HAPPY CHRISTMAS FOLKS!!..8-)

Merry Christmas All

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V good

Could live without the sexist language

Sexist language!!??..God help us!

If you can't see that 'pulling a bird' is derogatory and outdated, then God help us indeed

I can really appreciate the feminist stanspoint and thank those taking it but... in Ossie's defence he is not directing this language at a "bird" or referring to having "pulled a bird" amongst a gang of mates, he is simply acknowledging that the phrase exists for the sake of a puzzle. Kneejerk offence taking can get a wee bit tiresome, methinks

standpoint!

Lorna, you are incredibly patronising. Don't ever presume to tell anyone what they should or should not be offended by, or that they are being tiresome. This enables discriminatory behaviour to continue. Without accusing Ossie of calling women this directly or in locker room talk etc, it is clearly a derogatory term and so should preferably not be included in puzzles in 2019 as if it were still acceptable to say in everyday use. There are loads of old sayings we wouldn't dream of using in grids just because they exist, and though phrases like 'pulling a bird' may seem trivial in comparison, just banter even, I would appreciate it if people could think twice about posting them in light of the recent resurgence of the entitled, laddish, 'pussy grabbing' attitude among some men in our society which some women are having to deal with every day.

Billy Bones..'don't ever presume to tell anyone what thay should or should not be offended by"...EXACTLY!!.

I'm sorry if you are incapable of discriminating between a clearly light hearted comment and a genuinely offensive one , but you have no right to impose your sense of morals onto anyone else

10/10, quite easy. I did wonder what reaction "bird" would get!

Reading the comments was far more fun than completing the grid!

I think we could all agree, with the marvel that is hindsight, that hamstring or just strings might have worked adequately well and removed the risk of offence being taken. I doubt that the grid was designed as a strategic attack on women, but poorly thought through.

Merry Christmas all!!

Great!

Well as my final words on the matter I would simply say two things.
Firstly I do NOT use 'bird' in a dergoatory fashion and along with crumpet' I shall continue to use it and secondly that if the Germans ever kick off another unpleasantness..........we've had it!!

Thank goodness that other people can see what Ossie selfishly cannot, that a little problem like light hearted objectification of women is still a problem.

Pull a bird, really?!