A daily miasma of frivolity by two wanna-be cultural critics. Or: just, like, some good links, dude.

Tag Archives: sexism

Jan 27 2013
Mark Twain, probably

Eight Women, Eight Responses, and One Dead Island Riptide Statue

Eight Women, Eight Responses, and One Dead Island Riptide Statue

Did you hear about the torso fiasco of Dead Island: Riptide? If not, consider yourself lucky, because it was just a total disaster reinforcing how poorly women are treated in video games and video game culture.

Patrick Klepek put together an article for Giant Bomb explaining the situation, but more importantly, he reached out to eight women in the video game industry for their thoughts on this whole mess. Elizabeth DeLoria probably had the best quote:

We’re angered and heartbroken when women are violently murdered (and that’s just the cases we hear about.) The news of Jill Meagher, as an example, was devastating to thousands that didn’t even know her. Yet at the same time, we’re sent these messages that sexualize, glamorize and exploit a woman’s decapitated torso. That use violent murder for the purpose of sex appeal and thus profit.

Highly recommended reading.

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Dec 29 2012
Mark Twain, probably

In India, a Fatal Gang Rape Sparks Violent Protests, Demands for More Protection

In India, a Fatal Gang Rape Sparks Violent Protests, Demands for More Protection

Some shit is going down in India about rape and the treatment of women. PBS Newshour covered it yesterday:

The fury across India has been building for nearly two weeks, since the 23-year-old medical student was gang-raped and then thrown from [a] bus in New Delhi.

Sexual assaults are rife in India, especially in New Delhi, where, on average, there’s a rape reported every 18 hours. But, this time, the extreme brutality of the crime ignited outrage that turned violent with street battles between protesters and police. The protests have continued this week, amid growing accusations police and other officials are dismissive of sex crimes.

…

Meanwhile, another tragedy, mourners gathered yesterday in Punjab state for the funeral of a 17-year-old girl who reported being gang-raped in November. She killed herself Wednesday after saying she’d been humiliated by police.

NPR South Asia correspondant Julie McCarthy also talks about how poorly the Indian government has been handling this.

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Dec 22 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Iowa court: Bosses can fire ‘irresistible’ workers

Iowa court: Bosses can fire ‘irresistible’ workers

From the I Just Fucking Hate Everything Department comes this piece of legal news by Ryan J. Foley for the Associated Press:

A dentist acted legally when he fired an assistant that he found attractive simply because he and his wife viewed the woman as a threat to their marriage, the all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday.

The court ruled 7-0 that bosses can fire employees they see as an “irresistible attraction,” even if the employees have not engaged in flirtatious behavior or otherwise done anything wrong. 

My favorite part of the article, by which I mean the part of the article that finally opened my eyes to the true horror of this empty universe and made me futilely scream into the maw of oblivion, was this one:

[Melissa] Nelson filed a lawsuit alleging gender discrimination, arguing she would not have been terminated if she was male. She did not allege sexual harassment because Knight’s conduct may not have risen to that level and didn’t particularly offend her, [her attorney Paige] Fiedler said.

This is not at all bad out of context, but the important part is how it relates to two previous sentences:

… in the final months of her employment, [boss James Knight] complained that her tight clothing was distracting, once telling her that if his pants were bulging that was a sign her clothes were too revealing, according to the opinion.

He also once allegedly remarked about her infrequent sex life by saying, “that’s like having a Lamborghini in the garage and never driving it.”

The chain of events set in motion by the Big Bang 13.75 billion years ago has lead to a point where this is not considered sexual harassment.

My soul weeps.

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Jul 16 2012
Mark Twain, probably

‘Easy’ parking spots for women introduced by German mayor

‘Easy’ parking spots for women introduced by German mayor

Matthew Day for the Telegraph:

Spaces in a new car park in the Black Forest town of Triberg now come with male and female symbols. The spaces for women are wider and well lit, while those for men are close to concrete pillars and can only be reversed into.

Explaining the policy, Mayor Gallus Strobel said it was a natural decision because men are better at parking than women.

… Mr Strobel, who denies accusations of sexism, also pointed out that 10 spaces were reserved for women as opposed to just two for men.

See, it’s funny because misogyny.

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May 12 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Modern Mechanix: “SEX in Advertising”

Modern Mechanix: “SEX in Advertising”

Modern Mechanix is usually good for a lark. This week’s recommendation comes from the march 1964 issue of Sexology.

On the plus side, it makes me feel good that this was being acknowledged and discussed as early as the 1960s.

However:

“Today,” said Justice J. Erwin Shapiro in what may be a historic censorship case, “skirts are shorter and the outlined erogenous areas of women are taken matter-of-factly. The under-garment model has dropped the mask from her eyes and looks at you slyly as she displays the advantages of any-brand’s lira and girdle in advertisements published in ladies’ magazines and our most respected newspapers and in telecasts coming into the home… .”

(emph. added) WHY IS THIS SO CREEPY

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Feb 10 2012
Mark Twain, probably

Josefina Vazquez Mota bids to become Mexico’s first female president

Josefina Vazquez Mota bids to become Mexico’s first female president

The Telegraph:

Josefina Vazquez Mota, a 51-year-old economist, became the first female presidential candidate from any of Mexico’s major parties when she convincingly won the National Action Party’s primary.

Excellent.

Mrs Vazquez Mota said that she had experienced sexism first-hand during her campaign.

“One of the hardest questions I have been asked is ‘How will you manage the army if you are having menstrual cramps?’” she told a Mexican newspaper.

What.

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