Another day, another misguided sexist joke from a company that should know better. Except this one has the extra dig of being told on the centenary celebration of women first receiving the right to vote. It was made by a Tfl worker on a ‘thought of the day’ whiteboard inside Colliers Green station, the second scandal of a similar nature this year.
The ‘joke’ was as follows:
‘100 years ago, suffragette Emily Davison died after throwing herself in front of the king’s horse. History remembers her as being influential in giving women the right to vote. What history doesn’t remember is her husband, who didn’t get his tea that night!’
Seemingly, it went down like a led balloon on Twitter.
Not only was it factually incorrect, she died in 1913 and didn’t have a husband, it just wasn’t plain funny. On an opportune moment to commemorate a woman who gave her life for us to vote, Tfl chose to make a sexist, not even remotely funny joke. While it may not seem like the biggest problem we’re facing right now as women, it only serves as a reminder that everyday seemingly small acts of sexism perpetuate an acceptance of sexism at a larger standard.
We can accept the odd sexist joke here and there, not all feminists are humourless, but to make one like this, ridiculing a woman who was trampled to death fighting for civil rights, ridicules the entire movement at a time when women are still hugely misrepresented in parliament, two are murdered every week because of domestic violence and 250 million girls worldwide don’t have access to basic education.
Just last week, we reported that FGM still impacts over 9000 women in the UK every year, with no convictions. Maybe that would be an opportune statistic to report on a ‘thought of the day board’? Or maybe they could celebrate the laws we have because of female MPs, who never could have made a difference without women like Emily Davison.
Its’ not the first time Tfl have come under fire for a misguided thought of the day either, last month Lily Allen posted a video to Twitter showing a staff member rubbing off a message that had been complained about for its celebration of colonialism. It read:
‘On this day in history: On the 22-23 of January 1879 in natal South Africa, a small British garrison named Rorke’s Drift was attack [sic] by 4,000 Zulu warriors.
‘The garrison was successfully defended by just over 150 British and colonial troops. Following the battle, eleven men were awarded the Victoria Cross.’
While many people defended the message as a factual account of history, the implication of the message was clearly pro-colonialism, almost re-celebrating the fact that the British successfully invaded territory killing almost 7000 Zulu’s.
As Evelyn Clegg addressed on Twitter after Tfl apologised to her, the lack of equality and diversity training in the company is prevalent in both of these incidents. A spokesperson for Tfl said:
‘This message was wrong and inappropriate in multiple ways, and completely unacceptable.
‘We apologise for the offence caused and the message has been removed as quickly as possible.
‘An investigation is underway in to who thought this was a good idea, and the appropriate action will be taken.
‘We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind, and actively work to create more opportunities for women in our industry and celebrate those who fought for the rights of women.
Check out the women fighting sexism and more online...
Inspirational Instagram Accounts You Should Follow
1 of 24Women In Comics
Illustrating inspirational images and depicting women in comic form, this account will brighten up your timeline with some home truths in the form of pretty pictures.
2 of 24Adwoa Aboah
This insanely beautiful model founded GURLS TALK, an online community where women from all backgrounds can share their personal experiences in a safe space.
3 of 24Alicia Garza
Alicia is an editor and activist who co-created #BlackLivesMatter. Her feed is a mixture of relatable memes, unfiltered selfies and educational posts to keep you woke.
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4 of 24Amandla Stenberg
You might recognise this actor from The Hunger Games, when she played the character only character we cried endless tears for, Rue. Now, while still acting, she's a full-fledged activist posting about everything gender, feminism and black culture.
5 of 24MuslimGirl/Amani
Amani created the fast-growing activism account @MuslimGirl, another one you should definitely follow. She has spoken across the world about Muslim women and posts everything from badass selfies to stats you need to know.
6 of 24Amber Amour
Amber created @CreatingConsentCulture which aims to educate people on rape culture and support rape and sexual assault survivors. She's also outspoken about racism and sex work, her feed will be endless many dinner party talking points.
7 of 24Amber Rose
You may only know Amber Rose as Kanye's ex, but think again. Amber is a sex positivity icon, with her own pocast 'Loveline with Amber Rose' up until 2018 that aimed to promote healthy sexual relationships and self-love. If you can get past the fact she advertised flat tummy tea once (fgs Amber), you'll love her feminism-filled feed.
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8 of 24Beverly Bond
Author of 'Black Girls Rock', Beverly's posts will have you both inspired and enraged, filled with commentary on everyday injustices.
9 of 24Bree Newsome
You may recognise Bree as the activist who took down the confederate flag from a flagpole outside the South Carolina Capitol building. She's continuing her activism with inspiring art you need to see.
10 of 24Cameron Russell
An american model who called out the fashion industry for sexual harassment and assault, she started the #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse hashtag. Her instagram is full of inspiring stories and educational videos exposing different injustices within her industry and beyond.
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11 of 24Iskra Lawrence
If your not already following Iskra, your living under an Instagram rock. The body positive model started her own business, everyBODY with Iskra, to give health and fitness advice beyond just getting super skinny. You need her body posi vibes in your life.
12 of 24Jessamyn
Another super body positive account to follow, Jessamyn is a yoga teacher regularly posting about the emotional and physical benefits of body positivity and practicing yoga.
13 of 24Joanna Thangiah
Shun your timeline of filtered selfies and over exposed holiday destinations. It's time for some feminist, mental health aware art! This account is amazing for cute cartoons that say everything we're already feeling.
14 of 24Judy Reyes
You'll probably remember Judy as Carla from Scrubs, or one of the other thousand TV show she's been in throughout her insanely successful career. Unlike most Hollywood actors, her Insta is full of activism and news you need to know.
15 of 24Logan Browning
Activist and actor, Logan Browning is the lead of Netflix hit Dear White People. Posting powerful content and links to charities you can donate to so you can turn your online activism into action- she's a force to be reckoned with.
16 of 24Makers Women
MAKERS is a storytelling platform for women, posting quotes to keep you inspired throughout the day. Stay up to date with gender injustice, while also feeling hopeful with the powerful words these amazing women have to say.
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17 of 24Nimisha Bhanot
Another artist you need to follow, Nimisha creates amazing prints (which you can buy) critiquing societal perceptions of South Asian women. She's based in Canada, but these prints can brighten up your timeline anywhere.
18 of 24Muslim Girl
Muslim Girl, where 'muslim women talk back' is an account ran by Amani. Advocating for issues facing muslim women, both accounts are an inspiration and necessity on your feed.
19 of 24Project Consent
There's no time like the present to be educating people on consent. This account does exactly that, and gives you the perfect explanations, comebacks and reminders to throw out at a dinner party if the issue comes up.
20 of 24Rowan Blanchard
Gone are the days of Disney stars going off the rails, this actor and activist is a beacon of positivity- especially online. Fighting gender and race injustice and beyond, she's one to watch.
21 of 24Rupi Kaur
Rupi made headlines in 2015 when she posted pictures of her on Instagram with visible menstrual blood. Her posts were blocked by Instagram, causing backlash against the social media platform. She continues to break boundaries with her writing and poetry.
22 of 24Sophie King
This UK based embroidery artist is an up-and-coming star, embroidering feminist slogans onto everything from bras to roses. Bring her insta to life with her slogan t-shirts, or just stare at the pretty pictures, either way she's someone you should follow.
23 of 24The Vulva Gallery
Our favourite of all the accounts, the vulva gallery promotes self-love in an area SO often ignored. With two-thirds of women avoiding smear tests, life-saving procedures, because of the look of their vagina, it's time we stopped all of the self-loathing around genitals. Providing a regular reminder that all vaginas are beautiful, if you only follow one account of this list, it should be this one.
24 of 24Trash Is For Tossers
Lauren Singer lives an entirely waste-free life. Yes, you can actually do that. As #plasticfree takes over our news feed, it's time you had some daily advice on how exactly to reduce your waste. Save the planet!