People are infuriated by this 'offensive' National Trust product
Another day, another Twitter accusation of #EverydaySexism.
A woman has accused the National Trust of sexism over a hat she found on sale at one its parks.
Twitter user Laura Goss shared a photo of a pink hat for sale at Tatton Park, which read 'Future Footballers Wife'
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 (@sparklepanties) August 29, 2017
Aside from its terrible grammar and the fact that the England ladies team have won more in recent years than England men have in the last decade, the hat is clearly fairly outdated and derogatory. The distastefulness of the hat is made all the more ironic by the National Trust's recent attempts to increase participation in outdoor activities amongst all genders:
Completely at odds with the @nationaltrust desire to increase participation in outdoor activities. Just the boys can play
— Jo Black (@Jbeeee) August 29, 2017
National Trust were quick to respond to Laura's complaint, with the hats being removed from sale pretty quickly:
Hi Laura, thanks for flagging, please could you pop an email over to the team at Tatton Park? (1/2)
— National Trust (@nationaltrust) August 29, 2017
...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
However, people weren't wholly satisfied with the response, claiming that this issue went beyond 'offence caused', but to the perpetuation of outdated gender stereotypes that discourage girls from being as active outdoors as their male counterparts:
Just to clarify this isn't merely about 'offence caused' this is about reducing #everydaysexism & promoting #equalopportunities
— S J Rudolphi (@SR_Projects) August 29, 2017
and it is about not gender stereotyping... glad you acted so fast, but someone should think before it's on twitter in future !
— S J Rudolphi (@SR_Projects) August 29, 2017
Putting the Tat into Tatton
— Andrew Langstone (@2ndcitysuit) August 29, 2017
Well spotted. Trying to imagine the hat.. "future footballers husband" for all the little boys aspiring to marry well 😒
— Laura Bevis (@loverlylauraloo) August 29, 2017
Young girls aspiring to marry into money, @nationaltrust keeping the true spirit of the Stately Home/Landed Gentry alive
— Dave MJ (@DaveMJo1) August 29, 2017
The National Trust have since clarified that Tatton Park is managed by Cheshire East Council, meaning that the product was not produced by the National Trust, merely sold at a property they manage:
..immediately. Tatton Park is managed by Cheshire East Council. This product isn’t on sale at the places we look after.(2/2)
— National Trust (@nationaltrust) August 29, 2017