Sexism/Feminism/Womanism Discussion Thread Social • Page 40

I just found this on the front page of CNN. I can't believe this....

Female hurricanes are deadlier than male hurricanes, study says - CNN.com

 

Sorry, but this made me think of this from The Simpsons:

 

tw abuse/rape

The Disturbing Details Of The Derrick Rose Gang Rape Case – ThinkProgress

 

If you have the time.

4 Abortion Stories Show Why You Can't Legislate Women's Bodies

 

Batgirl 'housework': Target removes 'sexist' T-shirt and apologises

 

Gabrielle Union Writes Powerful Op-Ed Following Nate Parker's Rape Allegations - The Culture

I won't be seeing Birth of a Nation because of Nate Parker. This will be the first project of hers that I haven't seen and it's upsetting but I can't support that film.

 

"There are many points that I wish to make – others have already said this, but it bears repeating. Sexual violence is an expression of power. Academia is obsessed with power and hierarchies. The profession enables predators to prey upon vulnerable members with little recourse. Those same power-dynamics leave victims and witnesses with few options to seek justice and prevent future instances of sexual violence. Professional hierarchies are laid upon social hierarchies; it is no coincidence that women and people of color are overrepresented among contingent faculty who – perhaps – have the fewest resources and least amount of support to avoid being victimized."

Sexual Violence At The Sociology Conference

 

Man, this Persky judge is unreal.

Judge In Brock Turner Sexual Assault Case Starts Campaign To Keep Job

 

Tariq Nasheed blocked me haha

 

While i like nothing about him or how he handled the case, I'm not sure how I feel about a precedent of a judge being pressured by the public to step down or switch focuses due to his ruling. At the same time, it ostensibly is how they are held accountable. Can anyone with law knowledge speak to what this process ideally should be?

 

he is a publicly elected official, which you can debate the merits of electing a judge, but as it stands now he's already pressured by the public.

 

Haha! Congratulations. That's how you know you're twittering correctly/have the right position.

 

So today while I was checking out at the grocery store this dude called me beautiful and I didn't respond because that's the best way I've learned to deal with strangers trying to talk to me. When I was 12, I liked to take walks and I realized guys yelling slurs from cars really just want a reaction, so I've become really good at not even batting an eyelash and usually that just nips it in the bud, but today, this one dude just would not quit and kept trying to talk to me and get my attention saying stuff like, "what, I can't call you beautiful?" "you're not even gonna look at me?" and the fact that he couldn't seem to deal with the fact that I wasn't giving him any attention started to freak me out, because this is Arizona, everyone has a gun, he was starting to get pissed off -- by me doing nothing. I didn't look at him, didn't talk to him, just paid and left, but the whole time I was thinking, is he going to follow me? How pissed off is he? Why do I have to care how pissed off this random stranger is? I'm starting to feel like straight up ignoring guys isn't the best course of action, but if it isn't, what do I do? Massachusetts wasn't like this, but out in AZ, I literally do not go a day without being harassed by some random dude unless I don't leave the house. In Mass, gun ownership isn't as widespread, so I really wasn't necessarily worried for my life if I pissed someone off, but now it just feels like there's a whole lot more on the line.

Sorry if I got a little rant-y but I'm really curious what other women in similar situations do. Is there any merit to just telling these entitled assholes to just fuck off or is that too dangerous? Has anyone just tried telling guys to cut it out or does a reaction kind of egg them on? Is it a case by case basis? And maybe I'm too altruistic but I keep wondering if there's something I can do in these instances that will educate the catcaller and keep me safe?

 

@Carmensaopaulo I ignore and if they persist I say Please, will you leave me alone. It's a crapshoot really. One guy was following me around the grocery store and I said leave me alone then he followed me to my car and was grabbing my purse. My dad told me to have my keys in between each finger like wolverine so I can react quickly to a situation like that. I fucked his face and my hand up lol

It sucks to have to be on guard all the time but it's necessary. I sometimes worry about my sister bc she's confrontational and will say fuck you. We were standing in a line the other day and I kept asking this dude behind me to back off and stop standing so close to me. He continued to do it and then grabbed my wrist as we were leaving and I thought my sister was going to murder him in broad daylight.

I also prefer to atleast be in pairs so we can help each other if something were to happen. So I guess it is case by case. Ever since that guy followed me to my car, I'll ask someone who works there to walk me to my car if I'm feeling uncomfortable.

I was assaulted so I thought that was why I became so aware of everything and then I was like shit, this is everyday for every woman.

 

Sucks you had to go through that. I was in a similar situation and the only good thing is afterwards, you know you're able to defend yourself. I spend way too much time dishing out my surroundings and wondering if I'm going to be able to defend myself.

Side note; your sister sounds like a badass.

 

Female Students Are Outraged After Being Blamed For "Boys' Low Grades"

 

"To me ‘woman’ always meant particular forms of exploitation, particular places in the division of labor, and particular histories of struggle. Clearly there are crucial diversities among women. There are hierarchies, inequalities especially along the line of race and age. But there are also common grounds, though I draw a line, as I don’t see women in the capitalist class as my ‘sisters.’ That’s why I don't want to give up the category ‘woman.’ It is not a biological category, it's a socio-political and historical category. If you cannot name your condition, then you can’t make certain kinds of struggle. When I think of ‘woman’, I place myself in a history and in particular forms of struggle that women across the world are continuing to this day.”

Silvia Federici – Mask Magazine

----
Caliban and the Witch is crucial reading.

 

Women in Business Q&A: Nicole Opas, General Manager / Executive Producer - Mobile and Social Games, Zynga

 

I ignore until I cannot - which means until they touch me. I don't know if it's the "best" way to handle it, but it's what works for me because I've had men get violent before and it's enough to usually keep me from engaging.

 

It's so weird that people have the audacity to touch other people. I would NEVER do that. That dude standing behind me in that line was so close he was talking on the phone and I swear I could feel droplets of his spit on my shoulder.

 

What to Do to Get Her Attention

1. Stand across the street from her. At least 30 yards. Face away from her. Make her come to you. Play hard to get.
2. Light yourself on fire. Your screams should get her notice.
3. If she hasn’t looked at you by now, start running through all the jigs you know.
4. If she looks at you, point to your ears and mouth “I’m a fucking asshat”

Most women will understand this and keep walking. If this happens, good job! You have technically spoken to her. Now go home and never ever leave your house again. Die alone.

How to Talk to a Woman Who is Wearing Headphones – Be Yourself

 

There is a weird racial dynamic that bothers me here. I can't quite articulate it. Like, there is an idea that she is demanding recognition of her sexuality by a black man, but if he'd given her the attention she seems to have wanted, I am certain there would be a screed about how a man of color harassed or cat-called her or something. To be clear, I'm not making the MRA argument, where women actually want to be harassed, rather, I'm trying to situate her white feminism/femininity within a broader racial framework that has often specifically targeted black men as being the source of a harsher form of sexism/misogyny than white men, alongside sexual tropes of their prowess and so forth. I don't quite have a handle on it, but this just occurred to me.

 

Yeah, that's why I didn't know where to put it bc it's racial too. I'm not sure I've ever heard of anyone doing what she just did publicly. It's so weird but Lena Dunham says the most fucked up stuff. Molesting her sister, racial stuff. Weird is the only way I can describe it. She's the worst.

 

The molestation stuff from Lena is the worst, painting it as some innocent, wholesome thing.