History of Feminism

MadrasT

(7,237 posts)

18. Interesting thought experiment.

Wed Jan 15, 2014, 06:53 AM

Jan 2014

I think that societal expectations associated with gender is the root cause of the problem... so any assumptions we make by hearing a name that we consider to be "gendered" are just things made up in our head. It would be cool to shake that up more often with A Boy Named Sue (love me some Johnny Cash), and girls named Bob, but I don't think that stripping people of gender identity = equality.

Even with my complete lack of gender identity, and no understanding of what it means to feel "female", I recognize that having a gender seems to be an integral part of most people's identity and folks shouldn't have to mask or abandon that in order to be "equal".

Though I think it would be cool if there were very "feminine" women running around named Frank, George, and Justin; and very "masculine" men running around named Maria, Juliette, and Roxanne... I don't think the naming is the root of the problem. But switching up names might raise some awareness that the problem of expectation of proper/normal gender behavior runs so deep.

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Question from a good Guy friend of mine [View all] ismnotwasm Jan 2014 OP

Well if we did that, we would no longer have female names. Sheldon Cooper Jan 2014 #1

And eventually, mzteris Jan 2014 #14

I see that as a non-issue BainsBane Jan 2014 #2

Part of the answer I gave him is that American names are boring ismnotwasm Jan 2014 #3

In the end cinnabonbon Jan 2014 #4

I basically agree. I think the problem is more one of trying to fit people into these little boxes nomorenomore08 Jan 2014 #20

People are too complex to be put into little boxes. cinnabonbon Jan 2014 #21

OT BainsBane Jan 2014 #5

Yeah it's pretty fucking hilarious ismnotwasm Jan 2014 #7

Heh. I'm always happy for the ignore list, because all I see is one OP about evil feminists. Sheldon Cooper Jan 2014 #10

I haven't been reading that or any of them BainsBane Jan 2014 #11

You will gain a new insight into the psyche of some of the people around here. Sheldon Cooper Jan 2014 #12

No, not new insight BainsBane Jan 2014 #17

Hmm, I dunno. xfundy Jan 2014 #6

And that's true too ismnotwasm Jan 2014 #8

silly argument I think, it's like arguing that we won't have racial geek tragedy Jan 2014 #9

I like ambiguous names. mzteris Jan 2014 #13

I don't buy it BainsBane Jan 2014 #15

I agree JustAnotherGen Jan 2014 #19

This was my original answer and his response ismnotwasm Jan 2014 #16

Interesting thought experiment. MadrasT Jan 2014 #18

if you have a gender neutral name Tuesday Afternoon Jan 2014 #22