Some things really do speak for themselves
Over at Utopian Hell, where I like to hang out, is one of the most offensive comments I've seen in a while. "Stop whining about it" is the kind of hostile "advice" dished out by someone who can't be bothered to know the truth or see what is right in front of him.
"In contemporary American society," the poster says, " success really is accessible to anyone who is willing to pay the price--years of strife and dedication."
Sorry. Doesn't work that way. White males still have a big head start. And even if oppressed people do achieve what most Americans call "success," it is often a double-edged sword. Ask any black executive who is in his weekend jeans and T-shirt and is still followed around in the department store in case he, you know, steals something. Ask any female executive who has to make sure she never makes a mistake because then everyone will say, "see, we told you a woman couldn't do the job."
And then there is the matter of this non-existent discrimination against women. Consider this:
There has been a dramatic increase in sexual assault against women in this country and throughout the world. Women in the U.S. military are raped and sexually assaulted on a constant basis, and nothing is ever done about it. Female prisoners are routinely sexually assaulted by prison guards.
The church (whose God is still "He" by the way) and the government insist on telling women what to do with their own bodies. Leading religions will not ordain women. There is a whopping gender gap among top executives in all major industries and in the Fortune 500. Sexual harrassment of women on the job and in schools is increasing. Women are still barred from membership in social groups that create and advance business success. Poor single mothers are told to go to work but there is no child care for them. Gynecologists in American know almost nothing about reproductive health and give women sub-par and sometimes dangerous treatment. A new study just came out this week, again saying that--even after all the publicity-- doctors still fail to recognize potential heart problems or heart attacks in women. Women died in automobile accidents because the car companies never thought to test air bags with female dummies.
Famous men are discussed because of what they do; famous women are discussed based on what they wear and how their hair looks. When a woman is verbally attacked for what she has done, the attack is about her appearance. 30- and 40-year-old women are called "girls." People still say "woman lawyer" and "woman doctor" (just like "black lawyer" and "black doctor"). Women are called "guys" and "chairmen" (even in the U.S. Senate and on C-Span) or "woman policemen." Study after study shows that men who can take command are considered leaders, and women who can take command are considered "bitches" and "emasculators."
Listen to contemporary music and learn that women are "bitches" and "whores." When Sarah Jones sang a protest song about it, her record was banned from the radio by the FCC. The news media completely ignored the incident. Madonna did a video in which there was some mock-violence, and the video was banned. Videos by men that are filled with violence are allowed to go on the air.
Liberals like to talk about how "unsafe" it is to consider nominating a woman for president.
Young girls and women are constantly hustled to be thin, have their breasts enhanced, and have their faces re-done. We still have beauty pageants. Men are still expected to propose marriage. Women who take constant care of children, do laundry, cook, iron, clean, and manage the household are rewarded by their husbands' saying "My wife doesn't work." Women who work outside the home still often get strapped with most of the work in the home But let us not omit the poster's wisdom: "It seems that an effort to combine family life and work (something women tend to do more so than men) is more of a culprit--time is a limited resource, and taking it away from work to family will logically result in reduced career success." Duh!
I could go on and on.
Utopian hell indeed. Somebody bring me some water.
"In contemporary American society," the poster says, " success really is accessible to anyone who is willing to pay the price--years of strife and dedication."
Sorry. Doesn't work that way. White males still have a big head start. And even if oppressed people do achieve what most Americans call "success," it is often a double-edged sword. Ask any black executive who is in his weekend jeans and T-shirt and is still followed around in the department store in case he, you know, steals something. Ask any female executive who has to make sure she never makes a mistake because then everyone will say, "see, we told you a woman couldn't do the job."
And then there is the matter of this non-existent discrimination against women. Consider this:
There has been a dramatic increase in sexual assault against women in this country and throughout the world. Women in the U.S. military are raped and sexually assaulted on a constant basis, and nothing is ever done about it. Female prisoners are routinely sexually assaulted by prison guards.
The church (whose God is still "He" by the way) and the government insist on telling women what to do with their own bodies. Leading religions will not ordain women. There is a whopping gender gap among top executives in all major industries and in the Fortune 500. Sexual harrassment of women on the job and in schools is increasing. Women are still barred from membership in social groups that create and advance business success. Poor single mothers are told to go to work but there is no child care for them. Gynecologists in American know almost nothing about reproductive health and give women sub-par and sometimes dangerous treatment. A new study just came out this week, again saying that--even after all the publicity-- doctors still fail to recognize potential heart problems or heart attacks in women. Women died in automobile accidents because the car companies never thought to test air bags with female dummies.
Famous men are discussed because of what they do; famous women are discussed based on what they wear and how their hair looks. When a woman is verbally attacked for what she has done, the attack is about her appearance. 30- and 40-year-old women are called "girls." People still say "woman lawyer" and "woman doctor" (just like "black lawyer" and "black doctor"). Women are called "guys" and "chairmen" (even in the U.S. Senate and on C-Span) or "woman policemen." Study after study shows that men who can take command are considered leaders, and women who can take command are considered "bitches" and "emasculators."
Listen to contemporary music and learn that women are "bitches" and "whores." When Sarah Jones sang a protest song about it, her record was banned from the radio by the FCC. The news media completely ignored the incident. Madonna did a video in which there was some mock-violence, and the video was banned. Videos by men that are filled with violence are allowed to go on the air.
Liberals like to talk about how "unsafe" it is to consider nominating a woman for president.
Young girls and women are constantly hustled to be thin, have their breasts enhanced, and have their faces re-done. We still have beauty pageants. Men are still expected to propose marriage. Women who take constant care of children, do laundry, cook, iron, clean, and manage the household are rewarded by their husbands' saying "My wife doesn't work." Women who work outside the home still often get strapped with most of the work in the home But let us not omit the poster's wisdom: "It seems that an effort to combine family life and work (something women tend to do more so than men) is more of a culprit--time is a limited resource, and taking it away from work to family will logically result in reduced career success." Duh!
I could go on and on.
Utopian hell indeed. Somebody bring me some water.
posted by Diane at 7:29 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Passion so obvious is a horse that must be ridden to the finish line. Good thought>>>>>good action. Stay strong, drink plenty of fluids.
By
The Heretik, at
10:16 PM
Thanks...I needed that.
By
Diane, at
11:24 PM
I continue to be amused by the men who leave comments or send emails assuring me that I must be ugly, though they have never seen me. They are incapable of thinking of any other insult for a woman.
By
Amanda Marcotte, at
8:24 AM
The other agenda there is that if you "hate men" (which is all their tiny brains can extract from expressions of protest), it must be because you can't get one--sour grapes. And if you can't get a man, it must be because you're ugly. Or a lesbian. Or both.
By
Diane, at
10:16 AM
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