Baa baa black sheep, page-60

"I think you are all missing the point here. Sure, baa baa black sheep is overtly racist because it uses the word black.......and I agree 100% that we must respond to that type of ugly discrimination in a robust manner......but there is a far more sinister undertone of sexist discrimination here. It's not about what is said but rather it's about what is NOT said. Consider this extract from the nursery rhyme: "one for the master and one for the dame and one for the little boy who lives down the lane". What I want to know is why does the little girl who lives down the lane also not receive a quota of wool?? What message are we sending to our children?? That we sanction the inequitable distribution of wool between the sexes?? Are we saying that if you are a boy then you are worthy to receive wool but not if you are a girl?? I thought as a society we had grown past these hideous stereotypes. I have a daughter myself and I would be inconsolable if I learnt that she believed she was not worthy to receive wool. Fortunately I instilled values in her as she grew up. She knows that she is worthy to receive wool, cotton, silk and indeed any commodity from which textiles can be produced.

I therefore propose that the nursery rhyme be altered as such:

"One for the master and one for the dame and one for each of the children who live down the lane"



Hey nine lives,

I seriously have not read a bigger load of rot given what you have just written.  "sexist overtones"
You are reading into this rhyme things that dont exist, so it is you that is creating the sexist overtones and not the rhyme.

Why not just read the rhyme for what its worth rather than trying to make it sound offensive??

The rhyme was written about the wool tax implemented by the king at the time, many centuries ago and the 'little boy down the lane' makes reference to the farmer himself who owned the sheep/wool.

As there were only kings back centuries ago, maybe we should refer to them as something else so the ladies of centuries ago dont feel discriminated against.??

Cheers