[Marxism] sexist language, sluts and whores

["Mark Lause" <MLause@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hari Kumar responded to Karen Saunders' post with "It is not a great insight
of mine - but I just really wanted to say that this note was a very sensible
and 'adult' interjection into this somewhat tense discussion."

Ditto.  And I was very pleased to note Yoshie's email this morning.  

We always seem on the verge of some flame war or another but it's usually
confined to a subject of specialized interest.  This subject is a vital and
interesting point of discussion.  However, there was a great deal more heat
than light over this.    

On the one side, the guys who simply couldn't accept the reality that Louise
found "whoring" offensive.  Her statement was a point beyond argument.  You
weren't going to convince her that she shouldn't be offended and, even if
convinced that she shouldn't be offended, it wouldn't mean that she wouldn't
be.  And if one female on this list comes forward and says she's offended,
there are probably any number of others who are but aren't saying so.  

Good sense and manners required a polite apology and a "no offense
intended."  In an open email list of 800+ not everyone was likely to do
this, but the you're not required to fight a brawl if each and every person
on the list who won't apologize.  Given the law of diminishing returns,
persistent calls won't help the process.

On the other side were the guys who just couldn't pass up the opportunity to
show what sensitive blokes they were by getting out the brass knuckles.
Posts asserting that people were engaged in the moral equivalent of scabbing
or throwing mud at individuals were inappropriate responses to the patient
discussion needed about "academic whoring."   The latter was more the
equivalent of breaking wind in an elevator than serial homicide.  

Shrieking and hurling feces at other males in imitation of our more hairy
cousins does nothing to encourage a more general female participation.  It
also noisily proclaims that, even on a Marxist email list, males feel
entirely uninhibited when it comes to displaying the transparently
non-radical paternalism of the guys who wanted to protect "the little
ladies" who, they seem presume, are incapable of defending themselves. 

Next time, I'd suggest that any males who'd like to see a response on
something like this, they should consult some female members of the list and
encourage them to response, if they are moved to do so.  If it's important
enough for a female to respond, it's important enough for the males to let
it happen without their marking of territory.  

Solidarity!
Mark L.





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