IggyKoopa's Comments
Evilbeagle, you seem to think that I, and others, care about how "empowered" you are. You ARE speaking from a position of privilege. Not all women could just stay home and iron shirts if that's what tickled their fancy. Which is not to say that I don't respect housewives because my mom certainly worked and works harder than anyone I know, but yes, she was privileged to have the opportunity to choose whether to work. In leaner times in my life, she did work because she had to.
Your idea that women who are offended by the sign should pay for new ones is completely ludicrous. I know that a lot of people have wet dreams of having power over others, but this "la la la majority rule la la la" while sticking one's fingers in one's ears is childish. The tyranny of the majority is something to be feared, not celebrated.
Ted, I was not saying that women who don't care about the signs are bimbos. I was saying that the signs are sexist, and that just because some women on the Neatorama comments section say they think they're not sexist, does not make them so. Not everything individual or collective groups of women say or do are feminist, nor do all choices women make create a world where men and women are equal.
"Men working" signs are not at the top of most feminist agendas, but we do what we can, because our culture is about death by a thousand cuts. We work to make small things equal because sometimes the big things like reproductive rights, the wage gap, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, healthcare, and many others are a bit too much for us to take on by ourselves, and we don't often see much progress. Getting something that is sexist actually fixed is a nice change.
Your idea that women who are offended by the sign should pay for new ones is completely ludicrous. I know that a lot of people have wet dreams of having power over others, but this "la la la majority rule la la la" while sticking one's fingers in one's ears is childish. The tyranny of the majority is something to be feared, not celebrated.
Ted, I was not saying that women who don't care about the signs are bimbos. I was saying that the signs are sexist, and that just because some women on the Neatorama comments section say they think they're not sexist, does not make them so. Not everything individual or collective groups of women say or do are feminist, nor do all choices women make create a world where men and women are equal.
"Men working" signs are not at the top of most feminist agendas, but we do what we can, because our culture is about death by a thousand cuts. We work to make small things equal because sometimes the big things like reproductive rights, the wage gap, domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, healthcare, and many others are a bit too much for us to take on by ourselves, and we don't often see much progress. Getting something that is sexist actually fixed is a nice change.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Tim Giachetti, calling someone a troll is not a substitute for formulating a coherent and intelligent critique of the situation.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Evilbeagle, why do you get to decide how taxpayer money is spent while feminists who disagree with the sign is not?
I reiterate that I once worked on a road crew, and most of the women I worked with disliked the signs because it was yet another way their contribution was ignored or belittled, even though it was always at least equal to the work the men were doing.
It is disheartening to go to work every day and have your petty, mean-spirited co-workers not only dehumanize you and silence your contributions, but to also be the only ones whose work is recognized and respected.
Look at the number of posters here who have said, in effect, that the signs shouldn't be changed because there aren't many women on road crews. We are there.
Take a reality check on your male privilege, or if you're female, ask yourself why you want that patriarchal pat on the head so badly. It's certainly not doing much to further the condition of women.
I reiterate that I once worked on a road crew, and most of the women I worked with disliked the signs because it was yet another way their contribution was ignored or belittled, even though it was always at least equal to the work the men were doing.
It is disheartening to go to work every day and have your petty, mean-spirited co-workers not only dehumanize you and silence your contributions, but to also be the only ones whose work is recognized and respected.
Look at the number of posters here who have said, in effect, that the signs shouldn't be changed because there aren't many women on road crews. We are there.
Take a reality check on your male privilege, or if you're female, ask yourself why you want that patriarchal pat on the head so badly. It's certainly not doing much to further the condition of women.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
I am incredibly disappointed at the response to this story.
The signs ARE sexist. So much of our language and culture disappears women and the work that we do. I have, in fact, worked for road crews, and I did a damn good job, better than some of the men, but that wasn't good enough to prevent the name-calling, the sexual harassment, the belittlement--all because I had the audacity to have a vagina and do manual labor at the same time.
These road signs add insult to injury to women all over the country who bust their butts doing the best job they can to get the job done and go home. Their contribution shouldn't be erased or silenced by state-funded signs, and they certainly shouldn't be called bitches and feminazis because they're trying to be treated like a human being.
The signs ARE sexist. So much of our language and culture disappears women and the work that we do. I have, in fact, worked for road crews, and I did a damn good job, better than some of the men, but that wasn't good enough to prevent the name-calling, the sexual harassment, the belittlement--all because I had the audacity to have a vagina and do manual labor at the same time.
These road signs add insult to injury to women all over the country who bust their butts doing the best job they can to get the job done and go home. Their contribution shouldn't be erased or silenced by state-funded signs, and they certainly shouldn't be called bitches and feminazis because they're trying to be treated like a human being.
Abusive comment hidden.
(Show it anyway.)
Page 2 of 2
prev
What makes us "so-called women"? Who made you the great arbiter of feminine grace?
If every "Men Working" sign in the country got replaced, I still wouldn't feel equal because...I'm not. Women have to work twice as hard and twice as well to get a quarter of the respect and recognition that men do. Women still make less money for doing the same jobs. Women still have to be concerned that if they go into a career that is traditionally male that they will be sexually harassed or sexually assaulted. When that happens, women still have to worry if they'll be able to keep their jobs if they report, or be accused of bringing it on themselves. Women are still the partner who is expected to stay at home, and if they do work outside the home, they are expected to clean, cook, and iron shirts disproportionately. The people here saying women have gained equality are living in a fantasy world where their privilege has blinded them to all of the atrocities that don't personally affect them.
I have a great deal of meaning in my life. I'm not requesting your validation of how I live. I came here to simply add my opinion on this issue because it seemed a bit like an echo chamber in here.