Jackie McGregor: Gen Z may be easily offended but you have to admire them

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GEN Z MAY BE EASILY OFFENDED BUT YOU HAVE TO ADMIRE THEM

Lee Mack recently appeared uncomfortable on the TV show, “Would I Lie to You?” sandwiched between his teammates, 76-year-old poet, John Cooper Clarke and 24-year-old YouTuber, Lucia Keskin (never heard of her!)

Lee remarked, "John has lived on this planet for a lot longer than Lucia," and so decided to trust John's judgment regarding who was being dishonest. Lucia, feeling defensive, immediately demanded,

"What do you mean?" sensing she should feel offended, though she wasn’t sure what to be offended about. Lee clarified that he was referring to John being her senior.

It made for slightly uncomfortable viewing. Lee appeared unusually guarded for the rest of the show, perhaps wary of making a comment that might offend the young woman.

I’ve noticed the younger generation frequently examine peoples’ remarks and actions for potential to cause offense. I’ve found myself eye-rolling at the amount of energy they put into being offended. Had they grown up in the era I did (1980s) they’d no doubt have swooned every day from an attack of the vapours, brought on by acute sensitivity. It seems to be catching, as causing offence has become a real fear particularly for broadcasters.

Whilst streaming classic comedy shows recently, I noticed some programmes were accompanied with a warning stating, “attitudes of the era may offend,” I scoffed, but as I watched, I noticed the content was full of derogatory comments about women. Females were referred to as, “birds” and “tarts”, as a man sat ogling Page 3.

Rewatching what I once deemed amusing, now appeared dated and dare I say it, offensive!

Later, I was singing along on YouTube to1970s song, “Oh Carol,” by Smokie when I suddenly realised how distasteful the lyrics sounded. It felt deeply inappropriate singing about an older man, who picked up a young girl by the roadside and was about to kiss her when she admits, “I’m not sixteen if you know what I mean!” Yuck! How did I not think this years ago?

Watching a recent rerun of the movie "Fatal Attraction" I noticed my perspective had changed from when I first saw it in 1987. I no longer sided with Michael Douglas's character, a married man who has an affair with a complicated woman. The film reflects 1980s views, portraying women as either angelic wives or femme fatal lovers while excusing the man's every despicable action as justified. Today, younger audiences would criticize the male character’s behaviour, making such a film unlikely to be a box-office success or perhaps even produced.

As a parent of a teenager, I find my exposure to my son’s and his friends' viewpoints on various issues has begun to alter my own perspective and change my long-held views.

Generation Z’s increased awareness of social injustices contribute to their heightened sensitivity. They challenge traditional power structures and demand accountability, as they use their voices and digital skills to create positive change, promoting a shift towards greater inclusivity and social responsibility.

Despite my continued eye-rolling towards Gen Z’s sometimes tedious hyperreactivity, I have developed a quiet respect for their willingness to call out unacceptable behaviour. Their actions encourage those of us who have traditionally viewed things from a singular perspective to consider alternative viewpoints, highlighting how we may have previously overlooked or silently accepted inappropriate behaviour instead of addressing it.

DOES THE SHOE FIT, WHO CARES? – WOMEN BUY THEM ANYWAY!

While searching for warm boots, two shoe boxes fell from my wardrobe. One contained gold stilettos encrusted with jewels, the other held the same shoes in pink. They had been in the wardrobe for years; unused. I’d bought them out of sheer lust, they were uncomfortable, they pinched, but I had to have them. Now, I decided to donate them to charity; they were too beautiful to remain on the shelf, they deserved to be worn and admired.

According to a survey the average woman in the UK owns 34 pairs of shoes, the average man owns 14 pairs, though men don’t seem to have the same love affair with footwear as the female of the species.

In a study, a third of women admitted to splashing out on shoes that were the wrong size simply because they liked them (guilty!) Shoes can hold a powerful allure, even in childhood, some of our favourite stories featured women and their shoes.

Cinderella got her man with her glass slipper and Dorothy found her way home with her ruby shoes.

Marilyn Monroe claimed girls owed a lot to whomever invented the high heel. She’s rumoured to have created her iconic sexy swaying walk by sawing a quarter of an inch off one shoe heel. I tried this, but the effect prompted hubby to enquire if my plantar fasciitis was playing up again?

We willingly endure pain for the sake of a beautiful shoe, usually the lovelier they are, the more uncomfortable they’ll be.

There’s a true saying about footwear – if the shoe fits, it’s ugly!