Just to say

Ladyleftfieldlover

On page 49 of today’s Observer - the main section - Catherine Bennett mentions the Gransnet ‘Angela Rayner ghastly trouser suit’ discussion.

C Bennett wasn’t amused.

I’ve had to type it twice!

For those who haven’t seen the article here is the link. It doesn’t show Gransnet in a good light.

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jul/14/reducing-labour-women-to-the-sum-of-their-outfits-is-suddenly-all-the-rage

Totally agree with her. That discussion was an absolute disgrace. I could believe the amount of people who jumped on board. No I didn't read it all, the first few squalid posts were enough for me.

It was offensive

It doesn’t surprise me at all that it’s been picked up. The worst element (apart from the ferocity and mendacity of some of the insults), was the complete lack of awareness of where the line actually is when criticising others, despite lots of people pointing that out and trying to steer it back on course. I hope this article gives people pause for thought. Gransnet can be horrible sometimes but this plumbed the depths.

It'll probably start up again, with the "speak as I find" element.

The clique will huddle round, I suppose.

Having read the article it seems that the journalist doesn’t like a woman to be criticised for fashion reasons.Am sure she’d be happy for that to be confined to men.
Anyway who cares, a short article in The Guardian isn’t exactly prime time tv.
Mind you it’s a bit of fame for GN who seems to be the poor relation of MN who regularly get mentions.
Does the OP think GN members should be quaking in their boots?😄

Aren’t we all the ‘speak as we find’ element? Otherwise what’s the point of a forum?

Thanks for the link Grannynannywanny.

Relieved that I was not the only one who found it heroically unfunny.

Oreo

Aren’t we all the ‘speak as we find’ element? Otherwise what’s the point of a forum?

No we shouldn’t be quaking in our boots.

The columnist did point out that newspapers such as the Daily Mail rarely comment negatively on what Tory Ministers wear. Teresa what’s her name anyone…

I agree Caslon, the GN comments were mainly appalling. And just wait, the DM are known for stealing articles so in a day or so GN will be picked to pieces by those keyboard warriors who haunt the comment pages.

I think I quoted the wrong thing!

The day we stop commenting for fear of being quoted and not appearing ‘in a good light’ is the day I leave Gransnet.

It was out of context. The journalist neglected to point out that those of us who disagreed with some of the comments called them out. She obviously thinks we have left our eyes for fashion back in the sixties.

Bumface

Relieved that I was not the only one who found it heroically unfunny.

Actually that's not fair several people expressed disapproval.

Unfortunately the Guardian article gave the impression that the posts were all in the same vein as OP's "either no bra or a badly fitted one" about Angela Raynor or another poster's comment about Lisa Nandy's VPL. The comment about AR looking like a tart was also mentioned although it was, quite rightly reported and taken down.

I think she is wrong to say that Meghan's clothes are a target for female bitching. Certainly on GN I've never seen that, other than someone criticising the dress she wore to a polo match. Meghan always looks well dressed.
I totally missed the comment about the VPL, but maybe it got lost amongst the dozens of complimentary comments about others' outfits, including AR's red dress, and her white dress last week.

Seeing ourselves as others see us…

The only time to worry is when that is the only thing we have an opinion on.

I doubt this thread will make 1,000 posts. The thread that she is discussing was in poor taste and IMO should be consigned to the dustbin, where it belongs, unfortunately it now has an almost indestructible online presence!

foxie48

I doubt this thread will make 1,000 posts. The thread that she is discussing was in poor taste and IMO should be consigned to the dustbin, where it belongs, unfortunately it now has an almost indestructible online presence!

This.

This kind of brings a new perspective on using Gransnet because in order to post, you must register as a user and verify a valid email address. Although the discussion may have been in poor taste, it seems that Catherine Bennett taking the GN discussion and posting it in a public newspaper was in poor taste also.

Vito

Totally agree with her. That discussion was an absolute disgrace. I could believe the amount of people who jumped on board. No I didn't read it all, the first few squalid posts were enough for me.

same here, I was shocked to learn that so many posters were `gutter-driven`

The fact remains, Angela Rayner looked a mess.

The pretentious article by C. Bennett reminded me why I never read the Guardian.

In future, look out for the harsh one or two liners that are thrown into discussions to incite other posters to either join or challenge. It fuels these toxic discussions and before you know it people are taking to their key boards as they never have before. Every piece of writing has an audience and the potency of the author's creation is only tested by audience response. Fascinating to observe the manipulative control some posters have over 'their' audience.