Comments on: Row, Row, Row Whose Boat? http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/ As narrated by five of the most charming and vicious women on the internet Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:50:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: mischiefmanager http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17300 mischiefmanager Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:50:43 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17300 @BeckyS: You are so right. When I read stuff like this, I look at the name of the writer and cringe if she sounds Jewish-as I did here. @BeckyS: You are so right. When I read stuff like this, I look at the name of the writer and cringe if she sounds Jewish-as I did here.

]]> By: BeckySharper http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17293 BeckySharper Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:16:13 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17293 @SarahMC: I think it's some form of the dreaded "lie back and enjoy it" argument. @SarahMC: I think it’s some form of the dreaded “lie back and enjoy it” argument.

]]> By: SarahMC http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17292 SarahMC Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:04:42 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17292 What, exactly, is the point of her essay in the first place? Honestly, what is she even trying to say? The way to reach equality is to abandon feminism? Embrace second-class status (which is what A LOT of people mean when they instruct women to "enjoy being a woman" or some variation of it)? What, exactly, is the point of her essay in the first place? Honestly, what is she even trying to say?

The way to reach equality is to abandon feminism? Embrace second-class status (which is what A LOT of people mean when they instruct women to “enjoy being a woman” or some variation of it)?

]]> By: NefariousNewt http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17290 NefariousNewt Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:55:27 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17290 Why not blame men? Men started all this, by treating women as property. Even now, in order for women to get any equality at all, we have to pass and enforce laws. Sure, there are men -- like myself -- who do not have hangups about gender, race, and the like, but we're a minority, not a majority. Things aren't going to change unless women keep up the pressure. You back off for one minute, and the guys will assume you've given up and go back to their golf outings and poker parties. Why not blame men? Men started all this, by treating women as property. Even now, in order for women to get any equality at all, we have to pass and enforce laws. Sure, there are men — like myself — who do not have hangups about gender, race, and the like, but we’re a minority, not a majority.

Things aren’t going to change unless women keep up the pressure. You back off for one minute, and the guys will assume you’ve given up and go back to their golf outings and poker parties.

]]> By: BeckySharper http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17289 BeckySharper Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:25:29 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17289 I might be from the same race, religion and social class as Joanne Lipman, but I think she's full of shit. It's not feminism that's toxic. DENIAL is toxic. Feminism is the antidote. Joanne obviously needs to get some. I might be from the same race, religion and social class as Joanne Lipman, but I think she’s full of shit.

It’s not feminism that’s toxic. DENIAL is toxic. Feminism is the antidote. Joanne obviously needs to get some.

]]> By: mischiefmanager http://www.harpyness.com/2009/10/26/11180/comment-page-1/#comment-17288 mischiefmanager Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:19:35 +0000 http://www.harpyness.com/?p=11180#comment-17288 It's a funny thing about privilege. Once you learn about it, you see it everywhere. This kind of rage-inducing lesson in patronizing (used advisedly)dismissal of everyone else once you've gotten what you want is exactly why I have no patience with mainstream feminism. Lipman and women like her need to get it through their heads: we were the easy ones. We had money and relative power, access to the tools to take care of and improve ourselves and the freedom to pursue our lives. Now, what about the other 80% (being optimistic here)? How dare she pat struggling women on the head and tell them to bear up? How dare she tell women who get harassed at work and still fear losing their jobs to have a sense of humor? How dare she tell women to be more confident when they are undermined by the very kinds of media Lipman writes for? The women who aren't well-educated and comfortable and don't have a personal trainer to keep them trim-maybe they still need feminism. Ya know? And really, I don't care a good goddamn how you feel about your life, toots. But that's okay-you care enough for all of us. It’s a funny thing about privilege. Once you learn about it, you see it everywhere.

This kind of rage-inducing lesson in patronizing (used advisedly)dismissal of everyone else once you’ve gotten what you want is exactly why I have no patience with mainstream feminism. Lipman and women like her need to get it through their heads: we were the easy ones. We had money and relative power, access to the tools to take care of and improve ourselves and the freedom to pursue our lives. Now, what about the other 80% (being optimistic here)?

How dare she pat struggling women on the head and tell them to bear up? How dare she tell women who get harassed at work and still fear losing their jobs to have a sense of humor? How dare she tell women to be more confident when they are undermined by the very kinds of media Lipman writes for? The women who aren’t well-educated and comfortable and don’t have a personal trainer to keep them trim-maybe they still need feminism. Ya know?

And really, I don’t care a good goddamn how you feel about your life, toots. But that’s okay-you care enough for all of us.

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