An Australian mother and her child recently expressed their outrage at the so-called offensive language used by a for-hire car company in their decades-old slogan.
Nicole Van Dijken and her 7-year-old son were taken aback by the phrase “no birds” written on the car door, a slogan that has been in use for seventy-five years.
Van Dijken found herself in a difficult position when she had to decipher the meaning of “no birds” and explain it to her young son. The car company in question, Bayswater Car Rental, was established in 1958 in Perth, Australia. Despite the changing times and evolving societal norms, the company has chosen to maintain its traditional slogan.
In the past, Bayswater Car Rental did not hire female drivers to serve their customers, hence the “no birds” sign on their cabs. Instead, customers picked up their own cars, meaning they were the ones driving, not a female “bird” or delivery girl.
As Van Dijken’s son persisted in asking about the meaning of the “no birds” slogan, she struggled to respond, telling ABC Radio Perth’s Jo Trilling, “This is something that I really do get furious about every time I see it.” Van Dijken added that the term was a sexist slur and that she needed to explain it to her son, which she ultimately did.
Van Dijken believes that the “no birds” slogan is a relic of a “shameful past” from the 1950s and 1960s. She argues that referring to a woman as a “bird” is inappropriate and questions why the company continues to use the term.
However, Bayswater Car Rental has shown no interest in changing its slogan. Instead, they direct curious customers to their website, which explains that although having hire cars delivered might seem excessive today, employing “delivery girls” was a standard extra service in Australia when the company first began.
One man expressed his disagreement with the continued use of the term, stating, “Back in the day, we called a girl a bird in a warm, friendly way… unfortunately, I guess it’s not appropriate in this crazy PC world.”
On the other hand, a female commentator shared her experience of vocal opposition against the slogan during her youth when feminist activism was gaining momentum. She is surprised that the company is still allowed to use the controversial slogan.
“There was a very vocal opposition voiced against this when I was younger, and feminist activism was finding its voice — even my mother wrote a letter to The West (newspaper) to object to it. I can’t believe they are still getting away with using this slogan.”
Source: AWM
