Transport for London abandons the phrase, 'ladies and gentlemen'

[jakejb79]

I imagine Littlejohn and his assorted dubious bully-pulpit hate preacher cohorts will riff off the "political correctness gone mad" trope before mananging to get muslims in their somehow.

But you have to admit that this Political Correctness gone mad.

(I joke)

 

[Doctor Carrot]

I know I'm gonna get some sort of grief for saying this but I am a bit sad about this, I'll get over it of course but sometimes I think can't some things just be left as they are? Are there really people who don't identify as male or female thinking 'hang on the gender I identify as wasn't included in this announcement regarding slippery stairs! I feel unwelcome!' this and the loss of the bloke who boomed 'Mind. The Gap' at every stop is too much to take!

 

[EastEnder]

I know I'm gonna get some sort of grief for saying this but I am a bit sad about this, I'll get over it of course but sometimes I think can't some things just be left as they are? Are there really people who don't identify as male or female thinking 'hang on the gender I identify as wasn't included in this announcement regarding slippery stairs! I feel unwelcome!' this and the loss of the bloke who boomed 'Mind. The Gap' at every stop is too much to take!

On the other hand, one could view this as TfL tackling a problem which wider society has yet to address, and I think it's a problem which does need addressing. It may not seem overly significant to many, but it's very significant to some. And more to the point, it highlights a very modern dilemma - as a (hopefully) progressive society we now recognise that the simplistic definition of male & female is no longer sufficient to deal with the range of types of people in the world, but we've yet to adequately deal with the practicalities involved in this. The need to be able to collectively address large groups of people in a civil manner, without causing offence, whilst retaining the ability to attract peoples' attention is not the trivial matter one might assume.

It'll be interesting to see how the approach TfL takes works out, it may not ultimately prove to be the optimum approach, but at least they're trying something.

 

[NoXion]

I'm not sure that a mere change of language is actually meaningful though. The Turkish language has a gender-neutral pronoun, and yet I don't get the impression that Turkey is significantly ahead of us on gender issues.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis has a lot of pettifogging nonsense to answer for.

 

[Doctor Carrot]

On the other hand, one could view this as TfL tackling a problem which wider society has yet to address, and I think it's a problem which does need addressing. It may not seem overly significant to many, but it's very significant to some. And more to the point, it highlights a very modern dilemma - as a (hopefully) progressive society we now recognise that the simplistic definition of male & female is no longer sufficient to deal with the range of types of people in the world, but we've yet to adequately deal with the practicalities involved in this. The need to be able to collectively address large groups of people in a civil manner, without causing offence, whilst retaining the ability to attract peoples' attention is not the trivial matter one might assume.

It'll be interesting to see how the approach TfL takes works out, it may not ultimately prove to be the optimum approach, but at least they're trying something.

I can see your point but, and again I may be wrong, but less than 1% of the population doesn't identify as either binary gender. I'm not necessarily against but I just sort of elicit 'ah come on, do we have to? Is anyone really that worried?' this is the sort of thing that winds less rational people up and can foster animosity.

 

[19force8]

I know I'm gonna get some sort of grief for saying this but I am a bit sad about this, I'll get over it of course but sometimes I think can't some things just be left as they are? Are there really people who don't identify as male or female thinking 'hang on the gender I identify as wasn't included in this announcement regarding slippery stairs! I feel unwelcome!' this and the loss of the bloke who boomed 'Mind. The Gap' at every stop is too much to take!

They should reintroduce it, but as "Mind the gender gap!"

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I can't ever recall hearing it! Tube announcements always sound like big brother barking orders to me.

 

[EastEnder]

I can see your point but, and again I may be wrong, but less than 1% of the population doesn't identify as either binary gender. I'm not necessarily against but I just sort of elicit 'ah come on, do we have to? Is anyone really that worried?' this is the sort of thing that winds less rational people up and can foster animosity.

I guess the point is that, if a relatively modest change can avoid alienating a group of people, why not do it?

And are the 99% likely to get all that hot & bothered about the fact that they're now addressed in a gender neutral manner?

 

[bimble]

i'm not sure but think the last time I heard a platform announcer having fun with the job he began his broadcast with 'good day my little chipolitas' . That worked.

 

[A380]

I think I'd preface all my announcements with:

'Dearly beloved'

 

[Pickman's model]

I think I'd preface all my announcements with:

'Dearly beloved'

yeh it would recognise the expense of travelling on the tube

 

[Sea Star]

I guess the point is that, if a relatively modest change can avoid alienating a group of people, why not do it?

And are the 99% likely to get all that hot & bothered about the fact that they're now addressed in a gender neutral manner?

I heard we've had a complaint about this already but I don;t think it's going to change anyone's mind as it was along the lines of we want to bring our children up as binary gender in a binary gender world, and how dare you undermine us.

It's not just for trans people - it's the prevailing wind of change that's coming. People don't want to be judged by gender any more. Those times should be over now.

I didn't think I'd feel this excited when it finally happened but, damn, I am excited. And proud.

As for sheer number of announcements, as an autistic person I'd love to be able to reduce the amount of shouting that goes on when i travel around in London, and I'll do what I can to influence this from my vice chair of the autism working group and member of the RMT.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It's bizarre that anyone could be offended by being referred to collectively.

 

[Sea Star]

I'm being hugely attacked on Twitter by male bigots from both the conservative left and the conservative right at the moment. Funny the only woman who's had a go at me so far has been a T*RF who was questioning whether non-binary is a real thing. I told her it was and when she pressed for more from me I offered her some websites where non-binary trans people talk about their gender identities. Then when she pressed further i checked her timeline and blocked her.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

No idea why you bother with twitter. Nest of vipers.

 

[Sea Star]

It's bizarre that anyone could be offended by being referred to collectively.

no-one is offended as far as i know. this is about being inclusive and taking on board all the arguments against gendering the public including that of trans people but also, feminist views about gendered language, and a lot of people just think its old fashioned. the world is changing.

 

[Sea Star]

No idea why you bother with twitter. Nest of vipers.

I've always found it very supportive. Helped me get through my transition when i had nobody else.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I've always found it very supportive. Helped me get through my transition when i had nobody else.

Fair dos. Too many nasty cunts on it for my tastes.

 

[Sea Star]

Fair dos. Too many nasty cunts on it for my tastes.

there are many its true. I've had to grow a thick skin.

 

[EastEnder]

No idea why you bother with twitter. Nest of vipers.

I've never bothered with Twitter, not so much because of all the trolls & unpleasant people, but mainly because of the 140 character limit. I refuse to accept the arbitrarily enforced brevity, I consider it an affront to my freedom of expression. And I absolutely refuse to compromise on grammar & punctuation, and it'll be a cold day in hell before I resort to hellish "text" speak.

 

[Pickman's model]

I've never bothered with Twitter, not so much because of all the trolls & unpleasant people, but mainly because of the 140 character limit. I refuse to accept the arbitrarily enforced brevity, I consider it an affront to my freedom of expression. And I absolutely refuse to compromise on grammar & punctuation, and it'll be a cold day in hell before I resort to hellish "text" speak.

You could just tweet your message in several tweets or use a screen grab for a longer message. Surprised you've not noticed people doing that.

 

[EastEnder]

You could just tweet your message in several tweets or use a screen grab for a longer message. Surprised you've not noticed people doing that.

TBF, I waste enough time on here as it is, any more distractions and I'd never get any work done!

 

[Magnus McGinty]

there are many its true. I've had to grow a thick skin.

I've got a thick skin but you just know they'd hide behind their pint in the pub. And I use too much internet anyway.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

TBF, I waste enough time on here as it is, any more distractions and I'd never get any work done!

Jinx

 

[xenon]

"Dearly beloved..."

Attention scum!

Simon Munnery.

 

[tim]

We've had "Stand on the right" signs liberally emplaced down every tube escalator for generations now, and people still fail to grasp what is a monumentally simple concept. Never underestimate the need to reinforce simple instructions on the vacant minds of commuters.

I stand on the left as an act of resistance

Mind the gap Comrades

 

[Magnus McGinty]

The Dearly Beloved ... thing makes me think of Let's Go Crazy which would be perfect to cheer up the morning commute.

 

[Septimus Rufiji]

Hey, hoopy froods

 

[SpookyFrank]

I think the real reason London is getting rid of the phrase 'ladies and gentlemen' is that it doesn't contain the word 'artisan'.

 

[Sea Star]

You could just tweet your message in several tweets or use a screen grab for a longer message. Surprised you've not noticed people doing that.

Or link to a blog or article.