NOTE: Today is Day Two of the Man Boobz Pledge Drive. If you haven’t already, please consider clicking the little button below and sending a few bucks my way.
Thanks! (And thanks again to all who’ve already donated.) Now back to our regularly scheduled programming:
So the other day, the atheist blogger Rebecca Watson, aka Skepchick, had this little conversation on Twitter:
Watson, you may recall, got herself onto the Men’s Rights radar a few months back, after a brief comment she made in a podcast — suggesting that perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea for a guy to hit on woman he’s never spoken to before while the two of them are alone in an elevator at 4 AM – somehow turned into a Big Fucking Thing on the Internet, because how dare she say such a thing, it’s creep-shaming, she must hate men, bla bla bla.
So, anyhoo, one Men’s Rights Reddit noticed this little Twitter exchange, and posted it to the Men’s Rights subreddit. And there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. MRAs hating women? How dare she suggest such a thing!
Here are some of the things that assorted Men’s Rights Redditors posted in response, to remind us all that the Men’s Rights movement isn’t all about shitting on women. Let’s start with this lovely rebuttal, boasting nearly 60 net upvotes:
This comment inspired a long and winding discussion of the word “cunt,” and why it’s like totally ok to use it all the time, because in England the UK people call men “cunts” as well.
Some got a little carried away:
This little exchange came with a side order of irony:
Speaking of fantasy, here’s a strange bit of paranoia, which nonetheless drew upvotes from the very same people who are outraged that Watson was a bit creeped out by a dude she didn’t know asking her to come to his hotel room at 4 AM:
And here’s still more evidence that MRAs, despite their many egregious flaws, do at least have vivid imaginations:
Some other comments, all of which got at least a few upvotes from the MR regulars:
Let’s end with this eloquent plea for people to not give a shit if MRAs hate women:
The folks in the Men’s Rights subreddit are currently debating whether or not to change the subreddit’s slogan, which is currently: “Mens’ Rights: Earning Scorn from Bigoted Feminists and White Knights Since 2008.”
So let me humbly suggest:
Mens’ Rights: Like it’s even relevant if mens rights is anti women in regard to if mens rights is a movement about addressing mens issues.
Or the even punchier:
Men’s Rights: i’m tired of not using the term “cunt”.
MRAs, you’re welcome.
WHY IS IT ONLY I CAN SEE THIS?
—
I am the only one able to see this issue. Why is it that no one else sees the issue?
Why is it no one mentions it on the media?
Why is it?
Why is it?
Since the issue exists, and I am the only one able to see it, then it must be a bigoted conspiracy from the feminists! Because it would be illogical to think that I am just crazy.
Cassandra: Bagels have holes too.
Didn’t that create the same conundrum?
lolll ninjaed
>>>This troll kept insisting that the slaveholders of the antebellum South(ern United States) were motivated by selflessness in their drive to own and exploit as many human beings as they could.
Lolwut?
The conservatives sometimes have a point that the liberal understanding of slavery in America is a bit mythologized to drive home a point (it’s mostly the pot calling the kettle black, though… their mythology of slavery is even farther derived from reality, it’s like creationists attacking Lamarckists because they have a bad understanding of evolutionary biology) but the idea that it was *selfless* is particularly ridiculous.
My kingdom for a sarcasm font.
I agree, having sarcasm or irony fonts would be awesome, sort of like having an italic style for your favourite book font but heaps better. But then trolls would decide to quote you out of context and use a plain old Times Roman or Arial – sarcasm goes whooshing over their head.
For no other reason than this is the current thread, I see MRAL (aka “matriarchy”) has re-appeared on Pharyngula, and is cruisin’ for a bruisin’. Our good friend Rutee is one of the horde sharpening their sniny talons on their new chew-toy, and poor lackwit already had notice served upon him by PZ that he may get deported to the new annex of the troll dungeon.
Hey David did you see this? it’s a comment on Roosh’s blog here:
http://www.rooshv.com/not-all-women-of-the-world-want-an-alpha-male
It sounds a lot like MRAL.
Kinda hilarious that their little alpha theory is being debunked. Its almost like different cultures influence what we’re supposed to find attractive or something! it’s almost like women have individual preferences!
Xanthe, I’ve just had a look out of morbid curiosity. Did you see the “I have a high IQ” comment?
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/03/07/rush-limbaugh-isnt-the-only-moron-out-there-unfortunately/comment-page-1/#comment-281623
Ahahahahaha! He is just priceless!
@Ponkz
is he even trying anymore? at least he’s being honest.
Hey, I think you might be on to something there, AntZ!!
You should take your one-man crusade to the streets, force the entire health care system to now view women’s healthcare needs, symptomology, etc. as the default template…the norm of the human experience… for healthcare. Then men’s healthcare needs, symptomology, etc., that fall outside the scope of the norm of human experience can be delineated throughout a 907 page document with no mention of women or girls.
Oh yes I did, Ponkz; to Pharyngula, that’s like attaching a sign to your forehead saying “I am an enormous twit, Please Kick Me”. Written in 72 point Comic Sans Bold. I also liked this (comment 34 on the same page), including the patent MRAL™ “Think on it.”™ sign-off:
@Quackers -yeah, that made me chuckle. And using that silly picture of the man chained up to the giant high heel monster thing as his avatar as well! I do occasionally wonder if he’s actually some sort of comedic genius doing a parody of an MRA, but I’ve seen too much of him and other trolls here to believe it unfortunately.
I think he’s that particular kind of troll where he actually believes what he’s saying, but couches it in the most absurd and repugnant ways possible in order to get a reaction, all the while smirking to himself about how clever he is. What’s funny about it, is that while he thinks it’s all quite sly, it’s actually self parody.
Oh, definitely. The lack of self-awareness is astounding.
MRAL gets upset when he’s called out by the regular commenters over here.
What on Earth would make him think that displaying his idiocy on Pharyngula could possibly be a good idea? There’s no way the horde over there will have anywhere near the patience with him that the commenters at Manboobz did.
attention is attention is attention
Why would someone with a FOREIGN BRIDE require a VR sex machine? Is there trouble in PARADISE?
MRAL is so clueless.
Is it me or are the trolls even denser than usual?! Seriously, is my dense-o-meter extra-sensitive today – cos this thread made me want to make a troll pinata, beat it, and then eat its insides.
Also, I’m pretty sure PZ Myers was arguing that the problem with the word cunt is that it assumes that vulvas are bad, icky, offensive. That’s why it’s wrong to call anyone a cunt, because you’re arguing that womanness (commonly conflated with vulva-having) is bad/obnoxious etc.
I know–he’s so furious that society doesn’t treat him the way he wants, and yet he refuses to alter his behavior in the slightest. Not even to sound different so his sockpuppets won’t be so obvious.
Hmm. I doubt that “Fucktrelle” is MRAL. Plenty of other dickbags it could be.
AntZ:
The reason nobody sees it is because it’s just a figment of your own fevered imagination. I believe psychiatrists can be quite helpful with this kind of problem. I suggest looking one up, for your own well being.
I will begin with an excerpt from the Comments Policy:
Right.
Well, I’m “outraged” by her haughtiness, and the comments show her other critics feel the same.
Keep your apology brief.
Oh right, she is supposed to respond to death and rape threats with cookies or something.
Nope, just like your video game, that is not going to happen.