Thomas the Tank Engine needs more female trains, Labour MP says

YetAnotherCommenter · 2013-12-28T00:32:37+00:00

Mary Creagh, Labour's shadow transport secretary, says Thomas the Tank Engine needs more female engines to encourage girls to be train drivers

Okay, so the only reason girls don't want to be train drivers is due to the lack of female trains in a goddamn kid's show?

Really?

Do they honestly think young girls are so easily brainwashed?

I mean, the causal order of things seems to go the other way... Most Railway Enthusiasts Are Male, therefore Male Characters In A Show About Railways.

As for why most railway enthusiasts are male, I wouldn't know. It could be biology, it could be socialization, it could be a mixture, but I seriously doubt that Thomas The Tank Engine is a big factor here... particularly since the Most Railway Enthusiasts Are Male thing is pretty consistent across the entire Western world and Thomas The Tank Engine is only really shown to kids in Britain and Australia (perhaps Canada too?).

MKC7162387 · 2013-12-27T19:25:24+00:00

In other news the need for more male characters in MLP is ignored.

neubs · 2013-12-28T01:30:29+00:00

I sort of want a MLP and Thomas the Tank Engine crossover now. It takes place during Operation Barbarossa.

2013-12-27T18:38:24+00:00

Why don't we make every character ever gender neutral, then they can't find any meaningless PC thing to complain about.... right?

2013-12-27T22:22:40+00:00

So whenever a man complains about the representation of male characters in TV shows/movies, they're told it's not a big deal (or in the case of My Little Pony, it's marketed to girls so you shouldn't complain as many retort).

Yet when women complain about representation of female characters (or lack thereof), society listens and puts the pressure on creators.

Here's what I'll say to this request:

1) Make sure the female trains are well-written and fully developed. Not there just to appease women interest groups and preach "Grrl Power" constantly.

2) DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO BERATE AND INSULT THE MALE TRAINS WHEN NOT WARRANTED WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. Seriously, I'm tired of this trope whenever there's a strong female character in a tv show/movie outside of Thomas the Tank Engine.

avantvernacular · 2013-12-27T22:11:57+00:00

I'm cool with riding a lady train.

ENTP · 2013-12-28T04:47:45+00:00

I'd say this is about as serious as feminist issues get.

leva549 · 2013-12-28T08:26:29+00:00

This is really silly, but how is it relevant to men's rights?

apathos_destroys · 2013-12-27T21:24:47+00:00

"We need more female train conductors!"

That's great on paper and all...but how many women -want- to be train drivers? If they're trying that hard and failing, it's likely because the job doesn't appeal to women.

Sasha_ · 2013-12-28T15:16:34+00:00

Fat Controller: "Thomas, I've a very important job for you, after you finish your shift, I want you to take Annabel's coaches to the depot, because she's busy on an 'Empowering Female Locomotive Leaders' course today. Then I want you to shunt Harriet-the-High-Speed-Train's carriages because it's Wednesday, and she only does a 3-day week. Then I want to see your results for your 'Creating and Enabling a Diverse Workplace' online training module."

Thomas: "Crikey! Can't Gordon help?

FC: "No, he's been suspended because his horn sounds 'harassing', apparently."

Thomas: 'Toot-Toot!'

FC: That's quite enough of that 'wolf whistling' thank you. From now on, if you want to sound a noise to alert a problem on the line, you must play this meditative recording of Peruvian female throat-singers.

Thomas: Do I play that before entering tunnels?

FC: "NO! From now on the tunnel must give 'enthusiastic consent' prior to you entering it."

Svardskampe · 2013-12-27T23:15:07+00:00

Well, why not? I find it proving of quite a small mind to immediately oppose this with examples from MLP. Like it's also very childish to point out the wrongdoings of the accusator when being addressed for your wrongdoings.

If Thomas the tank engine could use more female characters, so be it. Flaws are there to be pointed out.

redundanteater · 2013-12-28T00:32:44+00:00

Wilbert Vere Awdry wrote the first book in 1945. I'm sure that there's no better use we could find for a time machine than to tell him that he needs to consider little girls taking up engineer jobs in 2013. Tally ho!

Ted8367 · 2013-12-28T01:39:34+00:00

Female train engines are just wrong. The pistons. The copious emissions of steam. The relentless power. The shape.

Tilly the Tunnel, though...

HumblePig · 2013-12-28T03:15:09+00:00

I had a pretty badass female family member who worked on the railroad. She seemed to think very highly of the job. Alas, I don't think making more female trains in Thomas the Tank is going to encourage more women into that field; it's grueling, hard, often times dangerous physical labor, and the repellent nature of such work is hardly limited to a lack of role models.

I'm not sure what's wrong with having role models of a different gender than yourself, anyway. Especially for females, who are generally allowed more gender fluidity.

TheoreticalFunk · 2013-12-28T07:10:03+00:00

This show is still on?

2013-12-28T13:23:53+00:00

Fecking 'ell

Kingcrow52 · 2013-12-28T03:37:46+00:00

In what way does this apply to men's rights? Granted I could ask that about 80% of the posts here.

jpflathead · 2013-12-27T21:42:43+00:00

I agree. Thomas definitely needs to show more women able and eager to pull a train.

Kimski · 2013-12-28T02:18:20+00:00

This is the kind of thing that REALLY makes you want to vote for a female politician at next election. Dammit, these gals sure have their priorities straightened out, don't they?

/sarcasm off.

TracyMorganFreeman · 2013-12-28T09:25:23+00:00

You know what would encourage girls to be train drivers?

Making their other options appear less lucrative.

Title	Thomas the Tank Engine needs more female trains, Labour MP says
Author	JohnKimble111
Upvotes	44
Comments	53
Date	December 27, 2013 6:29 PM UTC (12 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/1ttk90/thomas_the_tank_engine_needs_more_female_trains/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/thomas-the-tank-engine-needs-more-female-trains.1155072 https://theredarchive.com/post/1155072

Comments