Sexist Pig Bloggers

Psych! Bet you thought I was going to go off on a tangent about how there’s so much sexism in the blogosphere. Certain female bloggers say that virtual chauvinist swinery is rampant and must be opposed. (No virtual peckers for me, thanks.) Certain male bloggers say that we women are worrying our pretty little heads over nothing. Well maybe sexism is out there all over the place. On the other hand, maybe some persons are more sensitive to that particular human failing than I am. I can be oblivious about things sometimes, occasionally to my detriment. To just give the facts, however, I just don’t get any overt sexism pointed my way--and very little racism to boot.

One of the reasons for this dearth could be that neither the name nor the decor of this blog is identifiably female. Most of that is by accident--I’m just not a pastel kind of girl. Another aspect is by design, however: I moved my picture further down on the left sidebar just to “level the playing field” a bit. One thing I’m not oblivious to is the novelty of a black female conservative blogger and how my photo might bring a bit of the gawkers around here: look, Ma! A conservative black chick!

The results? For one thing, my traffic level went down temporarily. ;-) For another thing, I started getting the types of insults that are usually reserved for white males: being called m-f or told that I’m a racist due to my criticism of some black person or persons. Let's hear it for equality!

The interesting thing is this: when my picture was in a more prominent place, I could count the really nasty comments regarding my race or anything else on one hand. Additionally, there have been absolutely none with a distinctly female/sexual tinge to them. And that total is from two years of blogging.

(I must tell you, I like being treated like a lady far more than I like being sworn at, being wished into an insane asylum or called the b-word. If that's an aspect of sexism, I'll take it.)

Comments that are merely patronizing, however, occur more frequently. But, heck, I kind of enjoy those. If they’re really obnoxious, I view their existence as an opportunity. After all, there’s nothing more fun than nailing a pelt to your front page---or maybe that’s just my own personal sadistic streak. I like editing rude comments and I like making insufferable guests the subject of a post even more. On my more charitable days, however, I simply ignore the excessively contentious sorts. The fun part about that is that they hate talking to the hand even more, so it’s a win-win situation for me.

I suppose any condescension I’ve received could be due to sexism or racism on the senders’ part, but, frankly I couldn’t care less; a jerk is a jerk is a mouse for the Cat to play with.

Fact is I don't see any upside to crusading against the light-weight sexism that may come from the rightwing male bloggers, because, assuming it does exist, what does stirring up a controversy over it accomplish (besides getting others to post and link to the arguments)? Those of us who are on the female, not-white side of the equation have a choice: we can lament the sporadic imperfections of our white and/or male brethren or keep bringing the blogging, while yanking a chain every now and then.

And reveling in our own superiority complex. :-)

(By the way, I've never been called a bimbo, either in person or on-line; not that I know of at any rate.)

See also: Villainous Company

Francis W. Porretto

No Quiche-Eaters

Comments

[Cassandra]

I don't think I've ever been called any of those 'gender-related' perjoratives either, so I don't know if that makes me the best judge of these things. But then I try to avoid the Dimwitted in general.

I have been called things like "cheerleader for the Bush admin", which I really didn't take to be sexist. The worst insults I've had to date actually came from a woman, interestingly enough, but she was also a lesbian so I don't know if that makes any difference (as far as there being any sexual connotation to the insults - which there was - not as far as the sexism aspect, which there definitely was *not*).

And when I called her on it, she stopped. She pretty much admitted she was just trolling for conservatives and does that to everyone to try to get a rise out of them. We got along fine after that.

I've had remarkably few problems.

[Timmer]

So if I think you're a babe, does that immediately disqualify all my other opinions, or does that just mean I have good taste?

[Jim]

Would overt flirting with my blog-sis be blogcest?

Mind if I try? *m'hehehehehhhh*

/dirtyoldman, off.

Okay, seriously... four days ago, I posted this about Chivalry:

http://smokeonthewater.typepad.com/smokeonthewater/2005/09/on_chivalry.html

(your comments ate my HTML, had to put the long version in)

It actually goes far beyond mere courtesy and good manners.

Chivalry is not dead, sis. I'd ride to defend your honor, anytime.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

[Samantha]

I don't get many insults. I've had a few random drive by comment insults but that's about it. I still haven't decided how to feel about that. I would love to have my own troll to torment.

[Keith]

There's a lot of guys out there
that are scared by a woman that
is not mousy, and speaks her mind.
Too bad for them.
I read a lot of blogs, but very
rarely comment. I like your's.
It's one of the good ones.

Thank's
Cali. Banning

[Steve]

I do get cooties when I come here but I can wipe that off.:) Like I've mentioned before it was Michelle Malkin that sent me here months ago. She used to allow responses to her material in the same way this site does. Her political enemies, the "left" wingers, mixed their disagreements with her views with 95% degrading sexual talk with 5% of anything resembling content related to the subject. So she shut that down and I ended up coming here a lot because I could talk back. I don't really know what it is exactly that makes for a conservative, vs. a liberal, whether it be man, woman, this race or religion, or that race or religion.

My best friend when it comes to talking about the world and politics is a black guy who has got a four year degree and is under-employed but could possibly survive a few days on the game show Jeopardy and win some money. He knows the overview of history and I know the particulars of certain subjects of the last 5 to 25 years.

You just know when someone comes a long and takes you the right way when you speak and vice versa. He doesn't over hear me and does not under estimate what I may be saying either. He seems to realize that as time goes on and we inform each other over new developments we are making progress. I don't have to have all the answers and proof right now to any speculations I might share. Also, when he says we should nuke mecca, or other extreme things, I laugh and know he is kidding rather than hold him to it and freak out.

Outside of that occassional conversation, when he does come around where I work, the world is a cold blank stare as there is no one else to even begin to talk to. The world is a very unaffirming place. Without someone who even knows what you are talking about it is like being alone in a snow storm near the south pole. Life can still be like that even with an occasional conversation with someone who knows how to read the weight and meaning of ones words.

Maybe I got a little heavy there but that is it. Now I will wipe the cooties off.

[Sisyphus]

"look, Ma! A conservative black chick!"

Nah, more like ...

look, Ma! A hot conservative black chick!

[cardeblu]

It does go both ways. I'm a middle-aged white chick (wife for 23 years and mother for 19). Long ago I used to post on AOL MBs as IThes517. I would get into conversations with "obvious" women who would tell me that I just couldn't understand 'cuz I was a guy.

Even with my current name (which is really close to the real thing, albeit a bit jumbled), I still get the occasional, unintentionally misled replier.

[Steven J. Kelso Sr.]

Perhaps your picture at the top had these squirrelly guy afraid that you'd kick their ***?

Or maybe they were intrigued by your eyes?

[Hornet]

People who produce superior work should let their superiority complex out for a walk...and you produce a superior product.

[Al Barger]

For a Sinead O'Connor freak such as myself, it's more "Look, hot BALD chick."

As to sexism, y'all are invited to check out this how-to lecture.

[Steve Skubinna]

Jerks are jerks, as you observe, and I don't really think a racist jerk is worse than a sexist jerk, or that both are worse than a garden variety jerk.

It's revealing that the worst bile I have ever seen spewed in the blogosphere has been directed at Michelle Malkin from the left and is generally both racist and sexist. But so what - the same tolerance worshipping champion of diversity that keys a car with a Bush bumper sticker is capable of throwing a few words around.

[Skinner]

Im an anti femmianism hardcore racism spewing Nazi
But for some reason I like this Blog The race offenders I dont like are the ones that dont put theyre picture on theyre blogs so I can know who Im hating I always Know if there feminers cause they got names like green Mary or silly stuff like that but
the ones with snake names are scary cause I onst married one
snake bite me once ..... and
I dont remember.. But yea Im a racism guy It makes it easier to not like somebody If there wasnt different races than Id have to hate everybody and Id never get a job Plus They scare me Eating all that wered shit and stuff I dont want eatng anything with lips and eyes... sitting there lookin at me all goofy looking and stuff.... Gives me the Wallys

[Skinner]

Hopefully taken in the stupid spirit was writ by

[Tony]

Sexist? I guess that describes me. I hold doors for women, I let them ahead of me in line. I give them my seat on the bus. I will come to their aid and defend them if need be. I guess that makes me a sexist pig :)

[Skinner]

I Understand you completely Tony
Its a damned if you do damned if you dont world with the opposite sex. If you employ the Old world manners and open a door to a woman she may say Thankyo or she could say " get out of my way shrimp , I can open my own door!!"
Men have been standing on a fine line a tightrope. ever since women decided they didnt need us Now some need us when conveneint ... only Im glad Im old and not having to deal with looking for a logical woman devoid of femminist paranoia I dont Know who started this [Virus}
in wonen I suspect Lesbians Its really screwed up alot of shit I
Know that personally. [since the time I can remember] I looked at
girls ...to..women with awe and facination You cant beleive how badly I wanted one, to just grab and take home . Whats more cool than a woman?????

[Skinner]

" absolutely nothing " ......
Tower of Power Stanford University amphitheatre circa ..68 Oh god I miss those days!!