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A Tale of Gender Bashing and a Double Standard.

I've been a part of a Facebook thread today that I think really reflects elements of group think, enabling, and double standards. I thought I would share and get this community's thoughts.

A friend of mine posted a You Tube video from 2015 of Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill doing, in my opinion, a comedic monologue on the Stephen Colbert show. I'll post the link below. Anyway, her comment was that she was very tired of gender bashing toward men, and can't we just concentrate on building each other up and raising children to be respectful.

I was surprised at how rude the subsequent comments became of Claire McCaskill. Most of the women who posted stated they did not share Claire's viewpoint. Very respectful. I have no problem with a disagreement in a point of view.

Then 3 men posted. Here's what they wrote:
Male #1 - What a DUMB Ass. Claire your fired!
Male #2 - Missouri, please vote this creature out of office!
Male #3 - I stopped listening to senators years ago. I hear more intelligent statements from the subhumans on my bus.

All of these posts got several "Likes" from the women. So, a post about decreasing gender bashing toward men is full of gender bashing toward this female senator. I kept waiting for someone to notice the hypocrisy, but it didn't happen.

So I pointed it out. I stated I thought it sad and concerning that women are outraged at a female bashing men, but they were okay with 1. a demeaning comment about her intelligence, 2. her humanity being reduced to a "creature", and 3. her humanity being reduced below people considered "subhuman" (I find that disturbing as well). I also stated that bashing, bullying, and other verbal abuse would not change if we continue to be silent when its right in view.

One woman responded and agreed that the comments were rude, and not reflective of the woman who made the original post. One of the men posted that "I would so much feel better if I would just go get one of those overpriced, pumpkin spiced drinks."

I saddens me that there is such a double standard between the genders, the group think, and the enabling behavior. Your thoughts?

Here is the You Tube video:

linxminx 8 Sep 22
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22 comments

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0

We like to make generalizations. We like to observe poor behavior and then paint everyone who looks like that individual with a single brush. It makes a complex issue seem simple. And we like simple solutions. But we need to put down our paint brushes. We are not going to be holding everyone responsible for the actions of a finite number of individuals. Group punishment is not justice. We hold culprits responsible for their actions. That is justice.

0

Love this video. I'm a missouri person. I hope she wins

1

I have a strong suspicion that these guys who posted in the FB thread did not watch the video or understand that she was speaking in support of men. There are a lot of dumbass guys on FB (and on the interwebs in general) who, any time anyone posts something gender-related, automatically assume that it's anti-men. Which is what I'm assuming these guys did, did not even bother watching the video, and just popped off their opinions like the bunch of assclowns they are because they assumed the senator was speaking up for women and not for men.

However, I stand with the women in your FB thread who disagreed with the senator. While I'm certainly no misandrist, the subtext of her statements in this video clip read an awful lot like support of priviledged white men, which we don't need any more of on this planet. Privileged white men have commandeered enough support for themselves already. They don't need women, particularly privileged white women in positions of power, speaking up for them. They've historically had an audience of their peers and all the marginalized people they've stepped on and continued to marginalize for centuries. They don't need anyone else speaking up for them, whether humorously intended or not. Senator McCaskill should be spending more of her words and actions on raising up women and not speaking up for an already over-privileged group.

I also wondered if the men just said nasty things because it was a woman with power speaking, without stopping to see what she said.

2

ROFLMAO -- Wonderful bit on her part, and she made some valid points along with being funny. As for the response from the men, I have a feeling they are threatened by any woman who makes sense and has the courage to speak out. Many of them are walking around with millennia of conditioning that they are the superior part of civilization in all respects. Fortunately, some of us have never had that idea and it appears that number is growing. Waiting for our species to mature is often frustrating.

0

I never understood why women would not look out for each other, instead of what is happening. Women are the ones who mostly bring up children and have a big influence on them, it is about time that they started to teach their children to show respect towards each other.

@linxminx I don't understand it either, considering who do we "run" to when our lives are in tatters, not a man but to your girlfriends.

@linxminx Those kind of women must be incredibly insecure.

0

I'm fairly far left and almost always enjoy colbert, but complaining isn't satire, the bit was annoying and not funny. It's not that it came from a woman it's the fact that if you string twenty complaints together about anything, it's just annoying.

0

I personally find it better to just ignore the idiots of society. Social media has just given them a louder voice. I choose to tune it out. And I also am not so convinced it's always necessarily a matter of groupthink so much as it is people seeking attention and approval, or hopping on the PC bandwagon.

1

It's unfortunate but I've noticed a similiar response on a couple of my posts.
I expect better. I demand better from any man in my life.

0

i love mccaskill. (and did you see who she ran against one time? the guy who said that women can't get pregnant through rape!) i have heard her speak about the sexism and gender bias she has encountered throughout her career. she had good cause to notice it whichever direction it takes. but you know what else? i might disagree with one thing she says, or one vote she makes. that doesn't make her a creature, or an idiot, or a dumbass. that makes her someone who, surprise, isn't my clone!

i am perfectly capable of making jokes like "men have a y chromosome. it often makes women ask "why? why? why?" is that sexist? i don't know. but i don't think it's demeaning. there is no need to be demeaning -- although i would make demeaning jokes about nazis, as soon as i stopped vomiting.

g

0

Love this. Savvy lady.

1

I totally agree about your post. If whole planet would stop crapping on each other, the world would be a better place.

0

There are no double standards. Witness the increase in in support of republican women towards Kavanaugh since the attempted rape allegations surfaced.

Terrifying, isn't it?!

@Nichole765 Truly.

1

It saddens me that there is such a double standard between the genders, the group think, and the enabling behavior.

                                      IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY

Well posted, linxminx, but this just might be all about people control instead of genders and enabling. As such it has everything to do with group think. Anyone remember the Facebook meme with Jesus and the Devil arm wrestling? Later there was one with Hillary and Donald arm wrestling and Hillary had taken the place of the Devil. These were out prior to the last election and similar things led to cries of Russian meddling. Facebook has been to Congress and since then has made some changes, but I have less functionality in Facebook now.

What I do notice is that political subjects are bombarded by troll comments that come from sources not so easily nailed down. This goes beyond the "cutesy" level that so many of us would use anyway. Many of the comments are false and not backed by evidence. The person posting cannot be traced, or if you do trace them they are vaguely listed and they become invisible days later. This is like a series of "missed calls" on your phone that suddenly are not working numbers only minutes later. What's going on with the phones is somebody wanting your information. What goes on in Facebook and You Tube is that someone wants your money and your vote. Yes, they will even lie to get it.

Tactics of "Russian meddling" were in place before the election and so much more so even now. Imagine someone spending millions to get your dollar and tell you how to vote. Imagine billionaire business interests running agencies to do this and you see behind the false information. Advertising has always been about people control but today we have stepped into 1984. The difference is that it came a bit late.

@linxminx They may have been legit but try to fact check them in order to see for sure. Some people want to give a "cutesy" sarcastic reply today. Others are trolls to manipulate opinion. That was the difference I was bringing up.

@linxminx That works for comments inside Facebook and often you come up with a bare minimum page just enough to make an account. No pics, no other items period. It seems unlikely to me that someone so opinionated has nothing on their page. In my view of this these pages can be used later to try and guide opinion on some other subject matter.
In other fact check, Snopes.com is a good one. You can also follow Trump's tweets which make him look like an idiot, and there are many online fact checking sites or which Breitbart and Alex Jones are NOT remotely related. Truth did not suddenly start showing up in 2015 like others want us to believe.

@linxminx Trumps remarks make him appear to be an idiot. If in any doubt do a Google search for other sites that are like Snopes.

0

ameriKKKa. The era of empires lasting a thousand years is over. Third reich comes to mind... and so the decline of ameriKKKa. America will never be the same. Men had shown being in "power" in other lands did not solved much despite controlling "history". I don't think women will be better though. We are Doomed... Okay... I lived a long life. RUDE IS THE NORM AND THE ENEMY AT THE GATE. Double Standard to improve your Agenda is Standard Operating Procedure... In a Tribal Society I am opting for belonging to No Tribe.

@linxminx You are welcome to the safety and enlightenment of my rooftop at 2 AM. I am sure I can learn a lot from you.

@linxminx That is how it should be between all of us. You are welcome and Thanks to you too.

0

I didn't think the video was funny or constructive. I'm not a fan of the rude replies to it, either. However, I'm not sure it's such a clear case of hypocrisy overall.

"So, a post about decreasing gender bashing toward men is full of gender bashing toward this female senator."

Males' comments #1 and #3 toward McCaskill aren't gender-bashing. #1 is just bashing her individually, not a class she belongs to. #3 is senator/politician-bashing and ...bus-rider-bashing?

I guess #2 probably is gender-bashing, on account of "creature". IDK how many readers would necessarily pick up on that and agree, though.

"One of the men posted that 'I would so much feel better if I would just go get one of those overpriced, pumpkin spiced drinks.'"

Gender-based insult, yeah.

0

I live in Mo., this woman is a piece of shit!

So, does that mean that we need Josh Hawley in Mo. now that we have gotten rid of Greitens? I think Hawley is a POS.

@linxminx I dealt with her personality, about a child custody issue, long story, but I lost! Last week, she took an RV trip, lied, she took he personal plane a portion of the time, tax payers paid the gas,, said she'd lower taxes, suddenly she got a raise! Wtf? All politicians are corrupt!

0

Lol! She is absolutely right. Men need to just shut up from time to time. A practice that I put my best effort in, even though I fail. Like right now.

0

The positive about the -isms is that they are learned. We are not genetically programmed, hence we can also teach love, tolerance, equality. Remember, there are almost 8 billion humans. It only takes a small percentage of idiots to vitiate anything.

0

Sexism, racism can be helped and not acted upon. Xenophobia, transphobia can't be helped; but don't have to be acted upon either. Bigots want to be discriminatory, they want to be loud and heard, and want their will inflicted on everyone.

I condemn imposing inequality based on sex, religion, sexuality, nationality, skin color....etc

I would argue that xenophobia and transphobia can be helped. People need to get out and experience the world and learn from each other. Why should it be acceptable to be a transphobe or a xenophobe?

@Remi a phobia means a fear of something. That's like saying arachnophobia can be helped. But just because someone has a fear of spiders does not mean tons of pesticides should be dumped to kill every spider in the country.

@stinklizard yeah, but I believe most fears can be conquered. It just takes the right kind of exposure. And I don't think that's a fair comparison, fear of being bitten by a spider and fear of... what exactly is scary about a trans person?

@Remi I have a fear of hypodermic needles, and it's irrational. I don't find anything scary about trans people. I would hate to live in a place which tells you how to think. Trans people aren't spiders nor am I trying to equate them to something dangerous, but you can't force people not to feel something. The fear is fueled by people allowing law to be passed which enables bigotry. It's probably a bit of cause and effect. If I have fear "A" it gives me the false sense of power to control group "B", so it's a fear more likely to be manifested. Take away the power.

0

I feel like I shouldn't share my opinion about this. hahaha

People don't always read, listen, or view everything. They put too much emphasis on first impressions instead of the facts. I'm sure there are some people who thought she was completely serious because they didn't watch the whole video and see the Stephen Colbert tag at the end. It's supposed to be a funny video, but there are some truths to what she is saying, e.g. men have no say on the legality of abortion or if/when a woman should get an abortion (unless it involves his child, but the woman should still have the final decision).

There's always going to be stupid people, and there's always going to be sexism. All we can do is try to teach our friends and family that, whether you are a man or woman, everyone should be equal.

@linxminx "I respect your point of view on feeling men should have a say in the decision to abort. I don't agree..."

Really? That would completely shatter me if my girlfriend or wife made that kind of decision without hearing my opinion or having me involved in some way. Hell, I would probably agree with her if she wanted an abortion. I feel people in relationships should respect one another and be partners. In regards to abortion, I'm not saying both should have equal say in the decision (the woman definitely has more say), but at least make life decisions together.

Of course, if it's a one-night stand or the guy ditches, then the woman has 100% say.

2

I took it as humor. Kind of lame humor, but most politicians aren't comedians, so not a big deal. There is a huge difference between poking fun (or "bashing" if you think that's what she is doing) at a group that traditionally enjoys privilege, and poking fun at a group that is traditionally oppressed. When it's an oppressed group, the same humor can seem far more sinister and takes on meanings that may not have been the intent of the originator. One cannot cry hypocrisy on such an uneven playing field.

Deb57 Level 8 Sep 22, 2018
1

I'm ready to overthrow the patriarchy. Have been since I was about 12.

@linxminx That would be great. I truly hope it happens.
I don't expect that it will though. I'd love to be wrong about that.
Although, I don't see it happening in my lifetime.

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