General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: It is not about the swimsuit issue it is about basic respect for women [View all]thucythucy
(8,052 posts)Actually, in some ways it does.
I'm active in my local Democratic Party politics, from local city council on up. I use DU, and have for years, to contact other activists, keep up on the news, and recharge my batteries when needed. Oh, and see that star beside my name? That means I contribute to the financial upkeep of this site. So yeah, I do claim some "ownership." One of the saddest aspects of this whole mess is the number of members I've seen post saying they will no longer support DU financially, precisely because of the anti-feminist attitudes that the OP is discussing. Personally, I'm not there yet, but I can understand the feeling. If I'm not going to direct my business to a state that tolerates homophobia, why would I send my money to a site that tolerates sexism? Like I said, I'm not there yet, but if those posters follow through on not renewing their stars, then this whole mess has hurt DU, which makes me sad. Because, yes, I feel a sense of connection to and ownership of this site.
So some juries have kept some of these posts (and other posts, and posters, generated by this discussion have been tossed). I never said I disagreed with any of those decisions, though I guess I am now beginning to wonder. But I am agreeing with this OP when he says that the response to (mostly) women objecting to the SI cover, and pointing out that it bothers them, has been surprising, and not in a pleasant way.
Frankly, putting more thought into it because of this OP, I have no idea why someone would a) want to post the cover of Sports Illustrated in a political forum and b) why people interested in pursuing progressive Democratic ideals (and election victories) would be so vociferous in defending something that's so obviously divisive. If a GOP troll were to set out to deliberately alienate an important Democratic constituency, and divide Democratic activists and members, and damage this site, he or she couldn't have done a better job.
"Did it ever occur to you that people who pitch a fit about a magazine cover make DU an unwelcoming environment for people who don't have an understanding of images in the media and their impact on culture..."
Really? You feel absolutely uncomfortable visiting a site that doesn't respond with universal applause to a display of T & A? Any site that doesn't promulgate and universally applaud images of women in obvious sexual poses makes you feel unwelcome?
But then again, if people honestly don't understand the importance and power of media images, if they are truly clueless as to how these images impact certain people and groups of people, I would hope they'd be open to learning something, rather than indulging in multiple attempts to get folks to "shut the fuck up"--and excoriating them as "unreasonable' for voicing their concerns.
Again, I'm genuinely astounded as to why there is so much defense of an image that is hardly germane to Democratic/progressive politics and so clearly offends so many people on this site. is Sports Illustrated really of such monumental importance to your politics, are women in bikinis so crucial to your progressive activism, that the mere thought of having to do without on each and every website you visit drives you into such a dither? And you honestly, genuinely can't conceive of how some people might see it otherwise?
As I said, this OP asks us to notice the response to those women who have posted objecting to the original SI post. It mirrors some of my concerns and questions as well. If ANYTHING I posted generated such a response, demonstrating that DUers I respect felt betrayed, uncomfortable, I'd seriously take stock, if only out of simple consideration. I'd try not to double down on the eye-poking, as seems to have happened in so many of these threads I've seen.
Don't have any idea what early Christian iconography has to do with your rather bizarre conflation of feminism, feminists on DU, and the status of the Bishop of Rome. Probably just as attempt to walk back from what was an unintentionally hilarious juxtaposition on your part.
So women on DU "sure are enjoying a lot of ahem ring kissing."
I'll let that comment speak for itself.