Lerwick Up Helly Aa

[Hohenzolleren]

All it takes is acouple of real women to go out with a few squads and the "tradition" will be blown right open. Come on girls, it's about time you gave this a go!

[Spinner72]

Whit if an existin squad member undergoes sex reassignment?

[phatboy]

There is, of course, nothing to stop those who don't like the Lerwick UHA from starting up their own event in a way they see fit, and leaving those of us who do enjoy it in its current format (and we are many) to enjoy it.

sound a bit like "we are legion"  which, I think, is quoted in William Peter Blattys 'The Exorcist' or a sequel.

The visualisation is disturbingly similar too   

[Scorrie]

Phatboy I don't think that anyone has said that they don't enjoy UHA, or want to see the back of it.

 

The sticking point is the attitude of those who continue to excluding wimmin from taking major on the ground roles in the proceedings.

UHA is on the world stage now and, at the moment, some elements are sadly still in the same league of sexist idiocy as those 'men only' golf clubs that many people treat with amused contempt.

 

If this was a historical re-enactment of Norse tradition, with the men taking mens roles and the women taking womens roles whilst accurately portraying Norse culture - such is in historical re-enactment societies like Regia Anglorum or The Vikings - then you'd get no argument from me at all. But it isn't, is it? And never has been.

 

It's a great celebration that I would say the vast majority of people in Shetland are quite rightly proud of, no doubt about it. I know that I certainly am.

 

But 'no women' in this day and age? Really? You're embarrassing yourselves.........

[Scorrie]

I hope my post makes sense, reading it back (now that its too late to edit) there's some pretty duff grammar in there.

 

Post in haste an' all that 

 

Anyway: http://dabonxie.com/culture/812-5-best-things-about-up-helly-aa/

Edited January 31, 2017 by Scorrie

[oxna]

Should men also be allowed in women's toilets and vice versa?

[Scorrie]

Don't be such a berk. Can you imagine the arguments over whether the toilet seat should be up or down?

[Ghostrider]

^ Are you trying to insinuate that its the toilet habits of women that the men of UHA don't have the stomach for.

 

Seriously though, plenty of unisex toilets, hospital wards etc out there nowadays. if the subject of sexism surrounding toilets is going to be debated though, it seems to me that there is discrimination against men rather than women. From personal experience, some women think nothing of simply walking in to the male facilities if there's a queue in the female ones, and getting on with their business without so much as a by your leave, and us mere males are supposed to be "okay" about it. But woe betide any man who might dare to think about returning the compliment and try to use the female facilities if circumstances are reversed.

[George.]

Should men also be allowed in women's toilets and vice versa?

 

No. Think of the stories that would be going around.

[Ghostrider]

 

Should men also be allowed in women's toilets and vice versa?

 

No. Think of the stories that would be going around.

 

 

Any worse than the stories that go around right now with single sex arrangement?

[oxna]

Why do women always leave the toilet seat down? Seriously, they should be told that that isn't the universally accepted default position!

[Scorrie]

I used to go in a pub known locally as 'The Nook' when I were a lad.

 

To get to the womens toilets from the lounge, the women had two choices: go out of the front door (in the rain) and walk round the back or take the more direct route that meant going into the gents, marching past the line of pishpots and out through the far door to the ladies that way (the gents was built into what was effectively an old corridor).

 

At first it was quite disconcerting to be stood having a jimmy whilst women tramped past - or even leaning up against the wall next to the pishpots, sparking up a fag and chatting to their male friend who was having a pish at the time 

 

But to be honest, after a few pints of Timmy Taylors you really didn't give a monkeys. And once you'd got over the initial culture shock and knew what to expect even sober wasn't an issue  

[Colin]

Women's toilets are pretty similar to men's..  The only noticeable difference (allegedly) is the the hot air drier is mounted closer to the floor and blows upwards...

[Frances144]

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2017/02/11/community-council-asks-see-junior-helly-equal-opportunities-policy

 

“You needn’t take any Tom, Dick or Harry in there. It needs to be folk that really kens what they are doing. It’s nothing to do with lasses.”

 

Ouch!  Seriously Ouch.

[Organized]

I do not understand why women were not allowed to be guizers in the first place. Could someone explain that to me please?

Edited January 19, 2018 by Organized