[Ammi]

...thoughts etc...?...(..it’s been taken down now btw...I think the article says that...)...


Council under fire for 'misogynistic' tweet urging people to 'treat coronavirus like your mother-in-law'...

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Stockport council has come under fire for a ‘misogynistic’ tweet which urged people to treat coronavirus ‘like your mother-in-law’.

The post - which also appeared on Facebook - was intended as a humorous way of getting the message about social distancing across.

It read ‘the trick to social distancing is acting like your mother-in-law’s around every corner!’

But some felt it was badly misjudged - particularly in light of evidence that domestic violence against women has soared during lockdown.

The council has since removed the offending posts and said sorry for 'any upset caused'.

Coun Tom Morrison, who asked for them to be taken down, said it had done ‘nothing to help combat dangerous stereotypes that have spiked over recent months’.

Explaining his failure to see the funny side, he cited a south Manchester domestic violence charity reporting a 160pc increase in calls at the beginning of lockdown, and the UN describing the issue as a global ‘shadow pandemic’.

“This is simply unacceptable, I thought we left these kind of tropes back in the 1970s where they belong," he said.

“Across Stockport council, women are desperately under-represented. Is it any wonder when the council’s own social media team is putting out crass comments like this?

“We need to be doing everything we can to encourage more women to get involved in politics, not lumping stereotypes on them.”

It’s not the first time the town hall has run into trouble with its approach to coronavirus messaging.

Back in April it had to apologise after using the example of the 1986 Challenger disaster - in which seven astronauts died when the space shuttle exploded just seconds after lift off - to drum home a message about listening to expert advice.

Coun Morrison, who is the Lib Dems' shadow cabinet member for Inclusive Neighbourhoods, said he expected better in the future.

He said: “Stockport council needs to get it’s act in gear, retract this post, apologise, and clearly stop hiring Jim Davidson to write their social media content."

A spokesperson for Stockport council said: "The council has taken down the social media posts. We apologise for any upset caused."

[user104658]

It is misogynistic. Also dumb. Also, I don't even understand what it means!

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

It is misogynistic. Also dumb. Also, I don't even understand what it means!

...I guess it would mean to distance yourself as you would with your mother in law because of mother in law/type humour...take all precautions etc...

[Ammi]

...likening mother in law to COVID-19..?....

[James]

I didn't understand the message either.

There's an anti-speeding campaign in Scotland called 'Drive like Gran's in the car'.

Youtube video

[Ammi]

...sorry I was half asleep this morning, so probably posted a confusing OP...

[user104658]

Originally Posted by James

I didn't understand the message either.

There's an anti-speeding campaign in Scotland called 'Drive'like Gran's in the car'.

Youtube video

"Do you know how fast you were going back there???"

"I had no choice, officer! My gran is an adrenaline junkie!"

[Beso]

Its highlighted the need to social distance so it's all good.

[James]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...sorry I was half asleep this morning, so probably posted a confusing OP...

I meant not understanding the message behind the campaign, not your post.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by James

I didn't understand the message either.

There's an anti-speeding campaign in Scotland called 'Drive'like Gran's in the car'.

Youtube video

....hmmmm, yeah...but I don’t think it’s a one size fits all/type thing...obviously it’s a generalisation and targeted to female grandparents and not Male/or both...but it’s promoting a ‘balanced speed’, I would say...(...I don’t know if it’s inferring that he’s actually speeding or whether ‘gran’ just isn’t comfortable with his speed...it doesn’t really equate to attaching COVID-19 to a mother in law...imo...

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

"Do you know how fast you were going back there???"

"I had no choice, officer! My gran is an adrenaline junkie!"

...I think gran maybe just lusts after her pal Derrick...and she’s been stalking him and knows what time exactly he will cross that road...

[Ammi]

...shakin’ that ass, shakin’ that ass......

[Babayaro.]

I don't see the issue. It's clearly said in jest, and hardly the most offensive thing anyone has ever tweeted.

[bots]

i would judge the message by whether it was successful or not. If it had the required effect ... great, if it didn't then it was inappropriate

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Babayaro.

I don't see the issue. It's clearly said in jest, and hardly the most offensive thing anyone has ever tweeted.

...they did take it straight down and apologised as well...it’s just really looking at what others thought../...was it felt to be ‘Misogynist’/thoughtless or whatever, you know...

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

i would judge the message by whether it was successful or not. If it had the required effect ... great, if it didn't then it was inappropriate

...do you mean if it had been particularly noticed that many in that local area weren’t wearing masks ../...not socially distancing etc...and then they were after the ad in a marked way....?...

[Cherie]

I was thinking about this yesterday as there is a campaign to stop speeding, and it has Dad driving the kids around... when women speed too, you would never think we were in 2020

[Marsh.]

I can't work out how it's making light of domestic abuse.

[Crimson Dynamo]

I remember when i was married and a made a Freudian slip. I was having
dinner with my then Mother-in-Law, and I wanted to say, "Could you please
pass the wine?" "But instead I said, "You awful witch, you have completely
ruined my life."

[Niamh.]

It's out dated sexist ****e so I'm glad they took it down. I know it's supposed to be lighthearted etc and it's not the most offensive thing in the world but it does carry forward stupid stereotypes about women

[user104658]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

i would judge the message by whether it was successful or not. If it had the required effect ... great, if it didn't then it was inappropriate

I'm not sure I agree with the logic in that . The ends justify the means, essentially?

"Hey everyone, there's a demon worshipper here who says that killing puppies will reduce Covid!"

"Hmmm well if it has that effect then great and fine but if it doesn't decrease cases then it's a bit of a waste of perfectly good puppies isn't it."

[MTVN]

Aren't mother-in-law jokes mainly just based on the idea that they have this rose tinted view of their own child in contrast to their partner and that makes them overbearing and impossible to please etc. It can apply just as much to wives as husbands I'd have thought (as in women can also find their mother-in-law very frustrating)

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Aren't mother-in-law jokes mainly just based on the idea that they have this rose tinted view of their own child in contrast to their partner and that makes them overbearing and impossible to please etc. It can apply just as much to wives as husbands I'd have thought (as in women can also find their mother-in-law very frustrating)

and as most comedians were men it was the MIL that was targetted

[Marsh.]

Yeah I would have thought it stereotyped overbearing mothers as opposed to "women".

[smudgie]

Over reaction to a bit of tongue in cheek humour I think.