Just what is the equivalence of a pat on the head complete with lollipop? Is it the left-handed compliment – `well, pretty good, considering you don’t focus solely on politics’. `What a nice little blog!’ `There’s always room for your sort of thing.’ `I’m sure some people will find the information useful.’ Makes you wish they’d not bothered in the first, place, doesn’t it? Make my lollipop cherry, please. Or is it more of a `seen but not heard’ kind of thing? `If we ignore her long enough, maybe she’ll just go away – we don’t have enough marshmallows to go around, you see.’ `She can’t play – she’s a girl!’ `Da da da da da da da da da da da – (has she gone yet?) da da da da da da (OK – it’s safe to take your fingers out of your ears, guys – she shut up’).
Of course – one can stake out a niche in the world of feminine and feminist bloggers – women’s issues (lower case, to most of the `boys’) are very much in vogue these days, especially those issue’s that have a political flavor. Great to be sure; a generous leavening of the political blogs out there are run by women (and I think the best), but the classification becomes inaccurate if your subject matter strays toward the personal or rhetorical on occasion. And there is the world of diary blogging – chronicling you or your family’s life and times – all worthy to be sure – and all summarily dismissed by `the guys’ as not weighty enough; you know what I mean – along with all family related issues diary blogs are usually labeled as lacking in `fiber’. Oh, they rarely come right out and say it. Hence employment of the above strategies. But you will get the point – of that you may be sure. Without declaring yourself openly and avowedly political in nature, you might as well pack up your dictionary and go home. Unless you like lollipops, of course; in that case there are plenty to go around (though they’re out of cherry, I’m afraid).
So what’s a girl to do? Smile sweetly and hold some guy’s jacket while he and the `boys’ kick around that metaphorical football? Not for me, sister. I’ve never accepted anyone’s labels, and I don’t intend on starting this late in the game. Go marginalize someone else. Think you can pigeonhole me as Mensa-light? I don’t think so. And if you do, then you’ve got another thing coming. There actually are a few men out there who prefer their meals spiced; maybe not enough to keep me in cookbooks – well, not yet anyway. But there are lots of hungry women though – chefs in their own right, capable of sustaining me and mine till hell freezes over, if need be – though I really don’t think it will take that long. In the meantime I will craft my work for me – you’re welcome to the table bucko – but one crack about how I prepared the meal, and I’ll send you on your way, lollipop and all!
I’m interested in everyone’s opinion. Do you all think this is an issue worth exploring?
I definitely think it’s a topic worth exploring. I wrote a diary recently on one form of gender bias in the political blogosphere. Of course there is sexism in the blogosphere. There is sexism in our culture and whatever microcosm you focus on will exhibit elements of that sexism.
I have one question about your diary, however. You list a number quotes of patronizing, sexist dismissals. Are these actual comments that you can source? It would go a long way to making your case and furthering discussion on the topic, if these statements were placed in their context.
Those examples are distillations of comments made to me, as well as replies I’ve noted on other blogs. As all were part and parcel of extended discussions on other people’s blogs, and I didn’t think to bookmark them. I should have, you’re right – and I will do so in the future; as this subject is one I am likely to re-visit. This particular essay was prompted by some recent remarks made regarding my own blog. The person making them thought he was complimenting me, though in truth he labeled me as belonging to some vast, female ‘other’. I took umbrage at how dismissive that was – though I know his comments weren’t intended as a pejorative.
The person making them thought he was complimenting me, though in truth he labeled me as belonging to some vast, female ‘other’.
Well, you are very smart for a woman. (pat, pat, pat)
The problem with that type of exchange is that the man making the comments doesn’t have the vaguest notion he’s being sexist. So, when you try to call him on it, he thinks you’re psychotic — that it must be your time of the month, that you’re shrill and over-the-top like most “feminists.” I got into an argument like that, just the other day.
WhatSheSaid is a great roundup of blogs by women. I visit it often to keep up with politics, news, and women’s issues. I highly recommend it.
Gender bias in web site design, via WhatSheSaid.
As for the poll question, I have to say that I see some bias in my daily blog-reviewing, but I also see some honest respect. I try to stay away from sites with orange pages, for the most part. 🙂
Yes, there is. The fact is women like those of us in the Hispanic community are more critical on ourselves. Within the Hispanic community itself, Hispanic professionals do not have the economical worth as white male professional. For example, when choosing a doctor, over 50% will go to a white doctor because the mentality is, Hispanic doctors received an inferior medical education regardless of the school.
There is no use in trying to do a search on the internet because these are unspoken truths. The same go for women. At the agency I work at, I hear it all the time. Hispanics families perfer to have their child have a White teacher teaching their child for fear that a Hispanic teach will hold their child back. Sad but true.
This was more evident with in the past election regarding First Ladies. Barbara and Laura Bush were acceptable because they were quite. Hillary Clinton & Theresa Heinz Kerry were bull dikes for speaking their mind. Judy Steinberg (Howard Dean’s wife) was the anti-Christ for daring to say that she would stay in Vermont to continue her medical practice. And these came from careered conservative women, imagine that. Women used to be told, “Men don’t like it when women are <s>smarter</s> (which is still currently being told to Hispanic females) than they are.” But in 2005, cross out smarter and replace it with “more independent.”
So to all you feminist out there, keep bucking the system, there is still a lot of glass ceilings that still need to be shattered.
Do you find the problem you’re describing to be a problem here (beyond perhaps a handful of people)? I’m curious because I don’t see it, compared to other sites.
Given that the great majority of us blog using non-gender-specific names, I have no idea of the gender of most of people posting on this site, and don’t necessarily find it pertinent to most discussions. At least a couple of times a week I find out that a certain poster is a certain gender and am surprised – and in most cases I promptly forget the information until some later comment reminds me of that person’s gender.
Or am I unusual in that regard? (Incidentally, I’m a male, and came here as part of the “pie exodus.”)
Great question – the gender bias I have observed does depend on a number of factors – is the author easily identifiable as female, is the site obviously gender specific – all these and more play into this problem. So – yes – it does make a difference if a blogger’s pseudonym is female-specific. Try it some time. Log into those sites you normally frequent as an identifiable female, and post something. The responses you get will be geared toward your gender.
About Booman specifically – no, I haven’t noticed a plethora of gender-bashing males lying in wait for the lone unsuspecting female. One of the reasons I posted here first. I wanted to see what the response would be.