Cristina Hodgson
A BAR in Gijon has been slammed on social networks after a distasteful sexist sign went up in the establishment.
The sign, placed at the entrance of the bar and posted on the bar’s social media pages, read: “Do not touch the waitress’s tits without first disinfecting your hands.”
Facebook and Twitter users instantly slated the publication.
“It’s a bar of self-centred male chauvinists who disrespect women,” said Cecilia Aguirre on Twitter.
Miguel Lo said: “What disrespect, are there no male bartenders?”
Alyssa McMurtry added that this is the same region in Spain ‘that brought you vibrators as the prize for female squash champions.‘
Faced with a barrage of criticism, including from youth organisations such as the Conseyu de la Moceda de Xixon (CMX), which ‘strongly’ condemned the message, the establishment has removed the sign.
According to local reports, it has apologised for something that they themselves define as ‘in very bad taste’.
According to La Nueva España the bar issued a statement which read: “Yesterday we made a very chauvinist mistake and we want to apologise for that.
“It was an inappropriate joke. We are very committed against male chauvinism, xenophobia and homophobia.
The controversial sign also sparked criticism from feminist collectives, including from the Young Women of Asturias.
Its statement read: “Legitimising and whitewashing violence and sexual harassment in the form of jokes says very little about you, a nightlife venue that is mostly attended by young people.
“We don’t really understand what we are waiting for, for these bad taste ‘jokes’ to go away. For the waitress to be harassed?
“But by then it will be too late, yet if it happens, you will not admit responsibility.
“Consider what kind of message you want to send to the youth of Gijon and whether you want to be part of the eradication of sexual violence or whether you want to perpetuate it.”
The Council of Moceda of Gijon also reacted: “Behaviour like this is just one more example of how necessary it is to educate in equality”.
The Conseyu denounced the poster displayed in the Bar Saurom of Gijon.
‘It is not a joke, it is a premeditated macho act.’
The Conseyu, which works all year round via workshops, courses and campaigns to eradicate gender inequality, underlined how the offensive sign is just one more example of how necessary it is to educate in equality.
It emphasised the importance of recreational spaces being free from macho aggressions and put an end to terrible acts like the notorious Pamplona Wolfpack gang rape.
It comes after a restaurant on the Costa del Sol divided opinion last year over a sign declaring itself ‘Spanish, Catholic and right wing’.
