So Anita Sarkeesian, who apparently didn’t run off with all her Kickstarter money to found a Misandist Gynarchy in the wilds of Canada, has released the first video in her Tropes vs Women in Video Games project. (I’ve embedded it below.)
Naturally, this is causing great consternation in certain corners of the Internet (*cough* Reddit *cough cough* everywhere else that misogynistic nerds congregate *cough*). In the Man Boobz forum, Katz has started a contest to see who can find “the whiniest, brattiest, most entitled response” to Sarkeesian’s video on the Internet. So far Katz and Myoo have found a couple classic comments from irate Sarkeeianaphobes:
[H]ow does one go about stating that genders and gender roles are social constructs? I mean is evolution nothing to her? Does the patriarchy make male peacocks dress provocatively?
Yes. Yes it does.
And:
I’m gradually losing respect for the opposite sex. I’ve unfollowed people on tumblr who talk about how great she is, because it actually causes bile to rise in to my throat.
Yeah, that’s a totally reasonable response to a woman making a video about video games.
So anyway, I’m thinking we should bring the contest over here.
See what you can find! Consider it a sort of scavenger hunt.
Here’s my contribution, from the Men’s Rights subreddit, complaining that Damsels in Distress are the truly privileged ones:
Amazingly, this acutally got called out on r/mr as being pretty damn stupid.
Also, I have another question, to add to the stack of other questions I’ve been asking lately: Just why do you think so many guys get so angry when girls and women invade what they consider a male sphere, like gaming? (Also, why do they consider gaming to belong to boys and men?)
Oh, and here’s the video that’s causing all this hubbub:
You’re right I didn’t make it very clear at all, just kind of assumed it would read the way I was thinking it, lol. My point was that they are looking at women as females only (I.E female is any woman’s defining attribute) and as such have no problem with them being nothing more than sex objects. It’s not out of hatred or dislike of women, it’s out of ignorance mainly. I disagree that calling women females amounts to misogyny (my understanding of the word being a hatred of women) but I think it is somewhat ignorant.
Relax Cassandra it was a joke, hence the lol. I saw nothing in the comments policy about no sense of humour allowed. This is the second time I’ve seen you talk about adult men liking girls or something, just struck me as a bit weird that’s all, especially as I don’t think I even used the word girls in any of my comments.
Humor is encouraged, but you need to actually be funny. Sticking “lol” on the end of a statement is tedious, not funny. If you have to tell people that it’s a joke…
Ehhh funny is subjective. It wasn’t a serious statement is my point. Just relax a little, I’m not here to attack you.
OK, you win today’s not worth bothering with prize. See ya.
I just don’t understand why you’re being so hostile/defensive, but okay.
Do Re – first, misogyny is more than virulent, open hatred of women. It’s a lot broader in meaning than that, the same as “racist” isn’t limited to “person who plants burning crosses or commits murder”. The othering, the refusal to see women as more than sex toys and servants, the desire to force us into those roles, is all part of it. The US Republican party is extremely misogynist, with its attempts to control women’s bodies and lives.
But from everything I’ve read, hatred isnt far below the surface for a lot of these guys in the gaming community. The minute someone online, or in the gaming community, is identified as a woman, they’re getting the demands for sex, or the rape threats, or the death threats. It gets worse if the person speaks out against it – witness the thread we’re writing in. That isn’t just ignorance and shyness and discomfort, that’s precisely the hatred variety of misogyny.
Given that this guy assumes that any woman who doesn’t agree with him is hostile/upset/defensive I’m not holding out a lot of hope as to him understanding more nuanced issues like “why calling women females is not cool”.
@Do Re
Ignorance of the fact that women are people, rather than hobby- and personality-free masturbatory aids? You’re right, no misogyny there.
9_9
Hey, weren’t you supposed to be going back to bed?
…Yes. Yes I was. I’ve calmed down a bunch (seriously I shouldn’t have panic-attacked all over Man Boobz that’s not cool and I’m sorry) but I still actually need to sleep.
Technically I am in bed, I just have my phone with me. Which is why they say not to do that XD. I will turn it off.
Sorry, can’t help going into big sister mode…
Viscaria: I’m home sick as a dog today, PM me or whatever if you just need to chat and calm yourself.
Right Cassandra, because everything in the world is due to your gender and there’s no way I could’ve called you hostile/defensive because you were being hostile/defensive (in my opinion). You also represent every woman in the world and anything said to you clearly goes to all women, it’s not like you’re individuals or anything…..
I’m not saying looking at women as sex objects isn’t bad, I specifically said it was. I’m just saying it’s due more to ignorance than misogyny. If most of these guys knew what they were doing was hurting the feelings of women they would stop. But that’s not something we’re taught in society. We’re not taught that women have a problem with being sex objects, we’re taught that women LIKE being sex objects,
Bullshit. Got any proof of this besides your feels? Back your horseshit up, kthx.
Wow, someone is feeling a little defensive. Do try to relax. After all, humor is allowed!
Also, please try not to end sentences with a comma. I know you’re awfully upset, but still.
I’m not upset about anything, I’m typing on my iPad, the comma is right next to the full stop and on occasion I end up tapping that instead without realising. I guess I am feeling a bit defensive though, I didn’t realise it wasn’t just MRAs that receive hostility but in fact any man who dares step away from his ingrained misogynist views and tries to change his ways. My apologies for bothering to give a shit about how women feel…but no worries, I can take the bad experiences with the good.
Hellkell I have only one bit of evidence other than anecdotal and that would be the website cracked where a bunch of the women in the video making department made a video basically saying please don’t make comments about how hot you think we are or which sexual position you’d like to have us in etc because we put a lot of effort into producing comedy videos, most of the usual ‘misogynist’ commenters were making heart filled apologies.
Whoosh goes the point right over his little head. It’s adorable!
Anyway, this dude is boring, so moving on. I’m trying to use up a coupon for DSW before it expires and can’t figure out whether or not to get a certain pair of boots. Anyone want to chime in with an opinion?
(Apologies to anyone who actually wants to talk about Sarkeesian, I’ll be happy to re-rail again as soon as someone interesting comes back online.)
You weren’t making a point you’re just pissed that I called you out on your hostility.
Boots, you say? Let me see them. I love DSW. I just bought a pair of very Ziggy Stardust leopard platform booties (Madden Girl shoes and my feet were made for each other) there for the low low price of 16 dollars. They put me juuuust over the 6 foot mark, how could I say no? Plus Mr. HK’s reaction when I tower over him like that is adorable.
Do Re: Cracked? Get the fuck out of here.
I do not believe you’re here to learn and change. If you were, you would listen more and talk less, and leave the defensive feelings elsewhere.
Do Re: as a call out, that was weak. You are not the first to try, do you think we’re upset? Ha, you are a chew toy.
Behold as I angrily shop for shoes. Next I will defensively pay my telephone bill.
(We could do this all day. Anyone have the “ladies be hysterical” bingo card handy?)
# hellkell
http://www.dsw.com/shoe?fromPage=shoppingBag&category=dsw12cat1100004&brand=&prodId=254755&no_redirect=1&skuId=58000000002547550010000M008.0&productRef=&qty=1&item=ci8871004059
I’m not sure how crazy I am about the way the taupe bit sits away from the rest of the boot at the back.