[HPforGrownups] Re: Off-Topic Stereotype Observations

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 3611

Susan McGee wrote:

> We should not denigrate men. Why did you get that from my post about
> Starship Troopers?

No, you didn't say that, just that since it mentioned a movie it reminded me
of how they changed Jurassic Park to be p.c., too, having the little girl
save the day.

This is an old item of discussion in our house, because my husband, who went
to college in the 60s, was shouted down in some sociology class or something
when he suggested that it was not correct to balance years of male dominance
by substutiting female dominance. His example was topless bars---if it's
wrong for men to go and ogle scantily clad females, why is it okay for women
to go watch male dancers? The ladies in the class had the "get even" mindset
and totally missed his point, and I've found many female friends over the
years who totally miss it, too.

> I'm afraid I don't watch commercials so I can't comment, but I don't
> support generalizations or stereotypes of any kind.

Actually, radio commercials, sound bites, just about anything that modern
media produces: switch the genders (or the races) in the exchange and ask
yourself--would this form be acceptable? Would there be an outcry? Our
latest favorite--the "World's Sexiest Bachelor" show they ran, presumably to
balance the Miss America or Universe or whatever that also just ran. There
was no complaint about the title "World's Sexiest Bachelor," but what about
"World's Sexiest Woman" instead of Miss America...? Can you imagine the flak
(justly so) from the women's groups? But Sexiest Bachelor is fine. Even
greeting cards: I read a list of "humorous" cards that promoted males as
idiots or worse (What do you do when a man says you're smothering him? Push
down harder on the pillow); if the gender-roles were switched, they'd be
banned.

--Amanda