I see and hear this little piece of dudely wisdom far, FAR, too often. It represents such an massive break from reality, and yet this harmful trope continues onward. The usual suspects make their appearances, privilege, misogyny the unexamined life – reasons but not excuses for not being in the know when dealing with the basic issue of should we treat women like human beings. It should be concise answer. It almost never is because there inevitably is that lovely word ‘but’ appended to the answer.
Oh yes, women should be treated as human beings, but this Feminism stuff has gone to far.
Yes, women should be treated like human beings, but why all the hate for men why can’t we all just get along?
Yes, but we’re already equal, so what’s the big deal?
The most basic rule when dealing with oppressed classes of people is – shut up and listen. *You* (privileged while males, for example) do not get make the call on saying when someone is genuinely oppressed or when their oppression is done, or anything to do with what they are experiencing as a member of that particular oppressed category. Get over yourself and realize that your opinion has no magical qualities that make it better than those of others, sure it has been the default in society for ages now, but that is changing slowly and will continue to do so whether you are with the program or not.
Feminism is fighting the good fight attempting to make society a better place for women. Feminism is dealing with the mischaracterizations and stereotypes that hurt women in our society, but the fight is far from over. I may have already posted this video, but I found the extended trailer of Miss-representation on youtube. Thank you Sociological Images.
Listen, reflect and take the time to think about what is being postulated. Enjoy.
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
2 comments
July 15, 2012 at 1:09 am
Reneta Scian
The MRA is sexist. The complain about the “emasculation of men”, because “masculinity” means (to them at least) power over women. I saw this really ridiculous video as a “Related Video” once I watch the clip you added. The message it sends is that men have been “neutered” by not being the “leaders”, and “bowed before” force they once were, that people are complaining about something that, which in their opinion, “Doesn’t Exist”. I have often seen the “Victim Trope” played against women who speak out, even me. Here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5OdQGbVNa4&feature=player_embedded#!
I see it as a trope, because it is a common argument against women’s rights, more particularly against feminist, to tell them they are “Playing the victim”. Most of the time what I see is just plain ignorance that there is even a problem. But there is a problem with the way people think about it, and with how women are treated in our culture, and that is the underestimation of it’s impact on us as people in out opinions, and positions. That good ol’ Overton Window (plus internalized oppression) they talk about can work on our perceptions as people as well, even if we are advocates against it’s nonsense, even if we are well educated, and yes, even if we talk about all the time.
The problem is that it’s hard for a person whose been oppressed, to “act like a person who hasn’t” so telling women to “stop being lazy” is more than just ignorant, it’s ineffectual. It is important to help women become motivated and empowered, to imbue them with thorough enough disgust of their treatment, and the understanding that it’s not right, and that they can ask for better to motivate them to action. However, it’s not enough. The only thing that will help all around is to “end the discrimination”, not emphasize that people must actively create images that counter the norm. Because, with the oppression still in place, women who do that get even more blow-back, and sexism.
Not all women are oppressed equally in our sexist system, those who are complacent are oppressed overtly less, and those who are more active are oppressed more overtly. The gender police, for a lack of better words, come along and “tell the woman” about who she is supposed to be, and what she is supposed to do. I can understand the sentiment of being “disappointed” by how active other women are in claiming their equal and entitled rights, but that doesn’t mean that their dissent from participation is the problem. Anytime a woman asserts herself, or does anything actively, or anything ascribed to men under the “gender police” definition, she is degendered, demonized, criticized, called names, threatened, even call “Manly” (which can be a blow to her gender identity and is a very “Low Blow”). So, in this matter, I agree with you Arb.
I dealt with person whose comments asserted the same things that those “Post-feminism” remarks do very recently to the video that SkepChick posted about sexism at that conference that TF got PWNED over. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKHwduG1Frk&feature=plcp
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July 15, 2012 at 8:22 am
The Arbourist
I see it as a trope, because it is a common argument against women’s rights, more particularly against feminist, to tell them they are “Playing the victim”.
I watched the video. I need brain bleach…stat. So much dimwitted bullcookery going on. One does not even know where to start. Most of it is an uncharitable romp through fields of straw.
The problem is that it’s hard for a person whose been oppressed, to “act like a person who hasn’t” so telling women to “stop being lazy” is more than just ignorant, it’s ineffectual.
Of course, acting like you are not oppressed serves only to further internalize it and hurts the person in question more.
Because, with the oppression still in place, women who do that get even more blow-back, and sexism.
This video is a prime example of the blow-back and ugly undercurrent that supports it.
I dealt with person whose comments asserted the same things that those “Post-feminism” remarks do very recently to the video that SkepChick posted about sexism at that conference that TF got PWNED over.
Mmm…good luck with that. YT is not exactly brimming with progressive thought. The amount of misogynist crap that goes on is quite amazing. The good part is that when people who are neutral or have not thought about the issue look, they can see the points raised and maybe start thinking for themselves.
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