Friend said husband's remark was insensitive re: Orthodox Jews

[Anonymous]

Last winter I bought one of those knit skirts from Old Navy. This one is brown. They are long, probably mid-calf on me, with a fold-over waist band. I know this is hideous but it was a postpartum lounge-about purchase. It's actually so hideous that I don't think I wore it last year, but I digress. All of my sweat/workout/lounge pants were dirty and I put this thing on at the end of the day along with a pair of my husbands black dress socks because I was freezing and all I could find of my own were athletic socks. I walk into the living room and my husband said I looked like an Orthodox Jew. We both had a good laugh and I proceeded to pull on my boxy, off-white Lands End fleece pullover. DH said, "Awww yeah....it just got a little more conservative in here. HOT!"

Anyway, probably lost in translation but I thought it was funny and was recalling the story to my friend. She got quiet. Then said, "Hmmm a little insensitive? Next topic."

WDYT?

[Anonymous]

Any orthodox jews around to hear the remark? No? Then your friend needs to relax. And you need to keep in mind that your friend is clearly the PC police.

BUt I'm sure the DCUM PC Police will be by shortly to write you a citation as well.

[Anonymous]

The Orthodox Jews choose to dress that way. What exactly was insensitive about his comment?

[Anonymous]

Could have been a bible-belt tent revivalist, too.

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish- I don't find it offensive.

[Anonymous]

I think it's one thing to make fun of something people have no control over, such as skin color, but fine to make light of something you can control, such as clothing or hairstyle. It's not like you saw some Jews walking down the street and pointed your finger and laughed directly at them. I think your friend needs to lighten up.

[Anonymous]

Jewish, too. NOT offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any orthodox jews around to hear the remark? No? Then your friend needs to relax. And you need to keep in mind that your friend is clearly the PC police.

BUt I'm sure the DCUM PC Police will be by shortly to write you a citation as well.

I agree that it wasn't that offensive, but the reasoning of PP is totally off. So long as no gays are around you can make gay jokes, for example? By the way, the term "PC police" is pretty ignorant.

[Anonymous]

Your friend is the one with the problem. I wasn't there but from your description of how you were dressed makes me think your husband was right. It isn't a sin to laugh.

[Anonymous]

not offensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm Jewish- I don't find it offensive.

yes - But are you (and the other Jewish posters) Orthodox?

My Conservative friend would also think it was funny; her Orthodox cousin, however, would not.

[Anonymous]

Her Orthodox cousin wouldn't care. She would blow it off. We Jews have bigger things to worry about.

[Anonymous]

Were you repeating this story to an orthodox jew? I can see why she might not have laughed. I'm a jew and I wouldn't have been offended, but I might have been less charitable toward the comment if he'd been scornful about the orthodox in other contexts.

[Anonymous]

OP I totally don't get it.

Your husband said that you looked like you were Orthodox Jewish and then, when you put something else on, he said, you were hot?

Is he trying to tell you to dress more conservatively?

[Anonymous]

Non-Orthodox Jew here.

On the one hand, I'm uncomfortable with all the Jew-themed DCUM postings, because usually at least someone uses the opportunity to say something nasty.

On the other, I don't think what OP's DH said was a big deal. Plus my own mother would have (and has) said the same thing if I were similarly attired. If they had been within earshot, my orthodox friends who wear long skirts (because not all do) would probably have shrugged, and maybe rolled their eyes.

Maybe a little insensitive, but no biggie.