'Leading Lady Riders'

[Annagain]

Anyone else absolutely hate this phrase?

I was on Grannywatch this weekend so stuck in the house more than usual and watched a bit of the Nations Cup at Hickstead. The commentators were saying it all the time and it was driving me mad! Some of them are in the world's top 10, they were all representing their countries so surely they're just 'leading riders'? Why do they need their own category? It was as if they were suggesting they couldn't possibly be expected to be as good as the men. And the use of 'lady' rather then women or female seems extra patronising to me.

Hickstead used it themselves on their website too when 'leading lady riders' Ellen Whittaker and someone else chose the best dressed lady on Ladies' Day. Don't even get me started on that. The idea that women get to judge other women on what their clothes are like is awful. I know it happens geneally in life but to encourage it and offer prizes for it is so outdated, I can't believe they still do it.

I'm not normally a raving feminist but this really bugged me.

 

[Challaborough Christmas Tree]

Always makes me cringe to hear, I hate the word lady in general though

 

[BeckyFlowers]

I can't stand the "trot-up fashion" piece that H&H do for Badminton (and Burghley I imagine?) every year. What the chuff does it matter what they're wearing? It makes me laugh that to combat the ridiculousness of judging women on what they're wearing they do a gratuitous best dressed man as well.

Yeah, leading lady riders has such a massive patronising air about it. Do they also do leading gentleman riders? Given that men and women compete equally in equestrian sports it seems totally unnecessary.

I like the word lady, it doesn't bother me. I use it (and gentleman) when talking about our organ donors in work, I think it's respectful. I think in this situation male and female sounds too impersonal. But I can understand why some people don't like it.

 

[Theocat]

Absolutely agree. We should be proud of - and champion - the fact that our sport is a completely equal playing field for men and women. "Leading lady rider" is demeaning - we don't need some sort of special prize; women prove again and again and again that they compete and win on their merits!

The word "lady" when people mean "woman" also sets my teeth on edge.

Straying from the point, but I also get driven mad by the whole "women in business" crap. *types out enormous rant, deletes it as boring and ranty* 😂

 

[Denbob]

I can't stand it. Ros Canter was described as the leading lady rider in the world... er, no? I think you'll find at the time she was the World Eventing Number One full stop!

The best dressed to me is personal choice - I don't like the dissection of outfits afterwards as it often includes some vile nastiness but fashion is something people enjoy so if they want to make something out of getting dressed up to go out and about, what's the harm?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

yes, hate the term lady riders (and also think the fashion trot up is ridiculous). I am a raving feminist all the time

there's a page on FB-Man Who Has It All, it and the comments on it are hilarious, worth a look.

 

[Annagain]

Always makes me cringe to hear, I hate the word lady in general though

Me too - good luck to anyone who tries to describe me as a lady. There is absolutely nothing ladylike about me.

 

[Annagain]

I can't stand it. Ros Canter was described as the leading lady rider in the world... er, no? I think you'll find at the time she was the World Eventing Number One full stop!

The best dressed to me is personal choice - I don't like the dissection of outfits afterwards as it often includes some vile nastiness but fashion is something people enjoy so if they want to make something out of getting dressed up to go out and about, what's the harm?

I agree anybody can wear what they like and take pleasure in it. It's the judging of it and awarding prizes for it (and only for women) that I hate.

 

[dogatemysalad]

I agree with you. I'm not a feminist, I believe in equality and respect for everyone. Equestrians are one of the few sports where men and women compete together on a totally equal footing. It's demeaning and uneccessary to refer to them as lady riders.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Ohhh....... well I'm gonna swim against the tide here; TBH the term "lady rider" hasn't ever truly offended me, although, thinking about it, it could be deemed patronising.

But I'm hearing what other people are saying; if the term is used in a derogatory sense i.e. implying by association that women are inferior to men in the competitiveness of any kind of equine sport, then I would agree that if used in that context it is unacceptable.

 

[Cowpony]

Oooh yes! The best dressed competitions at the races always incense me. I want to ask "What's next? Best brood mare?"

I don't object to the word lady. I'm old-fashioned and was brought up to believe it was more polite than woman. But I do object to the term lady rider. It suggests that somebody may be the best female rider, but of course she wouldn't be anywhere near the top if ranked with the men. Totally demeaning when women regularly win against men. The term "actress" has fallen into disuse as all actors are called actors now, so we should get lady rider put into the same bin.

 

[JFTDWS]

I have laughed in the face of people describing me as "lady" before. Literally, followed by "aye, piss off mate". It brings out the worst in me

I can't stand the trot up fashions, but if that's what people want to do, it's their call. If I were doing it, I'd just wear trousers of an appropriate level of smartness, sensible shoes, and a nice, boring shirt - but my standards, and aesthetic opinions, are not universal and people are free to make their own choices.

Leading lady riders is flippin' patronising though and I can't stand it.

 

[joosie]

Yes, even in the one sport where women compete on completely equal terms with men, we are still considered a separate or "special" entity.

The word "lady" just makes me think of Little Britain.

 

[Rowreach]

The best-dressed thing is not something I'm every likely to get involved in (in fact, I avoid "Ladies' Day" at the RDS on principle), but surely it is better that it be judged by women than by men?

 

[Rowreach]

I have laughed in the face of people describing me as "lady" before. Literally, followed by "aye, piss off mate". It brings out the worst in me

I can't stand the trot up fashions, but if that's what people want to do, it's their call. If I were doing it, I'd just wear trousers of an appropriate level of smartness, sensible shoes, and a nice, boring shirt - but my standards, and aesthetic opinions, are not universal and people are free to make their own choices.

Leading lady riders is flippin' patronising though and I can't stand it.

Would you do your hair?

 

[JFTDWS]

but surely it is better that it be judged by women than by men?

Aye that's too much like the Craggy Island Lovely Girls competition...

(and no, my hair would be in a pony tail. Like always )

 

[Rowreach]

Aye that's too much like the Craggy Island Lovely Girls competition...

We still have things like that round here (and I am not kidding).

 

[ester]

If there weren't trot up prizes what on earth would fairfax and favour do with all their boots though!?

It does remind me of this clip too

 

[JFTDWS]

We still have things like that round here (and I am not kidding).

Jesus... 🙈

 

[Rowreach]

https://fermanaghherald.com/2018/07/student-tara-crowned-40th-lady-of-the-lake/

If you didn't know, you'd think this was a spoof article ...

 

[JFTDWS]

"mammy", "daddy", "bonny baby contest"... Ye Gods...

 

[Rowreach]

... and the Truck Fest .....

 

[Wheels]

I agree with you. I'm not a feminist, I believe in equality and respect for everyone.

That's what feminism is??

 

[SpottyMare]

Drives me nuts. I watch quite a bit of showjumping on H&C TV, and you can guarantee that as soon as a woman appears that tired old phrase trots out and I shout at the TV. It's totally irrelevant what gender the rider happens to be, as a leading rider is a leading rider.

 

[SpottyMare]

That's what feminism is??

Indeedy

 

[Bellaboo18]

If there weren't trot up prizes what on earth would fairfax and favour do with all their boots though!?

It does remind me of this clip too

Absolutely love this clip!

 

[Bellaboo18]

Not so bothered about the judging of fashion as for some it's their passion.
The leading lady though, why hasn't this bothered me more before now?!! It's very outdated and I'd say it's time to scrap it.

 

[dogatemysalad]

That's what feminism is??

Equality and feminism are two different things. I support a society where working class boys are not underachieving as a demographic group. A society, where the most suicides are amongst men of working age.
Here in the West, women have more freedom and rights than the majority of men in developing countries.
This is why I support equality for all, regardless of sex or poverty through lack of opportunity.

 

[ycbm]

That's what feminism is??

If it was about equality in general, it wouldn't be called feminism, an exclusively female word, in the first place.

Feminism claims now to be about equality between the sexes, but still campaigns almost exclusively on a lack of equality where women are the losers, and not at all (that I know of) on issues where boys or men are the losers, or where people of both sexes but a different common denominator are the losers.

I am an equalist, not a feminist. All unjustifiable inequality bothers me.

 

[Snowy Celandine]

Equality and feminism are two different things. I support a society where working class boys are not underachieving as a demographic group. A society, where the most suicides are amongst men of working age.
Here in the West, women have more freedom and rights than the majority of men in developing countries.
This is why I support equality for all, regardless of sex or poverty through lack of opportunity.

Your logic is deeply flawed Have you any idea how few rights women in those countries have?!!!!!!!!!!! Feminism is the fight for equality for women in every country, not just the UK.