A Discussion Question

[mofic]

If Brett Ratner had said "Rehearsing is for pussies" instead of "Rehearsing is for fags" would he still be producing the Oscars? Why or why not?

Comments

[st_crispins]

He would have gotten away with pussies.

[mofic]

I think so too. So, why? Because it's okay to slam women and not gay men? Because homophobia is at base motivated by hatred of women (i.e. gay men are denigrated because they are perceived to be acting like women)? Something else?

[lilacsigil]

Because women are STILL not important in Hollywood. Gay men are, at least behind the scenes.

Also, I think that "pussies" is (wrongly) seen as not misogynist because it's directed at men, not women.

[mofic]

I think misogyny is so pervasive that it's kind of not noticed. I think it's not so much that "pussies" is okay because it's directed at men, but that trying to belittle men by comparing them to women (or women's body parts) is considered just fine because it so universally accepted that women are inferior to men.

I also think - as I said above - that homophobia is mostly misogyny. Gay men are hated because they're viewed as accepting a woman's role or as subverting masculinity.

[sabra_n]

"Pussies" would have passed. This is the misogynist creep who talked shit about sleeping with Olivia Munn and Lindsey Lohan, too, and he still got the job. (Seriously, it just mystifies me that this guy keeps working. He's not even a serviceable director; he's actively bad. And they give him the Oscars?!)

[lilacsigil]

I'm still angry about X3, dammit! It's sort of satisfying to know he's not just some poor guy who inherited a mess but actually an asshole.

[sabra_n]

I know, right? Now we can hate him on all fronts. :P

[mofic]

LOL! I really knew nothing about him before this, other than that he screwed up X3.

[realpestilence]

Definitely. He might have had to apologize to smooth ruffled feathers, but he would have been there.

Mysogyny is still not, despite many advances, as popular a cause to be "anti" towards as racisim, homophobia, or even religious differences.

[mofic]

I don't think he even would have had to apologize! I think it would have been considered a completely innocuous line.

[kuriadalmatia]

If Ratner had said "pussies", it wouldn't have made that many waves. People would have shrugged it off and probably laughed. I think it's because 'pussy' doesn't hit on the "insult radar" like fag, faggot, homo, etc. even though it should.

[wneleh]

I don't even twig on "pussy" as being anti-woman, except in the context of, "I want some pussy" or whatever. Otherwise, I think of it as being synonymous with "wuss" or "wimp." Well, a little worse, because I wouldn't use "pussy" but I would say "rehearsing is for wimps" (ironically, of course).

OTOH, the use of "fag" in any context except wood-gathering says something specific about the speaker's inner dialog.

[mofic]

I think of it as being synonymous with "wuss" or "wimp."

Yes, but isn't it synonymous with wimp because it implies that women are weak? Like - on the other end of the continuum - saying someone "has balls" to mean he's strong or courageous or exhorting someone to "man up."

[wneleh]

Oh, I get that now, I just hadn't thought of the root of the word. That happens to me with slurs all the time.