NationStates Jolt Archive

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061112/od_nm/spain_sexism_dc_1

Town gives women equal footing on road signs

MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish town council has vowed to banish sexism from street signage by demanding half of all road signs and traffic lights show female figures with skirts and ponytails.

Fuenlabrada, which lies south of the capital Madrid, will replace old and damaged road signs and traffic lights with new stock within a year.

"In this way the sexism which until now has seen only masculine figures appear in traffic signals will be brought to an end," the town council said in a statement.

The council, which said it would ask manufacturers to incorporate female figures in their signs, would not cost taxpayers a penny.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061112/od_nm/spain_sexism_dc_1

Town gives women equal footing on road signs

MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish town council has vowed to banish sexism from street signage by demanding half of all road signs and traffic lights show female figures with skirts and ponytails.

Fuenlabrada, which lies south of the capital Madrid, will replace old and damaged road signs and traffic lights with new stock within a year.

"In this way the sexism which until now has seen only masculine figures appear in traffic signals will be brought to an end," the town council said in a statement.

The council, which said it would ask manufacturers to incorporate female figures in their signs, would not cost taxpayers a penny.

well, since it doesn't cost anything, and is being implimented to replace signs that are being replaced anyway....why the hell not?

Wouldn't it be sexist to imply that women can only wear ponytails and skirts? Sounds mighty repressive to me!

If it cost money, maybe it would be a bit insane, but since it doesn't, why not?

I always considered those figures asexual.

Oh brother.

Skirts and ponytails? Sounds... pedophiliac.

They should make the figures have obvious, huge, bouncing breasts. No ambiguity there, no sexism, and men might actually pay attention to street signs for once.

Skirts and ponytails? Sounds... pedophiliac.

They should make the figures have obvious, huge, bouncing breasts. No ambiguity there, no sexism, and men might actually pay attention to street signs for once.

Or they could put "buldges" in the appropriate places on the male figures and maybe the women might pay attention to the street signs. Oh, that is so bad of me to say that. :p :p

and why not have also... let me think... yeah: black people and jew people signs? such as... one with a 70's haircut, and the other with a... hat?

bah.

this kind of idiocy is the price we have to pay for freedom.

Or they could put "buldges" in the appropriate places on the male figures and maybe the women might pay attention to the street signs. Oh, that is so bad of me to say that. :p :p

Unlike men, women don't need to pay attention to street signs for two important reasons:

1) They can always ask for directions if they get lost.
2) Women can't drive anyway.

:D

Unlike men, women don't need to pay attention to street signs for two important reasons:

1) They can always ask for directions if they get lost.
2) Women can't drive anyway.

:D

You are so bad. BAD :p :p

and why not have also... let me think... yeah: black people and jew people signs? such as... one with a 70's haircut, and the other with a... hat?

why not also have a Godzilla crossing the road wearing a bowler hat and carrying an umbrella!

I fully support the idea of making the world more interesting:)

Did I ever mention how much I hate PC?

It seems a lot more sexist to suggest women don't wear 'male' clothing and only have ponytails and skirts.

Oh brother/sister...or perhaps "oh sibling of unidentified gender.

Fixed.

Wouldn't it be sexist to imply that women can only wear ponytails and skirts? Sounds mighty repressive to me!
It seems a lot more sexist to suggest women don't wear 'male' clothing and only have ponytails and skirts.

That's what I thought!

Did I ever mention how much I hate PC?

I agree with your ideals, and wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

why not also have a Godzilla crossing the road wearing a bowler hat and carrying an umbrella!

I fully support the idea of making the world more interesting:)

Second it

why not also have a Godzilla crossing the road wearing a bowler hat and carrying an umbrella!

I fully support the idea of making the world more interesting:)
I heartily concur, but is this (http://halflife2.filefront.com/potd/45410)good enough for you?
:)

A Spanish town council has vowed to banish sexism from street signage by demanding half of all road signs and traffic lights show female figures with skirts and ponytails.

Is this carrying equal opportunity to the extreme?

It's sexist itself, as it tells women how they should dress and wear their hair.

They should just use figures that are too abstract for a gender to be inferred.

Or people could have road signs and lights that utilize colors and letter and number graphics, eliminating the need for human figures altogether. The only problem is that people might have to learn to read.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061112/od_nm/spain_sexism_dc_1

Town gives women equal footing on road signs

MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish town council has vowed to banish sexism from street signage by demanding half of all road signs and traffic lights show female figures with skirts and ponytails.

Fuenlabrada, which lies south of the capital Madrid, will replace old and damaged road signs and traffic lights with new stock within a year.

"In this way the sexism which until now has seen only masculine figures appear in traffic signals will be brought to an end," the town council said in a statement.

The council, which said it would ask manufacturers to incorporate female figures in their signs, would not cost taxpayers a penny.

No. It's not extreme equal opportunity.

Extreme equal opportunity would be drafting Stephen Hawking to play in the NFL (America's Football League) taking him away from a job he's great at even with his disability, and putting him into one that would have to change drasticly to accomodate him even though he showed no aptitude for it even before he became sick.

This street sign thing is just dumb, because there's nothing masculine about street figures. They lack any defining sexual characteristics, male or female, so they're not sexist.

It's a bit weird...

Or people could have road signs and lights that utilize colors and letter and number graphics, eliminating the need for human figures altogether. The only problem is that people might have to learn to read.

You mean they might have to learn to read a dozen languages to travel around the EU. OTOH, if I see a sign that glows green in any language I'll probably figure out that it means I can go.

Here in Canada we just have moose crossing signs. It's a lot more efective, you know, if the drivers think that running the crosswalk could result in getting impaled by antlers and subsequently crushed by a smelly, large ungulate.

Why not just save all the bother and have just a green and red light like for cars if you are going to be all sensitive about it?


Though actually.. Now that I think about it.. Those lights are round. Balls are round. Men have balls. OMG Traffic lights are sexist!! Ban them!!!

Trilby63;11937383']Why not just save all the bother and have just a green and red light like for cars if you are going to be all sensitive about it?


Though actually.. Now that I think about it.. Those lights are round. Balls are round. Men have balls. OMG Traffic lights are sexist!! Ban them!!!

I don't think anyone whose balls are green should be cleared to "go", if you know what I mean.

It's sexist itself, as it tells women how they should dress and wear their hair.

They should just use figures that are too abstract for a gender to be inferred.
You mean like the current signs?

Trilby63;11937383']Why not just save all the bother and have just a green and red light like for cars if you are going to be all sensitive about it?


Though actually.. Now that I think about it.. Those lights are round. Balls are round. Men have balls. OMG Traffic lights are sexist!! Ban them!!!
But women have boobies, which are also round, so it's good.

But women have boobies, which are also round, so it's good.

Yes but the nicer, larger boobs are slightly more eliptical I think.

It's a bit silly, and needless, but it won't cost any more money so who cares.

I always considered the figures on traffic lights to be androgynous.