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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions

British Airways - lipstick

134 replies

foolishpeach · 16/06/2014 14:18

I just caught up on last week's A Very British Airline, and I am really Angry that Jodie was kicked off the training course for not reapplying her lipstick often enough.

The stupid prat who fired her didn't seem to be wearing any lipstick and neither did any of the male recruits.

It is just another example of standards being different and more onerous for women.

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JokersGiggle · 16/06/2014 14:27

Holy fuck!!!! Really?!

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foolishpeach · 16/06/2014 14:30

Yes, really! You can watch it for yourself on iPlayer if you can face it.

I was actually just about to book a holiday through BA but I'm now thinking again. (Not that I think it is really any better with any of the others.)

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JokersGiggle · 16/06/2014 15:08

I think I'll avoid watching it, would hate to break the computer in anger.

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:04

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 16/06/2014 16:09

I was shocked as well. I know it's highly competitive with no chance of error on a flight. But lipstick ? Think it was an excuse . The trainer was hardly a good example.

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mswibble · 16/06/2014 16:12

I saw this and was shocked by the way she was treated. It was awful. Seems that it was the women who had to faff about with hats, make up, even laddered tights would get them a 'snapshot'. Whereas the blokes just need to be cleanly shaved. Bet the bloke who made up this rule has never worn lipstick, nevermind needed to keep it immaculate for 8hrs.
Jodie was three days away from graduating wasnt she, felt so sorry for her.

I think air hostesses look very dated in general. Whats the obsession with bloody ballerina buns and donuts. Combine that with half of Debenhams beauty counters on your face and its a very severe and overdone look in my opinion.
And the masterclass in how to speak to rich arseholes was cringey. I wouldnt last 5 minutes!

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:15

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mswibble · 16/06/2014 16:16

So outraged was I that I shouted at the TV and called the trainer a fat Bagpuss lookalike and had no right to criticise! (Stuart Bagshawe from the Apprentice, not saggy cloth cat!).

And I did notice that apart from the dapper Brit, the New York base was much more relaxed with appearances. I even spotted a dishevelled plait!

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 16/06/2014 16:17

He was like baggy bagshawe, thanks was wracking my brains.

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beccajoh · 16/06/2014 16:18

I want to write to BA about this, but a) it's a TV prog and I'm mindful of editing etc., and b) I need to think of a way to word the letter other than calling BA management sexist arseholes.

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jamaisjedors · 16/06/2014 16:18

I saw it too and was shocked by the lipstick thing, but more shocked that BA let that be aired for its image. (firing a black girl for not wearing lipstick).

TBH, if you watched the whole thing it was obvious she wasn't going to be up to their standards and had already had 2 or 3 other warnings - she was late, left her stuff in the car etc.

As a teacher (not at BA!) I could see there were multiple incidents where she was not quite up to scratch, you could tell she didn't quite fit in and always had some excuse for it (I see students like this a lot, it's always someone else's fault). They used the lipstick as an excuse but it will get them ridiculously bad publicity (or maybe not, maybe the sort of "businessman" who travels BA expects this sort of attitude)?

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:20

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mswibble · 16/06/2014 16:22

jamaisjedors you're right. I did think that she would scrape through by the skin of her teeth though. But when they gave the other woman a snapshot for being late, even though they knew there had been an accident on the motorway which caused chaos, I kind of knew that Jodies days were numbered.

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PennySillin · 16/06/2014 16:23

It was cringe tv, I am shocked BA want to come across this way. I kept expecting Fearghal from Our Lady Airlines to make an appearance! Grin

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ReallyFuckingFedUp · 16/06/2014 16:35

christ that is ridiculous. How in 2014 can discrimination be legal?

I wonder what the rules are at Virgin? Not flown with them before but their advertising makes them look like they are there for decoration.

It's actually really important job, you have to handle the customers who are causing problems deal with illnesses and be the one who gets everyone off the plane in an emergency. WHo gives a fuck if they get their lipstick right!?

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mswibble · 16/06/2014 16:37

I remember that airlines used to insist on lippie and eye make up to be visible from about 15 rows away (read it in Air Babylon!) but I thought it had been relaxed nowadays. Obviously not in progressive BA!

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:38

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:42

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kim147 · 16/06/2014 16:49

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ReallyFuckingFedUp · 16/06/2014 17:04

www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4578552/Virgin-Atlantic-accused-of-sexism-over-anniversary-advert.html

but the advert is OK because it was set in the 80s..so the joke is that the 80s were sexist.

Right.

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ThinkAboutItTomorrow · 16/06/2014 17:12

Don't forget we are only a couple of years on from this delight being trialed by virgin airways at JFK. The airline industry is full of dinosaurs.

British Airways - lipstick
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foolishpeach · 16/06/2014 17:12

I've emailed BA about it.

I agree she wasn't the best student but fire her for being shit at her job, not because she doesn't look right. (And the fact that she was black didn't escape my notice either!)

Watching all those recruits was like a return to the fifties.

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beccajoh · 16/06/2014 17:18

They only have to wear high heels to and from the plane. Even so, the double standards are unbelievable.

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WaitingForMyMam · 16/06/2014 17:21

I have a friend who was a flight attendant, she told me that they had to wear high heels for take off and landing. In between they wore practical, soft soled shoes.

Aside from the sheer sexism of this being a requirement, the fact that most accidents happen during take off and landing would surely indicate that practical shoes should be worn by flight attendants at all times?

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MABS · 16/06/2014 17:29

at Virgin a specific shade of red lipstick is mandatory for crew

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