Pentahotels accused of ‘sexist’ toilet signs

German-based hotel group Pentahotels has come under fire on social media for promoting “outdated gender stereotypes” on bathroom signs in one of its properties. 

The signs – photographed and posted on Twitter by head of UK Theatre Cassie Chadderton, along with the caption “Hi @pentahotels, just wondering if you know that we’re in the 21st century now?” – depicts a figure on each door, one dreaming of “football” and another dreaming of “shopping”.

Hi @pentahotels, just wondering if you know that we're in the 21st century now? pic.twitter.com/sDSTa2DHJN

— Cassie Chadderton (@cassiechaddrton) September 26, 2016

Pentahotels responded to the post, which has been liked 586 times and shared 405 times, by suggesting that men also go shopping, but only when they want new football gear.

https://twitter.com/pentahotels/status/780456727338770433

Chadderton responded by claiming that this doesn’t come across in the signage, which only go to reinforce “outdated gender stereotypes”.

The company, which has 28 hotels including six in the UK, tweeted again to say: “We’re a modern and open-minded family who believes in equality. We hope we did not upset you.”

https://twitter.com/pentahotels/status/780458003875201024

The exchange prompted other Twitter users to get involved, with one suggesting that if Pentahotels was really an “open-minded” company, it would change the signs immediately.

https://twitter.com/paul_clarke/status/780492866368012288

A spokesperson for Pentahotels told The Huffington Post UK: “Pentahotels is a modern and open-minded family who believes in equality and equal rights. We, the penta-family, don’t for one second believe that women can be reduced to just being interested in shopping or that men can be reduced to just being interested in football.

“The signs were meant to be humorous, simple and light-hearted – sexism was certainly not the motivator for our choice.”