider, but will they still address DH if he's with me or generally patronize me if I'm on my own? Uh huh. Sadly, sexism is rife in the cycling world. Want to talk about "getting

Not sure I believe you. I was an avid mountain trail cyclist in my youth and there was never any problem finding cycling shorts or shirts in colours other than pink. Even when I was a poor student and could only shop the sale rack. And this was 30yrs to 5yrs ago. I never really had an issue with shop staff treating me in a sexist way, but I’d often show up at the shop having cycled there and just looking at me and my bike were confirmation enough that I wasn’t some weekend park path cyclist. I still cycle, but have slowed down a bit due to age.

So just because someone else’s experience was different to yours, they are talking rubbish and you are right?

JFC, grow up!! You sound about 12!!

@PlanDeRaccordement

I just can’t get worked up about this as everyday sexism. These are brand names of bike models. Not women. You look at a list of car model, perfume and shoe brand names and you get just as many silly names.

You have just illustrated how pervasive this is!

As a pp said, on its own each of these examples are small fry, sure. But if you see each one as a single brick in a ruddy Great Wall of sexist shite....

It gets one down.

@lazylinguist

I can say this is the kind of thing that has historically turned me off feminism

Feminism means wanting equality for women. That's all. Being 'turned off' wanting equality for women because some feminists care about aspects you don't find important sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face tbh. It's quite possible to care about the big issues and the small ones. I very much doubt that any feminists say "Oh I'm only cross about bike names and leg shaving. The sex pay gap and domestic violence are fine by me."

An excellent post which I agree with. It made me laugh out loud.

I don't know if Halfords are an MN advertiser but if they are and if I were in charge of their marketing budget I'd be looking for this thread to be pulled, an apology and I'd be re- considering any future spending.

Halfords' "every day sexism" consists of one poster's very selective cherry picking and her own very selective interpretation of 2 words and other posts which are either downright lies or at best doctored images from historic advertising.

@MissBarbary really? If I was Halfords I would be looking to attract more customers and would want to remove anything which offends. That’s usually how it works these days. People have a right to discuss the thinking behind the naming of these bikes. If there was a bike called a blatantly racist name then I hope that would be removed, not the thread pulled!

Have you actually looked at Halfords website or are you taking the OP's posts and interpretation as gospel?

There are comments on this thread which verge from simply ridiculous to actually malicious.

I can see there are plenty of other bikes on their website. It does stop the names of these two being offensive - just because they are jumbled up with all the others.

@TorringtonDean

I can see there are plenty of other bikes on their website. It does stop the names of these two being offensive - just because they are jumbled up with all the others.

I don't find them offensive as unlike the OP I'm not falling over myself to put the worst possible, stretched interpretation on them.

Do you have any comment about the fictitious posts on here about children's cycles and helmets?

What a silly post. Expressing a different view point is "controlling"

What exactly is over dramatic about pointing out the fictitious posts? Are you (general you) happy for those lies to stand?

@TorringtonDean

I can see there are plenty of other bikes on their website. It does stop the names of these two being offensive - just because they are jumbled up with all the others.

Sorry but there is nothing offensive about the words Virtue and Entice. It’s not like they named the bike cuntrocker and bitchbike

As a pp said, on its own each of these examples are small fry, sure. But if you see each one as a single brick in a ruddy Great Wall of sexist shite....

No, I don’t see them as sexist names. They are simply names associated with femininity. And there is nothing wrong with with feminine names for 2 out of 40+ women’s bikes. In fact I think it’s horrible that most women’s bikes have masculine names. It appears that any feminine name is considered offensive and only masculine names are acceptable. Isn’t that the definition of toxic masculinity? To value all names masculine, and reject all names feminine?

Nothing offensive? I agree they play to the Madonna/whore stereotypes. Maybe not as platantly as calling them Chastity and Harlot but it’s the subtext. Although I also suspect the names were picked by someone whose first language isn’t English and maybe they didn’t appreciate the subtleties.

Yes, the helmet ad surely looks a fake but I suspect that other bike ad is real.