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Mother calls school 'sexist' for casting 6-year-old daughter as 'innkeeper's wife' in nativity play, gets slammed online

The mother said she wanted to give her daughter's teachers a lesson on "everyday sexism". However, she received major backlash online, with several observers insisting she should not try and change the festive tradition
UPDATED FEB 18, 2020
(Source: Getty Images)
(Source: Getty Images)

A mother has reportedly slammed her daughter's school for being "sexist" after the six-year-old was cast as the "Innkeeper's Wife" in the Christmas Nativity play.

The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, wrote on British parenting site Mumsnet about how she took offense by the name of the role as her daughter "shouldn't be identified by her relationship to a man".

The mother also said she wanted to give her daughter's teachers a lesson on "everyday sexism" citing the incident. The furious woman received major backlash online, with several observers insisting she should not try and change the festive tradition. 

"You want to change the Nativity? Of course, it's not unreasonable! Why not insist on Mary and Joseph walking instead of traveling by donkey because obviously they were vegan and would never put that burden on a poor animal," one wrote.

"It may have escaped your notice but the innkeeper doesn't have a name either. What do you want her to be called? Susan? Margaret? Bethany? Maybe with stay-at-home mum and part-time stable hand and crib maker written next to it so she's clearly not defined by being a wife?" another added.

"I don't see the issue here I'm afraid. The play is set over 2000 years ago when women were somebody's wife," a third commented. However, some agreed with the mother and said the school could address her concerns by thinking of other ways to describe the role.

"I see your point. Why not second innkeeper, or landlady? Something that's not 'male role = an actual role, female role = male's dependent'. How did they cast? Did they consider a girl for the role of innkeeper? etc," one user commented.

"I don't think you're ridiculous at all. They could be 'innkeeper' or 'innkeeper couple.' How do people think this paints small children's view of women? It's all part of it. All of these little everyday positionings of women," another added.

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