dg comments

please empty your brain below

I didn’t think that DG would put in lazy comments mocking the trans community, under the guise of irony.

I am disappointed.

Messiah | 24.07.18 - 7:19 a.m. | #

They missed a trick with that last purple seat. Should have had rainbow bars. Red, orange yellow, green, blue, purple. Oh, that is six bars. Perhaps just leave orange or blue out. No one like them anyway. And they always leave poor old indigo out anyway...

Girls who are boys, who like boys to be girls, who do boys like they're girls, who do girls like they're boys. Always should be someone you really love.

Andrew | 24.07.18 - 7:26 a.m. | #

Great fun. I am glad to discover that my suspicions that Big Chief I-Spy was helping the police with their investigations for historic offenses have turned out to be unfounded. He is however, about to get lynched when TfL do roundels condemning what the intolerant progressive yoof call "cultural appropriation" I fear.

Dominic h | 24.07.18 - 7:45 a.m. | #

@Messiah The whole piece is sarcasm. And wonderful sarcasm it is too.

+1 DG. Have a cup of tea on me.

Jon Jones | 24.07.18 - 7:48 a.m. | #

I love your blog DG but your lazy and sarcastic comments about the Pride roundels are beneath you. I don’t remember you ever singling our ‘heteronormative’ TfL advertisement for criticism. After looking forward to reading your blog most mornings for years I’m afraid I won’t be able to think of you as a friendly voice anymore, which saddens me. The continuing prevalence of belittling and dismissive views like yours proves just why Pride continues to be so important.

Kevin | 24.07.18 - 7:53 a.m. | #

▢ I SPY-ed a proper rainbow bench at Shoreditch High Street station and scored 50 points.

Big Chief I-SPY | 24.07.18 - 7:54 a.m. | #

My, the sensitive flowers are out early today.

Funny piece, DG.

David | 24.07.18 - 7:56 a.m. | #

I am with Jon Jones.

+2 DG. Do have another cuppa on me.

Dominic H | 24.07.18 - 7:59 a.m. | #

If I understand your description correctly, then TfL have put some of their trans and gay roundels on an obscure platform out in Romford, where they'll be of out of sight, out of mind - a subconscious comment perhaps.

No points for spotting tube mice? - it can be quite hard because they are usually the same dark colours as the track, so you usually only notice them when you spot movement.

What about pigeons travelling between stations?

Still Anon | 24.07.18 - 7:59 a.m. | #

There are no intentionally mocking comments here.

"why shouldn't the people of Romford be reminded that non-heteronormative sexualities exist?"

and

"the trans flag reminds us that when you grow up you do not have to be the gender you were born, indeed what actually is gender anyway, you can just be yourself"

are only critical if you decide they must mean something different to what I actually wrote.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.07.18 - 8:00 a.m. | #

Dear oh dear, there are those that are offended because they like being offended.

This trans person found today’s blog well up to its usually humerous standard and I love it. No problem with it at all.

Fran | 24.07.18 - 8:05 a.m. | #

@David your homophobia has no place here, or anywhere else.

Kevin | 24.07.18 - 8:09 a.m. | #

Thanks Fran from a long-term cis reader, I didn't think dg was having a pop and you and he have confirmed it.

Gordon | 24.07.18 - 8:16 a.m. | #

@diamond geezer but also “Perhaps Mummy and/or Daddy and/or Mummy and/or Mummy and/or Daddy and/or Daddy will be able to explain more.”

Curious that you never use such a mocking tone to describe straight parents.

Kevin | 24.07.18 - 8:17 a.m. | #

Kevin - That wasn't meant to have a mocking tone either, but to be a representation of the diversity of parenthood.

None of this was intended to be a display of belittling and dismissive views. I'm sorry you felt belittled and dismissed.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 24.07.18 - 8:28 a.m. | #

I'm virtuesignallerphobic, is that permitted by the language blackshirts?

Max Roberts | 24.07.18 - 8:39 a.m. | #

All I know is that if someone wants to feel offended even if nobody else does, that's apparently up to them now.

DG isn't the first person to have phrased something in a way that offends someone even if no malice was meant and won't be the last.

John | 24.07.18 - 8:49 a.m. | #

The photos of Buckhurst Hill station make it look more like a concentration camp than a public transport facility.

IsarSteve | 24.07.18 - 8:49 a.m. | #

I tend to think it's a minor tragedy of the modern age that tone can be so difficult to successfully convey through the internet.

The situation at Buckhurst Hill is, given TfL's continued reiteration that they're committed to introducing step-free access, quite insulting really. I hope they're ashamed enough of themselves to at least move to have a member of staff on hand more often to help the people who may have been fooled into using the station under the impression it was step-free.

Medford | 24.07.18 - 8:58 a.m. | #

Here's the problem with using signage to promote some sort of message which has nothing to do with conveying relevant information in an aesthetically pleasing way - someone is bound to be offended and/or confused. I see a recurring theme in DG's posts that puts the case for keeping the traditional values of good design - I am on his side on this.
And it's not just aesthetics, good signage is about safety too.

Andy Riley | 24.07.18 - 9:01 a.m. | #

Since when was the term 'sensitive (sometimes delicate) flower' homophobic ?!?

David | 24.07.18 - 9:19 a.m. | #

"Curious that you never use such a mocking tone to describe straight parents."

@kevin - You must have missed a lot of DG'd posts over the past ten years then, where his mocking tone is his style used on everyone.

And that style is funny - as is today's post. There is nothing offensive about it in the slightest, and it makes me happy that it is a good reminder that I can be who i choose to be. And I love it.

Fran | 24.07.18 - 10:20 a.m. | #

I’m a liberal. DG sometimes adopts a mocking, satirical style, especially when speaking in someone else’s voice. In this case, he was speaking in the voice of 1950s eye-spy books. The tone was appropriate. He has used this satirical approach for many different subjects. It’s well done.

All reading of DG suggests he’s on the side of the rainbow unicorns and all other minorities.

Given we’re in a world of Trump and Jacob Reed-Mogg, people on my side of the political divide need to focus less on attacking their friends.

Thomas | 24.07.18 - 10:42 a.m. | #

I do hope this is soon followed by a I-Spy Book of Bus Journeys.

OnTheBus | 24.07.18 - 10:44 a.m. | #

@OnTheBus

I-Spy Book of Dangleway Journeys

Jon Jones | 24.07.18 - 10:48 a.m. | #

DG, I feel left out. You haven't done anything that I would find insulting or belittling. Can you do a post taking a pop at overweight elderly white women. Maybe how uncomfortable it is when the person you're sharing a bus seat with takes up three quarters of the double seat.

Caz | 24.07.18 - 10:58 a.m. | #

@OnTheBus and Jon Jones

I-Spy Book of Bus Stop Ms. DG has already done some research Big Chief I-Spy.

Mike | 24.07.18 - 11:11 a.m. | #

Excellent post! The tongue-in-cheek language used and the little digs were at just the right level.
It's post like this that keep me coming back.

I'd +3 another cup of tea, but fear your bladder might not thank me if you're out and about today.

Cornish Cockney | 24.07.18 - 11:13 a.m. | #

I'm with the supposedly politically incorrect brigade. If anyone thinks DG is being homophobic or whatever, I have a simple message: 'Loosen up. The world does not revolve around your perceived insensitivities.' DG's occasional 'piss take' posts are beautifully written and, I suspect, most of his followers are envious of his elegant prose. If it offends you, too bad.

J. | 24.07.18 - 11:17 a.m. | #

My irony meter has exploded.

drD | Homepage | 24.07.18 - 11:31 a.m. | #

i find it depressing that people can take offence at such a nice piece.

taking offence where it isn't warranted, reduces our credibility for when it is.

ADS | 24.07.18 - 11:46 a.m. | #

Remember the front cover illustrations of the 1950s I-Spy books? If it says "OVENDEN" in the bottom right that's Denys Ovenden, natural history artist. Glad to see that he is still of this world and still producing works.

Pimlico Pete | 24.07.18 - 11:49 a.m. | #

Never mind all this PC lefty rubbish. Where's the Justice for Tommy roundels? It's discrimination I tell ya.

Fred Gammon (milliem) | 24.07.18 - 11:50 a.m. | #

Very good!

Quite pleased that I-spy books are currently being published again. Walking in the countryside, my childhood I-spy book of trees would have been perfect reference material for identifying the local flora!

Mikey C | 24.07.18 - 11:55 a.m. | #

"Smart" and "ironic" posts can and will be misinterpreted (or correctly interpreted...) are really just cheap attempts at "good" humour by DG, there are so many interesting subjects covered on this blog that it's a shame they are published.

Sir Biton | 24.07.18 - 12:38 p.m. | #

I think our time is a time of transition, and it's perfectly factual that we are yet to have another expression which would be more casual than simply "parent" but better describing the person in concern than either "Dad" or "Mom". It's not DG's fault for not able to come up with what most others probably can't come up with (yet) either.

Patrickov | 24.07.18 - 3:03 p.m. | #

Now that I-spy books are a thing of the past, all I have to entertain me on long journeys is a game of 'Yellow Car'.

dg writes: I-spy books are very much of the present.

Ned | 24.07.18 - 3:26 p.m. | #

Little in this piece offends me.

I thank the minority of the commentariat for taking the time to remind me and others that we should have been offended, but to tell the truth in the era of Trump, Putin and Brexit, etc. my reservoir of offence is exceedingly low.

Frank F | 24.07.18 - 3:50 p.m. | #

The real scandal here is that only one person has been moved to comment about the disgraceful step-free fiasco at Buckhurst Hill.

People are so easily distracted by trifles these days, while missing the bigger picture.

Richard | 24.07.18 - 4:12 p.m. | #

@J.
I am with you all the way. Some people get offended far too easily.

As a matter of fact, I once got into an argument with a trans person in a YouTube comments section because they took offence at a perfectly innocent comment that I made. When I replied with a comment aiming to clear up the obvious misunderstanding, they came back saying words to the effect of "Shut up. You're only making it worse." The worst part about this whole incident is that it has (maybe) slightly coloured my opinion of trans people (and not in a good way).

X-Plaistow | 24.07.18 - 4:14 p.m. | #

Sadly, the rule of thumb has to be that if people say they are offended, they have to be believed.

It is no use saying "I wasn't offended, and even if I were a member of that particular group I would not have been offended". That excuse has been (ab)used so much in the past, by people making "jokes" which today would seem appalling and disgusting.

Of course humour is a licence to stray a certain distance beyond the "offending" barrier. But only a certain distance.

For the record, I did not find any of the article offensive at all. But those who did take offence must be heard.

Malcolm | 24.07.18 - 4:36 p.m. | #

I find your comments offensive, Malcolm.

JBC | 24.07.18 - 4:52 p.m. | #

Only 15 points for me this evening for Bromley by bow. No staff. And both the large gates was closed right now

Al | 24.07.18 - 5:06 p.m. | #

Wow, the comments are a bit like Twitter today

Tom | 24.07.18 - 5:43 p.m. | #

@JBC, I agree with you.

If a single person were to object to a comment, should as Malcolm says 'they be heard'? On this basis, the power of veto would be everywhere. I have no problems with, shall I say, the Alf Garnett style, provided it is not aimed viciously at individuals. For example, do Scots really mind being characterised generally as being people with 'deep pockets and short arms'?

As I said earlier today, we all need to loosen up, and, if offended, laugh it off.

J. | 24.07.18 - 5:52 p.m. | #

Thank you for the reminder of how much fun I Spy books were.

Brian Berke | Homepage | 24.07.18 - 6:21 p.m. | #

Walking through without paying at B-by-B only works if you are confident that you can do the same at the other end of the journey, or intend to barge through. Also given a journey to/from Zone 1 is almost certain to encounter gates, dodged fares are more likely to be for non-Z1 journeys so only avoiding a fare of £1.50 off-peak (DG blogs passim refer). It's likely also that at least some of those walking through without interacting with the gate have Travelcards, Freedom Passes etc.

(Sorry, have I omitted to be offended by something?)

Andrew S | 24.07.18 - 10:18 p.m. | #

I think people are a little oversensitive. I am part of the LGBTQ community and I found the sarcasm rather funny. I don't think DG would ever say something in a malicious manor so people really need to learn to not get offended by everything.

That's just my opinion, don't get offended. I didn't mean that in a malicious manor either.

Ethan | 25.07.18 - 11:23 a.m. | #

Glad to see I-Spy books are still a thing.
I've now replaced my "Nature" books, thanks!

Cornish Cockney | 25.07.18 - 12:01 p.m. | #

TfL should stick to their core business of transport and travel instead of changing station names (temporarily) and colours, then no one should be offended. Personally I like the traditional red roundel but would likely not take any notice if the colour had changed or wonder why.

MikeH | 25.07.18 - 1:13 p.m. | #

I wonder if the Romford-Upminster branch will in fact become part of Crossrail. It makes more sense as it connects with it and it could be run using repainted - maybe even rainbow coloured - trains.

daveid76 | 25.07.18 - 2:15 p.m. | #

I enjoyed the article. Nice update on a few transporty things I was not up to date on. I liked the I-Spy "tone" of the writing - that's not easy to get right. I'd also forgotten that I'd used I Spy books long ago.

And I also liked being a rainbow unicorn. Made me smile as did the silly picture in my head of groups of unicorns prancing around Vauxhall and Shoreditch. Still I do have a weird imagination.

PC | 26.07.18 - 2:53 p.m. | #

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