Student very unimpressed by rail worker’s ‘sexist joke’
A COMMENT from a station worker that a train door that wouldn’t open needed “a man’s touch” has sparked a huge online debate over allegations of sexism.
The incident was shared on social media by a student who travelled to Swansea earlier this month, and happened when the Transport for Wales train she was travelling on from Crewe with her boyfriend arrived at the city’s railway station.
Fiona Perret, who is studying at Swansea University, attempted to release the door at High Street station when a member of staff remarked to her boyfriend that the door “needed a man’s touch”. She described the comment as “stupid, humiliating and sexist”.
“I have travelled on trains before and I definitely know how to open a door without ‘a man’s touch’”, she wrote. She added that her boyfriend had also struggled with the same train doors on previous occasions.
Ms Perret wrote to operator Transport for Wales to raise her concerns, which responded by saying: “The person in question may well have said the door ‘needed a woman’s touch’ had the shoe been on the other foot and it was you that opened the door after your male friend had attempted to... that being said, I am sincerely sorry you were left with such a poor impression”.
The company promised to investigate further.
However, opinions were divided when the incident was shared on social media.
Many supported Ms Perret, with one writing:
“In this context, this man, while doing his job, made a sexist joke which made a woman uncomfortable. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about the wider context of sexism which makes sexist jokes uncomfortable for women. It’s not something we should have to put up with.
“So this woman had every right to complain. She should have received a full apology and he should have been given a warning, then taken and educated on how to and not to talk to women in future when doing his job”.
Another wrote: “Sexism exists, even in small comments like this. People are allowed to focus on big issues and small in the fight against misogyny”.
Others had a different take. “People get offended in different ways” wrote one. “But that doesn’t make you entitled to an apology or to ruin someone’s job.”
And another said: “I am fully supportive of women’s rights and massively against sexism. However, I don’t actually feel that the comment was made in a sexist manner, it was a joke that is used often. I don’t know what you were hoping to achieve emailing them but any action against said gentleman isn’t needed at all. There’s actual sexism/rights we should be focusing on and this ain’t it”.
Ms Perret has since defended her original position. She said: “I found it offensive for several reasons. I didn’t hear the man’s remark, my boyfriend told me what had happened after we got off so it kind of felt like a joke about me, more than a joke meant as a way to laugh with me. It’s obviously a sexist joke and I really can’t see what’s funny about sexism.
“It really bothered me because it’s not an isolated event, it’s really part of a continuum of violence against women. I feel like it was part of a normalised sexism that people don’t take seriously, although it actively contributes to reinforcing gender stereotypes.
“I’m fully aware that this is not the worst episode of sexism, but unlike what many comments suggested on my post, I think it’s still legitimate to denounce this type of behaviour/jokes while also fighting for the bigger picture”.
A spokesman for Transport for Wales said their customer services team had apologised directly to the person involved and offered some travel vouchers as a gesture of goodwill.
He added: “As a company we do not tolerate any form of gender discrimination or sexism and the passenger’s complaint has been escalated to the relevant team for review.”