Duck1981

It is definitely a sexist term when you like to put the story on social media to earn a few GBP for the next vacation following the UA example.

South London Bon Viveur

I know what they mean but FFS

Article a load of cobblers. "Head of Household" is gender neutral. In many cases it will be a woman. Non-story.

Tobias-UK

Apparently not in the eyes of a feminist. I cringed when I read that story.

navylad

I doubt that is how BA responded, but has been edited for journalistic value, the prof was probably told that she could be head of household account providing the current head agrees to it, that happens to be her husband.

I have to admit, I hadn't really heard of the University of Kent prior to this article, but the prof point appears to have significant bias. If she spends her working life studying historical language that she perceives to be subtly sexist, it is easy to understand that she is likely to jump to conclusions on such a term which in reality aren't there. Head of Household really refers to Head of Household Account, as she does state, she is jumping from the similarity to Head of Family, but this is a leap which lacks any supportive evidence.

phoneticduck

"I have written to @british_Airways to complain about their outdated, sexist assumptions about 21st Century relationships"

I think I will write to the Chancellor of Kent University about Prof. Blakeley's outdated, sexist assumptions about what Head of Household means in the 21st Century.

That is the real story here.

UKtravelbear

What do you know of her politics? And most university income comes from non government sources.


Great use of language. No not sexist at all! And she is 39 - not that it should be relevent to the issue.

University of Kent - NOT an ex-Poly. Though it shouldn't matter where Professor Blakely teaches at. Specialist subject - International Relations.


I agree with others - a fuss about nothing but generated by the media not her.

But it is everyday sexism to assume HoH = Male and that the male is a husband.


There were times - still not that long ago - where a woman couldn't get a credit card in her own name without a male guarentor, same with name on utility bill - always the husband for a married couple, a woman had to resign from some jobs when she got married - including from being a flight attendant.

HilFly

Personally, I think the sexism is on the part of Ms Blakely. Why on earth would "Head of Household" refer to a man? We are living in the 21st century!

This all comes back to her ignorance of how a BA HHA works. This is a matter between Ms Blakely and her husband. Maybe she would be happier with her own, individual account.

TabTraveller

Why do you say that? How do you know she didn't call a newsdesk? Sounds like the sort of person who might do just that...

HIDDY

Exactly.

I could understand her angst if BA insisted on the Head of the household account being male but they obviously don't. All the article does it make her out to look awfully silly.
The head of the Uni should be having a quiet word in her ear first thing Monday morning.

sbm12

It is not. Copyright is a real thing.

HilFly

Gosh, Hiddy and I are agreeing on something. It feels very Humphrey Bogart / Claude Rains-ish!

T8191

I suppose "Lead Member of Household Account" could have soothed her fevered brow. Oh, wait, "Lead Member" would have been too gender-specific. "HHA Head Honcho" fails too, as could "Account Manager". Her life must be filled with angst.

BTW, I'm a "Company Secretary" ... should I be offended? What if I'm expected to wear make-up and a mini-skirt?

Upupintheair

Ridiculous, when setting up our HHA many many years ago, i (a woman) set it up so I became the head of the HHA. If my husband had set it up then he would be the one. What a non-discussion... since when is a head a man??

corporate-wage-slave

Given our current Supreme Governor, head of state, head of government, First Minister, previous head of the security services, multiple university chairs, and, yes, the head of Britain's biggest airline, I think you may have a point.

vanmunchen

"Provided her husband agreed" was NOT a BA quote. It was the journalist trying to be funny.