 When âbanterâ gets taken too far: How Piers Morgan teaches us about misogyny in the workplace.
âItâs just a jokeâ â a phrase many women know all to well. A moment that makes you pause, and question, âwas that too far?â. More often than not, harmful comments in the workplace are brushed off as banter, but in reality, they carry strong undertones of sexism and disrespect. This type of humour reinforces harmful ideologies, and creates uncomfortable working environments, the last thing people want in a place they spend up to nine hours a day, just trying to make a living. Throughout the years, there have been several figures who embody this grey area of banter and disrespect, like Piers Morgan. Known for his outspoken and ruthless personality, Morgan has built his career on provocation, and what Gen Z might describe as âragebaitingâ â the act of provoking individuals to a snapping point, out of mere amusement. The charity Young Womenâs Trust found that the number of young women being discriminated against at work is on the rise, at a three year high – and it can be argued that Piers is a catalyst for this. From morning spats, to social media clashes, Piersâ brand of confrontation is often defended as âjust a jokeâ, yet if we dive deeper into his character, we begin to learn just how detrimental his behaviour is to deeper issues of gender, power, and equality.
A telling example of how sexism is disguised as humour came during a segment in which Piers Morgan declared that âwhen women get to a certain age, they have to put it away.’ Upon first hearing this, it might sound like a flippant remark, but beneath this lies  a deeply engrained cultural message â that women should not be visible.  The phrase âput it awayâ suggests that women should regulate what they wear, and their self-expression⊠something which was common in the 18th century perhaps. It positions female confidence as something that should expire with age, as if dignity and desirability are privilege reserved for men. Whilst for men, age usually comes alongside authority and charm, the same cannot be said for women.  What makes this exchange all the more telling is not just the comment itself, but the ones that follow, and his body language. Piers goes on to laugh and dismiss co-host Ashley Louise Jamesâ objections as âa load of nonsense,â thus leading the exchange to become a performance of everyday sexism. His dismissal of her comments highlights his lack of interest in what she has to say, and in wrapping the insults in humour, Morgan turns his behaviour into entertainment. This tactic makes it easier to brush off critique, and consequently makes it harder for others to challenge his views without being labelled as âhumourless.â  Comments such as this have led to women being almost twice as likely as men to report feeing discriminated against because of their gender, with 1 in 7 women in the Uk saying they have experienced sexism in their working lives. It leads us to question, if Piers Morgan is doing this on national TV, how are the rest of the male population speaking to women in private.
This is not the only instance in which Piers has come into controversy over his misogynistic comments. In 2020, weather presenter Laura Tobin appeared on air wearing red leather trousers. Instead of listening to her talking about her expertise and allowing her to simply do her job, Piers immediately shifted the conversation to her attire. Fixating on her outfit, he said âwhen a female presenter parades herself in skin tight leather trousers to do the weather, youâre going to get people going Wow!â. He then joked, âYou put them on so people would notice, right?â. This might seem like teasing on live TV, but it reveals something much deeper about the subconscious expectations of professional settings. It becomes evident that Piers reduces women in the workplace to their physical appearance. His follow up of, âyouâre talking to the wrong guy, I love hot clothesâ framed the interaction as harmless humour, deflecting criticism through self-depreciation. Yet the imbalance of tone stood strong, with Morgan laughing, but Tobinâs body language displaying clear discomfort and annoyance. Morganâs comments reinforce the assumption that womenâs clothing invites, and even deserves, sexualised attention. He normalises the male gaze as an inevitable reaction, rather than holding men themselves accountable for their actions, he shifts the blame onto women, a key example of victim blaming. Â It further goes on to prove that Piers did not care for Tobinâs dedication and hard work to her job: Â just her clothes, and that he believes women dress to cater to the male gaze. This simply extenuates the notion that men think a womenâs purpose in society is to cater to their sexual desires. In a workplace context, leading to women feeling silenced, as it further reinstates a culture where sexism is tolerated under the guise of âjust making a joke.â
This leads us to question, why is Piers Morgan’s behaviour detrimental to the audiences that surround him? One of the main reasons that it is harmful, is because of the platform that he has. As a prominent figure in the media, his behaviour sets a precedent that the younger, more impressionable viewers might imitate. This leads to this âworkplaceâ sexism being found in the classroom, the playground, and on social media, spreading like wildfire. It also means that audiences who identify with the groups that he mocks feel silenced, ridiculed, and less likely to challenge such comments. Â
What can be done to stop this? The best way to break the cycle of misogyny is to speak up. Whether it is you, or someone else, that is facing such âhumourâ, use your voice and challenge such comments. Information can be found here How to improve gender equality in the workplace: actions for employers – GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-improve-gender-equality-in-the-workplace-actions-for-employers/how-to-improve-gender-equality-in-the-workplace-actions-for-employers) on ways you can make your workplace more inclusive and equal, for all workers.