Is this acceptable, or sexist and racist?

[Mid A 15]

Just today coincidentally I spoke to a man who was forced to wear a tie on "dress down days" at work whereas the women could wear what they like.

He was given short shrift when he attempted to argue the point with his employer. One could therefore argue that the balance has tipped the other way.......

[Katharine]

Just today coincidentally I spoke to a man who was forced to wear a tie on "dress down days" at work whereas the women could wear what they like.

He was given short shrift when he attempted to argue the point with his employer. One could therefore argue that the balance has tipped the other way.......

The balance may have been tipped in that organisation but not everywhere.

I was recently the only woman on an appointed church finance committee, I did not know all the men on it before the first meeting. I worried about being a 'token' woman and not being accepted for myself. I should not have had that worry - nor should a man in the reverse situation. We should all be accepted for ourselves. Sadly this is not always the case.

[Mid A 15]

Just today coincidentally I spoke to a man who was forced to wear a tie on "dress down days" at work whereas the women could wear what they like.

He was given short shrift when he attempted to argue the point with his employer. One could therefore argue that the balance has tipped the other way.......

The balance may have been tipped in that organisation but not everywhere.

I was recently the only woman on an appointed church finance committee, I did not know all the men on it before the first meeting. I worried about being a 'token' woman and not being accepted for myself. I should not have had that worry - nor should a man in the reverse situation. We should all be accepted for ourselves. Sadly this is not always the case.

It cuts both ways Katharine. I have found myself as the only male on our Church Child Protection Committee as the Parish Priest was desperate for some sort of male representation and my dearly beloved put my name forward!

In this day and age a man on any form of committee to do with children can be made to feel very uncomfortable.

The sad thing is I can understand why that should be which is a very poor indictment of the society in which we now live.

[icomefromalanddownunder]

And about the banter between kiwis and aussies - that rivalry has existed since before either country really existed - you know, goes back almost 200 years so its the norm. Such "banter" between us and say, immigrants isn't really acceptable because of cultural differences between western/other cultures (aussies and kiwis, whilst different, share a western culture), so thats why well, its just not acceptable. Its more about having respect for and celebrating the diversity we have.

Oh dear, I've started and restarted this reply, and just can't seem to articulate what I want to say without sounding disrespectful, or, at best, like a grumpy old woman/f$rt.

Define Kiwi: an inhabitant of Aoteoroa, or only british migrants? Is it OK for white Kiwis of British descent (or should we include the Dutch, Swiss, German) to trade 'banter' with Maoris, who, incidentally, would claim that their country existed for some time, thank you very much, prior to european settlement

You also seem to have a somewhat biased view of the Australian population. While the majority may still claim european descent, I can assure you that there is sufficient cultural diversity between the Poms, Itis and Greeks to turn intended banter into perceived abuse. Probably best that I don't get started on the cultural differences between my friends of German descent and myself. Oh, and I almost forgot the aboriginals.

My opinion, for what it is worth, is that only people who do not feel comfortable in their own skins have the need to denigrate others, and that if they cannot find someone who is culturally different to them, they will pick on someone of the opposite gender, of a different sexual orientation, of .............blah, blah,blah.

Enough, I think.

Caroline