The "counterpoint" makes her come off even worse than the original "jazzhands" tweet - I read that whole article and all I could think was that that is EXACTLY why large issues have a had time being taken seriously
To be honest, I think her mistake was trying to justify it at all. She kept saying that she should be talking about what actually happened at the conference, which is exactly what she should have done. But really, it's a student conference. It's going to be a bit flaky and whiny. Feminists have no monopoly on that. I still have no problem whatsoever with the request not to clap though. Why should I?
For starters what is "feminist" about "jazz hands"? TAKE BACK THE JAZZ HANDS WORLD!!!! On a more serious note if you cannot abide clapping, the chances of you being able to effect meaningful and long lasting change on a society/culture are practically zero
Also do you then dictate what clothes, colors, sounds, words and phrases can be used lest someone be "triggered"? You are at a conference with thousands in attendance and chances are there will be noises regardless so the whole "jazz hands" nonsense is moot
Isn't that kind of a chicken and egg thing? Yes, they have difficulty participating in our culture, it's entirely possible that if certain bits of our culture were changed more autistic people would effect meaningful and long lasting change; they're certainly capable of such feats even within an uncompromising society.
Who expects these people to do that? It was a student union conference, not a meeting of the UN. Would everyone be so quick to judge others' anxiety and sensory sensitivity if it were a war veteran's meeting? They are trying to make it inclusive for as many people as possible. I don't see the problem.
Pretty much sums up my thoughts too - and they are echoed by many of the attendees too judging from the reactions Doesn't mean I am right of course, but the viseceral response it triggers in me and many others is not sympathetic - perhaps that is my "issue"
I can understand the reaction, and to be honest if I didn't know people who work with autistic children and hearing how traumatic applause can be for them, I may well have had a different reaction. But my bottom line is; it's their conference, what do I care how they run it? The world might be a noisy, scary place, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't create "safe spaces" within it to cater for the more sensitive among us.
In the same vein, even though I might personally find it a bit odd, I don't begrudge men doing stuff like this in men-only groups: 'The Bragging Game At one time it was considered a virtue to brag. A man who was able to tell of his own accomplishments was considered a man’s man. Then somehow women decided that this wasn’t very gentlemanly and we were discouraged from doing so. Now if a man wants to brag he has to hire a publicity agency. Well heck, how about just letting loose? Each man takes about three to four minutes, (more time only if you won the Nobel Peace Prize) and unabashedly tells in the most bombastic terms what he is proud of. When the man is done, rather than the groans we have been taught to make, everyone cheers and applauds. As men, we need to once again be free to say what we are proud of and support what our friends are proud of. For example “I am proud that when I brag, I brag without a shred of humility. I’m the best damn braggart I know.”' http://www.mensgroupmanual.com/mens-group-meeting activities.html I don't see why one is worthy of ridicule while another is not
Wait, did this really just happen? "Uppity" women? I'm having a Poe's Law problem here knowing whether to take this comment at face value. If unequal treatment in a first-world country, overly-sexualized portrayals in the media, pidgeon-holing by popular culture, etc are a "first-world problems" where complaints against them should be pooh-poohed, what is complaining about feminism? I mean, there's feminists in society, but you're not being stoned to death, force-married or sold into slavery by feminists, so why on earth do you have any legitimate basis to complain? If we're going to play the "if you're not being subject to violent atrocities, you shouldn't complain" card, let's play it against everybody in first-world countries, including the so-called "Men's Rights Activists."
Luckily, the claims can also be pooh-poohed in a vacuum. The third-world comparison is really just the cherry on top.
Seeing as how you're now going in a loop going in a loop... I'd appreciate it if you would explain how you feel this picture displays a double standard.
About the He-Man thing. Yes, there are unrealistic depictions of physiology for men too. HOWEVER, these are not the ONLY male role models out there. Male protagonists on TV, in film, and in games can also be dumpy and ugly (Despicable Me), skinny and kinda dorky (Adam Sandler in everything), chubby and unattractive (Seth Rogen), old and crazy-haired, etc. For women, no matter what else you are--an action hero, a comedic lead, a scientist, etc, media typically expect you to ALSO have Barbie-esque physical perfection. The same is true with, say, music: most male musicians are butt-ugly (from Lil Wayne to KISS) or at least not particularly attractive, but female musicians typically have to be very physically attractive as well as being good musicians in order to be mass-market successes. Thus, the Barbie model for women is far more pervasive in media and society than the He-Man model for men. And it shows; girls are far more likely to develop eating disorders and other self-image-related disorders than boys are. And that's not even getting into the fact that it's far more harmful to the body to try to look like Barbie (i.e., starve yourself and get breast implants) than to try to look like He-Man (pick up heavy things and put them down again).
Also the fact that both are indicative of polarized gender stereotypes. They both serve to highlight the same issue for me.
I don't know that this is true. As a child, for me Chuck Norris was probably closer within my reach than Bill Murray. I'm pretty far from either mind you now and then. But think about it - how do you develop Chuck Norris skill? Practice and exercise and kick things. A lot. I can do that. How do you develop Bill Murray Skill? Be instantly witty, make people laugh, be effortlessly zany and funny. How hard is it to ad lib that caddy shack stuff and have it make millions laugh?
I knew I should have edited my post to say "body image"... Still though, it's much easier to convince yourself you're witty than beautiful Plus, it was more Pete Venkman than Murray himself.
Murray is still a role model for me. Easily one of the most interesting people on the planet, as is Aykroyd, despite his affection for UFO theories.
