This morning, the sports report on my favorite radio show featured the story of Ozzie Guillen, who called Chicago Sun-Times columnist Jay Mariotti a fag. One of the DJs supported Guillen's defense that the word did not have the same connotations in his country, that it was a reference to a person's courage, not his sexuality. The DJ went on to say that Guillen should have used "the P-word" instead, since that's really what he meant.
Really? Really? So the female organ through which said DJ was birthed is an appropriate slur to apply to a coward? The female member of the radio morning crew, who happens to be pregnant, made no comment on the topic, so I can't know whether she was equally offended, or just so inured to that particular usage it didn't occur to her.
If it is clearly inappropriate to use sexuality as a means of insult, is it not equally inappropriate to use gender in the same manner? I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised by such an attitude when crimes against homosexuals are granted hate crime status (a ridiculous distinction in the first place), while rape, a clearly gender-driven crime, is not. It is still safe to belittle women, to use feminine terms to denote weakness and other character flaws.
I can only console myself by thinking this is all a little like the fable of the fox and the grapes. It's mighty tempting to think of something as inferior when you've spent so much time unsuccessfully chasing it.
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8 comments:
Sadly enough, these kinds of remarks are probably less dangerous than the more subtle manifestations of gender bias. I have been repeatedly criticized by male managers in my workplace for my "negative attitude," only because I discuss problems in a forthright and assertive manner. What they really mean is that I don't smile and bat my eyelashes every time I'm in a conversation with a man with whom I work. Apparently this is especially important if you happen to disagree with the man to whom you are speaking.
The good news is that I also work with men who are are not threatened if I rely on competence and logic rather than charm. Two of them supported and encouraged me when I complained about a supervisor who thought it was appropriate to give me the same advice about disagreeing with him that he gave his wife.
It's a shame there's more bad news than good most of the time, but the only way I know to combat a problem is to keep talking about the bad news so that it doesn't get overlooked.
I guess that's just a symptom of my negative attitude.
Good grief, I'm technologically challenged. I'm having an online identity crisis.
Testing, testing, am I Lorelei now?
What they really mean is that I don't smile and bat my eyelashes every time I'm in a conversation with a man with whom I work.
Who are you, and what have you done with the real Amy? ;)
I'm sure you were trying to be funny, Mr. Anonymous, even if you weren't trying very hard to be anonymous, so I guess I'll forgive you.
I suppose having never worked with me you'd have no reason to know that I actually do take my job seriously. That's been true of nearly every job I've ever had. When it ceases to be true, I look for another job.
Pardon me if I sound a little miffed, but I think your comment was just as intended to undermine my authority as a professional educator as the comments about my negative attitude.
Actually, Miss Amelia, my comment had nothing to do with your professionalism, which I have never doubted, even though I do tend to hear the negative side, and as you note, I have never worked with you. I just meant that you have been known to be a shameless flirt, and I used that as a springboard to imply you would be no different in a professional environment - which I mean as a joke, of course.
The "XenEpik Anonymous" definition of the situation:
Desparastasis
Main Entry: de·spara·sta·sis
Pronunciation: di-'spera-'stA-s&s
Function: noun
Etymology: Esperanto
: a attempt by insecure males who fear equality or a tendency toward such a state between the different but interdependent elements or groups of elements of an organization, population, or group; to lower the rank or reputation by indirect means (as invidious comparison) : speak slightingly about : patriarchal dominated societies fear of powerful woman expressed through socially prevalent use of derogatory sexual connotations
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