On Misogyny and Homophobia:
They exist, plain and simple.
The Video:The answer that guy in the video should've given is and I quote: "I honestly don't know enough about or have any authority to comment on the term, "war on women" to comment intelligently right now, and I wasn't aware it would be brought up at this event. Tell you what, give me a little bit of time to do some research on the area and check directly with the president and I will get back to you in a meaningful way as soon as possible and I'll even email a considered, intelligent, official response approved by the President himself. Does that sound fair?"
Except even that would've screwed this guy over because it then puts his boss on the spot. Why do you think Obama sent this dude instead of coming himself? To take the hit....
It's kinda interesting watching him squirm. He actually is stuck in a terrible position, because all he is, is a mouthpiece, plain and simple. He can't say anything his masters haven't cleared first and if he does he can easily get fired.
I'm not making excuses for the S.o.B. He screwed up. He screwed up badly. What the hell did he think would happen when he started tap dancing around the issue and silently praying the audience would drop it? How on earth did he think he would dodge that question, especially in a room full of women who care about women's issues. His response sets up so many red flags, I ... I can't be sure but I think ... yes the room now appears downright soviet.... There's red every damn where.... Just add Lenin statues....
Summation: He should've been honest and upfront with these people about the fact that he's not allowed to comment. They would've respected him more, and even though nothing this guy can say will please his bosses, that would've ended up giving him less heat from higher up.
I work in a law firm. Before she retired in frustration the associate lawyer was consistently called "The other secretary" by about.... 40 or 50% of the clients.... It got to her; I know it did. She took it in stride as much as she could because she had to. I personally apologized to her and said I didn't think it was right but we both knew there was shit I could do about it....
This of course brings me to the crux of women's rights issues: what exactly could we do about it, and I have no idea what the answer is. If wages are unequal, then there really isn't an effective remedy, because you'll say "Well just make the wages equal." Businesses will hear, "Lower every guy's wage." *headdesk*. And that's just a concrete problem. You really, really can't make people think differently when they are dead set on not thinking differently. Which of course brings me to....
Names and Insults: Where do you even begin here.... Guys make fun of other guys by taunting them with feminine names or comparing them to women. Because... clearly... that would be a ... bad thing....? Being female that is? Same thing with homosexuality. And frankly most people don't even realize they are doing it. When pointed out, they have actually said, "that's just something people do."
I'm of course referring to using the world "Gay" as an insult or negative term. "That's so gay," seemingly means "that's so stupid." People don't even think about this much, do it reflexively, etc. When it is pointed out, I've consistently heard "That's not what people mean when they say it," and "there's more than one meaning to gay." They actually defend use of the word in this manner. There is no other minority group you can refer to this way without being clearly shown as a bigot.
How do people not get that this will piss women and gay people off? Connecting the dots is a simple matter. If "gay" used in a sentence means stupid and someone is "gay" then that person is "stupid." I ... just can't imagine why they want you to stop doing that....
There's no possible way I can address the mountain of crap shoveled out on these people for no reason:
I won't even get into sodomy laws, which were only fully and finally decriminalized in 2003 in the United States. You went to jail for being gay. It was said, as a lovely cop out, that we weren't putting people in jail for being gay, but only for "gay conduct" and the law still recognizes this distinction from being gay/doing gay things. Translation, "be gay" just don't ever let yourself show it or act on it....
Repeal of Don't Ask; Don't Tell finally meant you weren't fired from the armed forced for being gay (and that's still kind of a zombie law subject to possible revival from the dead.
It really is kind of a bad situation and damned if I know the answer. Fact is you're fighting prejudice which is a feeling in the back of someone's mind, a taste in their mouth, or a deep seated conviction. Shit if I know how to change that....
I figured Vector might appreciate it if someone attempted to give women's issues some due in this thread.