Oh for FUCK’s sake.
Hey @nationaltrust – this stupid hat is for sale at Tatton Park. Your young female visitors deserve better merch (+ better grammar) pic.twitter.com/isTBCSHm3L
— Laura Goss (@GosstoesGoss) August 29, 2017
A pink hat bearing the slogan “FUTURE FOOTBALLERS[sic] WIFE”? Why on EARTH?
That’s so intensely, even maliciously insulting that it makes my teeth hurt. “Hahaha toots, you’re not anything, you’ll never be anything, all you can aspire to is being somebody’s wife. Enjoy your visit to Tatton Park!”
The Tatton Park people did remove it, but with an uncomprehending gloss.
…Following your complaint we can confirm that they have been removed from sale. We apologise for any offence caused. 2/2
— Tatton Park (@tatton_park) August 29, 2017
That’s just insulting all over again. One, the “any” – as if they were having a hard time figuring out what the problem was. And “offence” – it’s not just a matter of “offence.” The slogan on the hat is wildly insulting, yes, but that’s not the same thing as “offence,” and in any case it’s more than just insulting – it’s also belittling and destructive.
Who comes up with these things? And why? They loll about the shop barnstorming ideas for this season’s tourist shop hats…and that’s what they come up with? How?
Comments
10 responses to “Following your complaint”
Probably because there are enough mothers who will find this cute and appropriate that they figure they can make money off the damn thing. Then someone complains, so it becomes noticed in the “wrong” way, and they pull it. That will, of course, probably cue in some mothers who think the damn thing is cute and appropriate, and who will rush on cue to complain that they don’t see anything wrong with this and now they can’t get one for their little girl, who will look so cute in this, and by the way, what’s wrong with being the future wife of a footballer (even with bad grammar).
By the way, I speak from experience. That is exactly what my sister would do (if she were still alive and living in the right part of the world. In Oklahoma, where she lived, they probably would never pull the hat).
Next up: “Daddys[sic] Little Gold Digger”
I am SO TIRED of the “offense” card. Stop making this about the emotions of the complainant! Nothing worse than mounting a rational critique and then having your critique reduced to “feelz” with the rational aspect completely ignored. And by the same token, complainants have to stop playing the offense card themselves: feelings of discomfort aren’t enough to disqualify something from existing in the public arena (although they don’t count for nothing).
Holms, I’ve seen a child of about six wearing a t-shirt bearing that motto, or one very similar. Also available in Britain at one time or another were (from memory) ‘Stop Staring at my Ass!’ across joggers/tracksuit bottoms for pre-schoolers and, for the same age group a bright pink t-shirt with lots of glitter and the heartwarming message ‘Porn Star in Training’.
Clothing of this kind is usually found on market stalls and such, and only rarely does it get past the buyers for large, ‘reputable’ companies, but I do recall the uproar a few years ago when Tesco started selling padded bra and thongs sets for girls as young as five, and more recently another company – I forget who and can’t be arsed to check) was stocking junior pole dancing kits.
The only even slightly risque thing I can recall seeing for boys was a sleepsuit patterned with toy cars, teddy bears and so on wkith the motto ‘Toy Boy’.
I did what any right-thinking entitled person does and sent an email:
That will certainly fix it.
I live a few miles from Tatton Park; it’s a beautiful place. This seems to be an early extreme of a tendency I’ve noticed for national trust gift shops to sell more and more tat, rather than “relevant” items. It’s a shame; I get a lot of use from my national trust membership. Maybe I’ll have to switch to English Heritage (goes off to check out their gift shops).
For the rest of the world. Top of the Google heap is this description:
‘Historic estate with Tudor hall, neo-classical mansion, lavish gardens, a deer park and playground.’
So not a beach boardwalk, or a carny booth. A National Trust site, no less.
@3: Agreed; thought so for years. Offense is for social faux pas like dropping an F-bomb at a formal party or telling the hosts their house looks shabby. It does not cover things that are actual attacks on justice.
@3 and 8: and added to that, the “offense” card also gives “justice” to those who are currently in the privileged classes who might feel “offense” at some of the things they see. Then people who are prone to feeling sympathy for everyone will feel sympathy for them, and the MRAs, NeoNazis, KKKers, and other racist misogynist nationalist groups get to hear how much we need to understand them, that they have feelings too, and that we are being “mean”.
No, I am not “offended” by that hat (well, actually I am, but that’s irrelevant to whether someone has a right to wear or sell it). I am among a group that has suffered systemic oppression, and that hat is part of it…which is difficult for people to understand. “It’s just a hat, damn it. Can’t you lighten up? Must you always be a humorless feminazi?” So our job of gaining proper understanding for our position is quite difficult, but we must continue. Thanks, latsot, your e-mail is beautiful. I wish I thought someone would heed it.
latsot – that is a great rebuke.