On GMB today, a debate took place over whether men should stop calling women ‘birds’.
The discussion was introduced by hosts Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard as they welcomed two guests onto Friday’s programme.
Presenter and showbiz journalist Ellie Phillips and comedian and author Sadia Azmat debated the issue.
It comes after some of the Love Island 2023 male contestants have been calling the girls in the villa “birds”.
GMB today
Ellie appeared against the word ‘bird’.
Meanwhile, Sadia disagreed and branded it an “affectionate” term in a lot of cases.
Ellie said: “It’s used widely in Liverpool and it’s not meant to be offensive. There’s no malice that comes with it and I think that’s the point.
“It’s not a malicious term but the underlying tones speak to other problems and that’s where the issue is with it.”
Love Island viewers have been debating whether the male contestants are constantly offending the female contestants by calling them “bird”.
But is ‘bird’ a harmless term of endearment or should men stop calling women ‘bird’? pic.twitter.com/AkdAbqoVkR
— Good Morning Britain (@GMB) January 20, 2023
Is the term ‘bird’ offensive?
However, Sadia said: “But there’s no tone underlying at all. The tone is affectionate.”
Ellie cut in: “Affectionate?”
Sadia replied: “Yeah. None of those tones weren’t aggresive or mean or predatory.”
Host Kate then joined the debate as she said: “But there are some words that people use widely and argued that they’re meant with affection that now we’re very clear are connected to things that have underlying tones that we don’t want.”
She added to Sadia: “Maybe what your argument is is that there is a process here and the process is education.”
Sadia replied: “I think sometimes, between the males and females, we make it complicated and every case is different.
Get a grip far worse things to worry about.
“What somebody might have been through and had a bad experience with the word bird, we all can’t carry it.”
Meanwhile, she added that others may “really like” the term ‘bird’.
Good Morning Britain debate reaction
The debate divided Good Morning Britain viewers at home, with some calling the discussion “ridiculous”.
One person ranted on Twitter: “Jeez is there anything that anyone can say that isn’t offending someone, ridiculous comment.”
In addition, another said: “Bloomin ridiculous I have been called a lot lot worse. Get a grip far worse things to worry about.”
Read more: GMB viewers ‘switch off’ as ‘ridiculous’ debate about cake at work comes under fire
After that, someone else tweeted: “Should #men stop calling #women birds? The real question is should #people stop moaning about the slightest little thing. #GMB is getting worse, turn the crap off.”
However, others do find the term ‘bird’ offensive as one added: “I don’t want to be called a bird, I don’t have a beak and feathers. It’s a derogatory term, use of language is very important.”
Meanwhile, another wrote: “Women are not birds, they’re a human being.”
GMB airs on weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
What do you think? Is the term ‘bird’ offensive? Head over to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix to have your say.