(no subject)
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2011/03/31/the-data-behind-the-walmart-not-yet-class-action-lawsuit/
If this doesn't anger you then you need to get your adrenal gland checked. Honestly the statistics were insulting enough. I'd include some of the quotes from the managers who were challenged on these policies but ... they're horrible. I think the craziest thing about all of this is that there had to be a lawsuit. A reasonable person would have looked at the stats, realized there was systematic inequality and raised wages or reassigned employees accordingly. But that didn't happen. They didn't even try to deny that there was this huge gap. They tried to justify it. I guess this explains why they have no problem taking advantage of Hispanic or older workers too but ... daaaaamn. I've been following this case nervously for awhile now because ... this is kinda Roe v Wade level. If the case isn't allowed to be tried as a class action suit, civil rights will be stalled. Like an airplane stalls. You know? How it stops in the sky just before plummeting haphazardly downward?
And it's harder to look out for women's civil rights because of all this paternalistic bullshit. Really. That pisses me off. I'm an adult. And I'm a freakishly smart adult. I can make better decisions for myself than any fool legislator. And even women who are not as gifted in the brains department as I am know their situation better than said legislator. Furthermore most of these laws enacted to protect women ... cost us our lives. Not hyperbole. I know you wish it were. But all these anti-abortion things .... actually kill women. Hence I would like to see the legislators who successfully pass laws like that tried for manslaughter and sued for damages. Let's see how brave they are when the corpse they have to deal with is 5'4 and weighs between 115 and 160 lbs. Really, rather than burying the victims of these laws I think we should take their bodies and place them on the doorsteps of these overly rich male offenders.
Every now and then someone tells me I should stop being a feminist. Here's the loser reasons they give me and my far better reason for perpetually disrespecting them after.
1. I just can't date a feminist.: Well no you can't. Because a heterosexual feminist wants a man. She won't tolerate an emo little wanker like yourself.
2. Feminists hate men. If you ever want to get married you have to stop it.: No, feminists love men. And many are men. The only sort of man who can have a lasting and successful marriage is a feminist man. Furthermore, I'm not too keen on the whole marriage thing and would be unable to trust any man who did not respect me as a person. Additionally, when I didn't respect women I did not respect men either and was actively trying to get into relationships where guys would buy me things. Disrespect of one group breeds disrespect of all others. Feminists love men. If you're not a feminist you hate both men and women. Also, you suck.
3. You shouldn't challenge the status quo, just accept it.: In the immortal words of Eminem, "bitch, are you stupid?" There is no actual evidence suggesting that whole women as nurturers men as hunters thing started any further back than about 1949, so clearly there has been change in living memory and it is not unreasonable to demand more. People love to indict Archaeology or History in justification of "gender roles" but in fact if you check out when the whole "gender roles" crap came into play in these fields you will note that it results entirely from a cultural overlay. There's no true evidence for women being historically and perpetually regulated to the household and no explanation for why it should be so. Furthermore, it's bad for society. So it's kinda irresponsible not to challenge it.
4. You're just whining.: No I'm not. Would you willingly take a paycut, have people try to take advantage of you at mechanic shops etc., be assumed to be less educated or the secretary or receptionist but never the boss or lawyer? Do you want to correct everyone every time they assume you're just an assistant? Do you want people to critisize you for not being able to put together a great meal or keep a spotless house despite the fact that you rake in the mullah and are highly educated? Do you want to be under constant scrutiny for what you wear, where you go, when you go there, whether or not you are EVER alone, and where you so much as cast your gaze? If anyone thinks something wrong with any of the above are you okay with being violently attacked? Threatened by phone calls? Stalked? Do you want to have no recourse with the police? No, I'm not just whining. These are everyday realities for women. Why should I have what amounts to a societally imposed handicap? Would you put up with that?
5. Feminism is over. We're even post-racial now.: Erm ... no. We're neither post-racial nor post-feminist. That we have to have a class action suit against Walmart should be proof enough of that. There are even specifically racial and anti-woman attacks against poor black women. We're not equal yet. Furthermore, unless you're an amoral bastard, you should be fighting to get rights for the disenfranchised.
6. It's not Christian.: Firstly, read the Bible. You will find that Jesus was actually kinda feminist. Secondly most of the anti-woman stuff that came out of Christianity came during the Medieval Period. Aka the Dark Ages. Aka the time when people intentionally tried to know as little as possible because they actually believed that knowledge was synonymous with evil. So essentially any Christian ... or Muslim for that matter because Mohamed was a little bit revolutionary regarding women as well ... who is not a feminist blasphemes their own religion. Finally, I'm not Christian so that's kinda a pointless argument with me. Sorry you insult your own god with every breath and recite hollow and insincere prayers. But your misery and damnation is not my problem.
7. You must be a lesbian.: Nope. I like penis. But see 2. Besides, sexual preference or determination is insignificant next to constant discrimination. My heterosexuality and feeling for my male friends and lovers is not impugned by my feminism. In fact, feminism makes sex with men better. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.
If this doesn't anger you then you need to get your adrenal gland checked. Honestly the statistics were insulting enough. I'd include some of the quotes from the managers who were challenged on these policies but ... they're horrible. I think the craziest thing about all of this is that there had to be a lawsuit. A reasonable person would have looked at the stats, realized there was systematic inequality and raised wages or reassigned employees accordingly. But that didn't happen. They didn't even try to deny that there was this huge gap. They tried to justify it. I guess this explains why they have no problem taking advantage of Hispanic or older workers too but ... daaaaamn. I've been following this case nervously for awhile now because ... this is kinda Roe v Wade level. If the case isn't allowed to be tried as a class action suit, civil rights will be stalled. Like an airplane stalls. You know? How it stops in the sky just before plummeting haphazardly downward?
And it's harder to look out for women's civil rights because of all this paternalistic bullshit. Really. That pisses me off. I'm an adult. And I'm a freakishly smart adult. I can make better decisions for myself than any fool legislator. And even women who are not as gifted in the brains department as I am know their situation better than said legislator. Furthermore most of these laws enacted to protect women ... cost us our lives. Not hyperbole. I know you wish it were. But all these anti-abortion things .... actually kill women. Hence I would like to see the legislators who successfully pass laws like that tried for manslaughter and sued for damages. Let's see how brave they are when the corpse they have to deal with is 5'4 and weighs between 115 and 160 lbs. Really, rather than burying the victims of these laws I think we should take their bodies and place them on the doorsteps of these overly rich male offenders.
Every now and then someone tells me I should stop being a feminist. Here's the loser reasons they give me and my far better reason for perpetually disrespecting them after.
1. I just can't date a feminist.: Well no you can't. Because a heterosexual feminist wants a man. She won't tolerate an emo little wanker like yourself.
2. Feminists hate men. If you ever want to get married you have to stop it.: No, feminists love men. And many are men. The only sort of man who can have a lasting and successful marriage is a feminist man. Furthermore, I'm not too keen on the whole marriage thing and would be unable to trust any man who did not respect me as a person. Additionally, when I didn't respect women I did not respect men either and was actively trying to get into relationships where guys would buy me things. Disrespect of one group breeds disrespect of all others. Feminists love men. If you're not a feminist you hate both men and women. Also, you suck.
3. You shouldn't challenge the status quo, just accept it.: In the immortal words of Eminem, "bitch, are you stupid?" There is no actual evidence suggesting that whole women as nurturers men as hunters thing started any further back than about 1949, so clearly there has been change in living memory and it is not unreasonable to demand more. People love to indict Archaeology or History in justification of "gender roles" but in fact if you check out when the whole "gender roles" crap came into play in these fields you will note that it results entirely from a cultural overlay. There's no true evidence for women being historically and perpetually regulated to the household and no explanation for why it should be so. Furthermore, it's bad for society. So it's kinda irresponsible not to challenge it.
4. You're just whining.: No I'm not. Would you willingly take a paycut, have people try to take advantage of you at mechanic shops etc., be assumed to be less educated or the secretary or receptionist but never the boss or lawyer? Do you want to correct everyone every time they assume you're just an assistant? Do you want people to critisize you for not being able to put together a great meal or keep a spotless house despite the fact that you rake in the mullah and are highly educated? Do you want to be under constant scrutiny for what you wear, where you go, when you go there, whether or not you are EVER alone, and where you so much as cast your gaze? If anyone thinks something wrong with any of the above are you okay with being violently attacked? Threatened by phone calls? Stalked? Do you want to have no recourse with the police? No, I'm not just whining. These are everyday realities for women. Why should I have what amounts to a societally imposed handicap? Would you put up with that?
5. Feminism is over. We're even post-racial now.: Erm ... no. We're neither post-racial nor post-feminist. That we have to have a class action suit against Walmart should be proof enough of that. There are even specifically racial and anti-woman attacks against poor black women. We're not equal yet. Furthermore, unless you're an amoral bastard, you should be fighting to get rights for the disenfranchised.
6. It's not Christian.: Firstly, read the Bible. You will find that Jesus was actually kinda feminist. Secondly most of the anti-woman stuff that came out of Christianity came during the Medieval Period. Aka the Dark Ages. Aka the time when people intentionally tried to know as little as possible because they actually believed that knowledge was synonymous with evil. So essentially any Christian ... or Muslim for that matter because Mohamed was a little bit revolutionary regarding women as well ... who is not a feminist blasphemes their own religion. Finally, I'm not Christian so that's kinda a pointless argument with me. Sorry you insult your own god with every breath and recite hollow and insincere prayers. But your misery and damnation is not my problem.
7. You must be a lesbian.: Nope. I like penis. But see 2. Besides, sexual preference or determination is insignificant next to constant discrimination. My heterosexuality and feeling for my male friends and lovers is not impugned by my feminism. In fact, feminism makes sex with men better. Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.