This is why I have issues with what Samantha Bee said...

[cynatnite]

It can be said that Roseanne's tweet was aimed at one person just as it's said that Samantha Bee's was aimed at one person.

My issue is that both are offensive equally. Roseanne's because it's been used as a racial slur at African Americans. Samantha's because it's been used as a sexist slur at women.

This is why I have problems with both equally. I like Samantha Bee, but I don't feel like I can give her a pass for this any more than I could ever give a pass to Roseanne.

Of course, Roseanne is a repugnant human being in the first place.

The only difference I see is that Samantha gave a heartfelt apology and she's not backing away from it. She did it with her head held high and isn't doubling down or playing the victim like Roseanne is.

I still support Samantha Bee because in her heart she is a better human being than Roseanne will ever be.

[gollygee]

1. A woman calling another woman a slur against women

is not even roughly equivalent to a white person calling a black person an ape.

"Punching up" vs "punching down" - although I guess in the case of Samantha Bee it was a kind of lateral punching. But it isn't the same thing. Something reminding people of something else doesn't mean they're equivalent.

[cynatnite]

2. So it's okay when a woman calls another woman that...

If Roseanne had been the same color as Valarie Jarrett would you have given her a pass then?

[gollygee]

4. It isn't a case of giving a pass

It's just different when someone hits down the social ladder. There isn't the social power behind it. It is still crude and wrong but it lacks power, therefore it isn't equivalent.

[KansasKali]

3. Something isn't okay just because someone else did something worse

For a person in the media to call a woman a bitch or cunt or something like that sets a bad example. It tells people that it is okay to call women names like that.

[gollygee]

5. There are shades of gray in the world. nt

[cynatnite]

6. Everyone has their tolerance levels..

Some are fine with certain names, but for others it crosses a personal line for them.

Since I don't know what everyone's limits are, I try not to say things that others might find offensive. I use tact to get my point across.

Tact is a lost art form.

[gollygee]

7. It is not a word I use

but it isn't equivalent to what Roseanne Barr did.

[cynatnite]

8. Roseanne has a history...

Were it not for that and if her apology had been better, she might have survived this otherwise.

[MuseRider]

9. This word has never been

used in any way except to point out that women were disgusting or used as a power slur by men. I know it is common in England, perhaps it is different there but I can remember hearing this word as a kid in the 50's and every time I heard it it made me feel low and slimy and much less than the man who said it, even at times a little afraid of that man even though I was not sure what all that was about. Make no mistake, I have never heard the word used for anything good. It is demeaning.

I could care less about Samantha Bee, I think she is funny but I have always felt a little like I did not trust her not do go over the line making it worse for us eventually. Like the woman who says, "Ya wanna see my boobs? Fuck you!" Then she pulls her shirt up and says it was OK because she took the power out of it and did it cause she wanted to. Same ending no matter how you think you took back the power.

No it is not OK just because a woman said it to another woman. That does not make it right but what it does is make it seem OK and the use will increase. This is not a woman friendly word. It is worse than many of the other words we are not supposed to use here but I bet we see it more now.

[cynatnite]

10. Agree 100%. n/t

[Exotica]

11. "both are offensive equally"

that is utter tosh, IMHO

Granted I am British raised, but I alm so also a multiracial, part black woman, and being called a fucking ape so dwarfs my past experience with c*nt (so common here and not gender specific at all, in fact, majority directed at men).

NOT EVEN CLOSE

[cynatnite]

12. Everyone's tolerances are different...

I don't expect every woman to feel offended as I do. Not all will, but some do. That should be respected.

[Exotica]

13. racism has a far more concentrated systemic power impact on a PoC than some arguably

sexist (I understand c*nt in the US it is perceived in a different context than in the UK and elsewhere) term does on a white billionaire's daughter.

[cynatnite]

14. It doesn't make it less offensive because it was aimed at Ivanka...

My point was that that these offensive names can be aimed at an individual, but still be offensive to an entire group.

I'm not telling anyone they should be offended by it either.

Besides, I see sexism just as harmful as racism and I agree that racism is far more systemic than sexism (the #metoo movement has helped to some degree).

[Exotica]

15. we are just going to have to disagree on this, but I respect your opinion

cheers

[cynatnite]

16. Same here!

[treestar]

17. Why in the blazes did she do this?

She has to have known. Did it just slip out? Isn’t this what is called unforced error? So easy to avoid. Now the deplorables get to play victim. We know they will never admit the difference in a million years.