Ridiculously sexist government advert

[Pickles89]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55844367

It's funny, I thought we were in the 21st century! My mistake...

Oh FFS

How can there be anyone left in existence who isn't aware of this and the importance of avoiding it?

I had to point out the exact same issue on a project I'm working on recently - and the designer WAS A WOMAN

Thunk.

Although.....BBC very quick to point this out whilst very peeved about objections to programmes brainwashing kids with trans ideology

[The advert] does not reflect our view on women and we have removed it."

Of course it does. People would have had to review this and approve it, and no one saw an issue with the fact that the households show women looking after the baby? Homeschooling their children, and teaching their daughter to clean the house.

So the men who approved this nodded to themselves, went “yes, looks accurate - no doubt the boys are out climbing trees and playing football, and the men are out doing Serious Man Careers”.

A small point, I know, but does reflect on the age and immaturity (and common sense) of those who put this advert together.

The woman ironing whilst holding a baby??!

That image could only be created by someone who had never either ironed or held a baby. Can you imagine the safety risks??!

Do you know, I saw this and couldn’t even be bothered being pissed off by it. Atm, my life, on account of being female is exactly what’s depicted there. Same for all the other women I know IRL (who admittedly I know because we’re mothers to young kids).

Seems everyone knows what a woman is when there’s housework or childcare to be done...

@womanity yes in a way I would have actually been impressed if the government had turned around and said “we stand by this as a sad depiction of the reality of many woman who, statistics show, have had to take on much more of the burden at home” instead of a mealy mouthed half arsed “apology”.

A lot of design work gets outsourced to countries where rates of pay are lower. I wouldn't be surprised if this had been done in India, for example, where gender roles might be more traditional. All the people have dark hair too (as a blonde I tend to notice this sort of thing!)

It should have been picked up though, even if this was the case!

Him not what they think about women, yet mums get a pat on the head from Rishni Sunak(sp) hmm

How do the BBC know that the images of the person holding the baby etc are women?

Sums up Mr Johnson's attitudes towards women and certain ethnic minorities in one picture very well.

It may reflect the reality for many women, but that doesn’t mean it should’ve shown like that - in this context, where it’s not being questioned or pointed out and is incidental to the main point, it just functions as a model that reinforces those roles for everyone who sees it, including kids who are learning what’s expected of them.

Lol. Seems like that's a 'stay at home women!!' message.

Don't you just love the fact that the only male is on the sofa, chilling, having a nice time. Except that one, all the other women are doing something domestic.

Was it a Harry Enfield sketch in the 90s? Women! Know your place

Hmm, DH is an art director and animator who works on similar projects. He says there is online chat amongst art directors that there is a suspicion that this illustration was commissioned to be deliberately sexist. Their thinking is that Dominic Cummings et al instigated a policy of deliberately stoking up the "culture wars" between the sections of society that think this is awful and the others who don't care or think it's funny, divide and conquer style. They try to shoehorn this into all sorts of government policies and communications.
I thought this sounded a bit conspiracy theoryesque "never ascribe to malice what can be explained by incompetence" etc. But I'm not sure it it's all that far fetched, Boris and pals do seem to deliberately annoy people to suit their own agenda (see Bojos recent trip to Scotland).

"How do the BBC know that the images of the person holding the baby etc are women?"

Exactly.

The lady in the last house totally rocks her dungarees though, not a whiff of Dexys Midnight Runners going on.

@womanity

Do you know, I saw this and couldn’t even be bothered being pissed off by it. Atm, my life, on account of being female is exactly what’s depicted there. Same for all the other women I know IRL (who admittedly I know because we’re mothers to young kids).

Seems everyone knows what a woman is when there’s housework or childcare to be done...

Your second paragraph especially is spot on.