Lessons in 'Sexism' [View All]

[The Doctor.]

It's really fascinating what one can learn on these internets nowadays. Recently, I picked up something that had never really occurred to me before. I found out that gender dictates intention. That's right! The intention of the writer/speaker is dependent upon the gender of the subject.

Take the following adjectives for example;

"Irrational", "Hysterical", "Crazy", "Foolish", "Childish".

Now, If I apply those to a man, they function pretty much along the lines of intent outlined in Merriam-Webster's dictionary.

"Irrational" Means; "(1): not endowed with reason or understanding (2): lacking usual or normal mental clarity or coherence b: not governed by or according to reason"

"Hysterical" Means; "1 : a psychoneurosis marked by emotional excitability and disturbances of the psychic, sensory, vasomotor, and visceral functions
2 : behavior exhibiting overwhelming or unmanageable fear or emotional excess <political hysteria>"

... and so on.

BUT... I've recently been learning that if one applies those to a woman, especially one that is a primary candidate for president with a fistful of fervent followers, they all take on a different and singular meaning across the board.

They all go from having distinct definitions (if also related) to having one theme; They are sexist slurs!

That's right, the same exact words that have no sexist connotations when used to describe a man, suddenly become ugly, misogynistic attacks on the gender of the woman in question, thus becoming an insult to all other women in the world by extension. This applies to unflattering pictures as well;

For instance, an unflattering picture of a haggard, tired man is a commentary on his exhaustion, and perhaps even his vitality... but it has nothing to do with his gender.

A similarly unflattering picture of a woman is a commentary on her gender first and foremost, and significant of the other traits only in the same unflattering ways as they apply to women.

Fascinating!

Even more interesting;

If one uses such adjectives or depictions when describing a woman regardless of whatever justification there may or may not be... the gender of the describer must be male.

It's like magic! Automatically, I become a 'man' right there on the otherwise gender-neutral internets... just like that!


Gosh DUers, you really can learn a thing or two on these here internets!

I'm glad that here on the internets, I needn't embrace any characteristic of race, gender, religion, or other quality by which I might start having to re-learn what all the various possible meanings of so many words could become just because I or someone I support are referred to in a way that must be sexist, racists, intolerant, or bigoted... how would I know?

Well, I'd just have to learn how to look hard enough.