Transport for London abandons the phrase, 'ladies and gentlemen'
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'You guys'
Yo, listen up'
ItWillNeverWork
Messy Crimbobs, fellow humans.
Fellow humanoid meatsacks and assorted otherkin, please mind the fapp.
ItWillNeverWork
Messy Crimbobs, fellow humans.
Ev-ree-body daance now!
Welcome to the northern line. You better know where your towel is.
Why?
I'm proud to be a man. Lots of other men are too.
Equally, many many women are proud to be women.
I'd venture to say the overwhelming majority of people identify with the gender they were born with and are happy to do so.
Why should we all start getting diluted into some kind of asexual soup to accommodate the few who don't associate with their birth sex?
I think everyone deserves to feel happy, but I don't think TFL needs to change FFS.
bi0boy
Power User
Are you proud to be white? Do you think announcements should address white folks and coloured folks or something? What was your old username?
Yes mate. I'm basically proud to be me. Because I have done my best to be the best husband, father, son and man that I could be. I think a lot of folks on here feel guilty for not doing that themselves.
Don't change the argument and try to make it sound like I'm a racist. That's lazy and untrue.
maomao
普費斯
Well I'm a hard working husband and father who thinks you sound like an arsehole.
EastEnder
Brixton Barnacle
If you're proud to be a man, why does your ego needs this identity to be affirmed at every opportunity?
Words such as "everybody" or "everyone" quite literally include all people. Whereas "ladies & gentleman" excludes those people who don't identify with such categories.
I am very much a man, I'm proud to be a man, and am a pretty awesome specimen of one, but I don't need continual reminding of what I am, and really couldn't care less about being referred to by a gender neutral plural pronoun.
phillm
Trolling through Life (TM)
They should reintroduce it, but as "Mind the gender gap!"
phillm
Trolling through Life (TM)
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Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
I identify with the gender i was born with, but not my sex, which i think is what you meant.
And this being true doesn't stop me from being proud of being a woman.
This isn't about trans people. No-one is being diluted. This is about gender no longer being such an important thing in society now that we specifically have to mention it every time we greet or address people. We can be just people. Doesn't stop you being proud of being a man if that's what you want. TfL not calling you a gentleman does not affect you in the least. You cannot expect others to go around reinforcing your gender identity just because you feel your identity is that fragile you need that external affirmation. Why go on using dated phrases that people increasingly find awkward and irrelevent when a simple change, that costs nothing and hurts nobody can make everyone feel included?
TfL feel that TfL needs to change.
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Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
Every woman I've spoken to in TfL and via Twitter except two that I would define as anti-trans (with their own peculiar agenda) is supportive of these changes because they see it as another step away from the old patriarchal attitudes that persist long after women supposedly achieved equality in our society. So that's most people. Plus trans and many GNC people - quite a few in LGBT+ other than trans people support this, probably most men don;t really care about this issue particularly and many will support it.
And it is a myth that trans people, including non-binary people are only 1%. We don;t know what the figures are but what we do know is every time this is measured it goes up. Last time I saw a figure it was way above 1%.
So - I think the only people against this change really are a few conservatives and a whole bunch of bitter men who see their privilege slipping away drop by drop.
Gromit
International Man of Misery
I know someone who is against the change.
They are against it because it will cost additional money and that money is being spent to make a big political statement. Someone somewhere is using gender issues to score points.
They are for gradually removing the ladies and gentlemen from messages as and when the messages are normally updated (this happens as a matter of course), so that there is no additional cost. No need to make a big hoohah out of it.
Fanfare stuff and people knee jerk react the opposite way you want them too. Stealth change things and attitudes slowly change without them realising and fighting it.
They are against it because it will cost additional money and that money is being spent to make a big political statement. Someone somewhere is using gender issues to score points.
They are for gradually removing the ladies and gentlemen from messages as and when the messages are normally updated (this happens as a matter of course), so that there is no additional cost. No need to make a big hoohah out of it.
Fanfare stuff and people knee jerk react the opposite way you want them too. Stealth change things and attitudes slowly change without them realising and fighting it.
Sea Star
have you ever explored your dark side?
Which is of course what is actually happening. this has been quietly happening for a couple of years already and nobody noticed.
The press release is about engaging the public and using the clout of being London's second biggest employer to make a difference. It's actually part of sustainability remit and that comes down from the mayor and the EU.
Hmm. It was better when the argument was rational. Wheeling out the IdPol WILL cause people to object.
Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
I don't really view ladies and gentleman as some evil patriarchal thing though. I really don't see what's so offensive about being addressed as a gentleman or a lady, I have very, very rarely encountered anyone in my life who is genuinely offended being called a lady or a gentleman. Granted it's old fashioned but offensive? Sign of the times though I guess.
You've thrown too many acronyms at me now to fully understand who's for or against. In fact you've thrown so many you've repeated yourself haven't you? Isn't the T in LGBT meant to stand for trans? You said LGBT and trans people, anyway I thought it was LGBTQ now? I saw a particularly long version of it the other day, god knows what it all means. I do wonder if the people you've spoken to have said they're all for it in front of you because you've transitioned, whereas in other company they either shrug their shoulders, roll their eyes a bit or both? Not saying that to be a dick I'm just wondering.
I do generally fall into the category of don't really care but I do find myself eyerolling a bit sometimes at all this. I just wonder where it all leads. Just saying hello person strikes me as dull and homogenous. I quite like it when a woman calls me luv, sweetheart, darling etc. I don't really do it back much but sometimes, part n parcel of where I work really. I think the whole just doing it subtly is the way forward because it would hardly have been noticed by most people.
fuck off, you prick
Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
Ah that takes me back
. It's the 'Stand clear of the doors please' bit at the end that puts the icing on the cake. He'd be too stern and patriarchal for today's world 
Doctor Carrot
Marxist Henchman
I think he does have a point with the whole 'just doing it subtly' argument. I mean why make a big hoohah about it? I can honestly say I would not have noticed if it had been slipped in quietly when the messages get updated periodically. I think that's the case for most people, I also think it's the case for most people that they're not really fussed. It probably is the hoohar about it that's caused any objection, mild or otherwise, and any eyerolling. I don't think it's anything to do with men being bitter about having their privilege removed or whatever.
Gromit
International Man of Misery
If Stella is correct they were doing it subtly. They made a policy and slowly implemented it.
They didn't get any pats on the back for doing what they should be doing as a matter of course (considering diversity when making decisions).
What's the point of being good guys if no one knows about it? Quick make an announcement, shout it from the roof, there... now everyone knows how cool we are.
ItWillNeverWork
Messy Crimbobs, fellow humans.
Well I'll admit I find the whole thing bloody stupid. There, I've said it.
phillm
Trolling through Life (TM)
Ah that takes me back
He was and was replaced by a woman. Only for Bank to revert to the original ...tear jerking story below and a beautiful little drama about it in the link I posted above.
The original voice of 'mind the gap' returns to London Underground 12 years after his death... in tribute to his widow who still uses the tube | Daily Mail Online
Here's a remix to remind you to mind the gap.
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