What’s the most pathetic way you’ve experienced classism in the UK? – 17 petty ways people have been kept in their place

The UK has changed in a lot of ways in recent years, but the constraints of classism don’t appear to have disappeared.

Your_Mums_Ex wanted to hear how classism still shows up in small, weird ways, so they decided to turn to r/AskUK for further insight.

‘It feels like it’s one of those things that’s so baked into everyday life here that most people don’t even clock it half the time, or if they do they just brush it off as “oh that’s just how it is.”

Could be something big, could be something totally trivial and stupid honestly the more mundane the better. Love a good AskUK thread on this sort of thing.’

Here are the top answers to look up to/ down on depending on where you rank…

1.

‘When I was in the forces, I did a private security gig at Henley Royal Regatta. Some minor Royals were attending and a marquee had been cordoned off for them in the Stewards Enclosure and I was put in charge of telling people to bugger off. The number of posh people that thought the rules didn’t apply to them was astounding. I really took pride in my work that day.’
-bigbadjimb

2.

‘went to a HUGE country house to repair a hall radiator, knocked on the door, lady in twin set and pearls answered… told me I needed to go to the back door… (she actualy said this as “The tradesman entrance is at the rear of the property”) I could see the faulty valve 300mm behind her… but no oicks were allowed through the portal of poshness.’
-dismaldunc

3.

‘I met a charming lady in Bath who was surprised that there was a House of Fraser in Glasgow.

‘Her rationale was that it was unlikely that anyone up there could afford it.’
-GeggingIn

4.

‘A girl I went to uni with asked me what I was going to do over the summer.

‘I said I’d probably be doing more hours at my part time job so I could save up for the next year of studying.

‘She looked horrified and said “Why would you want to do that?? Wouldn’t you rather go travelling or something??”
University was a real eye opener on classism for me.’
-ZeroFrogsHere

5.

‘At a BBQ of a family friend, got called out for offering to do a food/drink run to Lidl instead of the acceptable answer of Waitrose.’
-ImpressiveRest2423

6.

‘My (then) 7-year old nephew was told a few years back by a kid in his class that he wasn’t allowed to play with him because “your dad is a builder”. The parents were both doctors and utterly insufferable arseholes who apparently carefully selected who their child was allowed to play with, and that consisted of about three other children in the class.
And my brother is an electrician, not a builder, but I assume that was all the same thing to them!’
-pooinyourear

7.

‘I get it at least once a week, the amount of university graduates that can’t believe they earn less than me, or dont live in as nice an area as me, a tradesman who only went to college. Had 2 neighbours complain about my van on my own drive.

‘Not sure if that’s actually classism or people just being uppty pricks tbf.’
-Darwen85

8.

‘My ex-manager said she wouldn’t have hired me if I sounded like where I’m from.’
-Affectionate-Owl9594

9.

‘Speaking to someone in London who didn’t believe me when I said you could buy the Guardian newspaper in Manchester.’
-LimberGaelic