Can we please start saying "because of her gender" or "her sex" instead of "her genitalia"

[Bucky]

I know this is just a netiquette post, but I'm seeing posted a few times people saying things like "it's insulting that McCain thinks he'll win over women's votes just because Sarah Palin has a vagina" or "they are asking us to only consider her genitalia."

It is insulting that McCain thinks he can get women's votes because he's nominating a woman. It is fundamentally disrespectful of women's intelligence. But it just seems to me that part of respecting women should involve not rhetorically cutting them up into their reproductive body parts. This is a gender-discrimination issue, not a biological functions issue.

People's comfort level for speaking about women as if they are primarily defined by their reproductive organs (both on DU and out in the real world) seems to me to be part of the deeply rooted sexism in our culture. I think if we can cultivate the habit of thinking and speaking about women as people rather than a collection of fun bits, we'll be taking a small step toward building a more inclusive world.

If you agree with this argument, then at least think of what's good for the party, people. If I do spend too much time considering Mrs Palin's genitalia... I might just end up voting Republican this year!

[DarthDem]

1. Haven't Seen A Single Reference

. . . to what you're referring to. But sure, I'll cut it out.

[Bucky]

2. First line here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6838570 this link goes to a GDP post.

[NashVegas]

5. "45 topics match your criteria "

Including this one, so it's 44.

[DarthDem]

14. Okay

I still haven't seen a single reference this apparent nonissue for myself, and I've been reading fairly actively. But I mean no disrespect to the OP - - it's right that this is a silly thing to be doing, if anyone is doing it.

[thunder rising]

3. I've seen "McCain/Pair of Overies" but that's not genitalia is it (edgy I think)?

I don't get this at all.
>> If I do spend too much time considering Mrs Palin's genitalia... I might just end up voting Republican this year!
That genitalia is attached a mouth the projects a voice like that woman on "Will and Grace" or Roseanne Bar and when speaking says really weird things.

[saltpoint]

4. Shucks. Them words -- gender and sex and genitalia -- hell. They're

a damn sight better than the ones they use down to the bowlin' alley.

[BlooInBloo]

6. I only consider her mons.

:P

[CTyankee]

7. I hope you are kidding about your last line! I will assume that you are.

And yes, you are right that it is about something more than genitalia. It is a whole dynamic about women and men and the political situation. Women are NOT defined only about their genitalia and men shouldn't be either. We CAN talk about differences, but not just assigning roles according to it with nothing more.

I'm looking at Palin's Rethuglican orthodoxy, not her genitals, thank you very much.

[frogcycle]

8. actually, those expressions hit the mark

her selection was not for any qualification other than those body parts. Period. (oops, bad choice of word there, I guess! :) )

They make the point explicitly that that is exactly what was done. Those criticizing it aren't dehumanizing her; they are expressing outrage at her having BEEN dehumanized.

[TankLV]

9. Boobs...

can we use them...?



































afeterall, that's all the repukes are using...

[JeffR]

10. Truth be told, she's a nice-looking woman

but I have no more interest in her genitalia than I do in stepping on a rusty nail.

Ewwwwwwwww.

[WinkyDink]

11. Not every poster on DU is a D.

[Ino]

12. I dunno... it makes sense to me

That's what all women have in common and, I believe, the only thing that distinguishes them from all men. So if McCain thinks he'll snag the Hillary lovers by nominating a woman, it IS just because of the genitalia. Why gloss over it with a vague "because she's a woman person too" or whatever phrase you'd rather hear.

My mother has a phobia about asking for something straight out. She'll cry and get angry for a half hour about how unhappy she is until you figure out she wants a paper clip. After the latest such episode, she mused, "Maybe it's because I'm a woman. A man would just ask for a paper clip." I said, "You can't just ask for a paper clip because you don't have a penis?!" She said, "Well, you own your own business, so maybe that makes you think more like a man."

And THAT's the danger of NOT exposing the core of McCain's absurd reasoning and gender discrimination in general. Hillary and Palin and "women as people" have nothing in common but the genitalia!

[Blondiegrrl]

13. Well, nothing will ever convince me to vote Republican, but I certainly

don't want to spend time debating or visualizing Sarah Palin's cha-cha anymore than I want to think about John McCain's hoo-hah.

:puke: