Thank you Oxford Dictionary, for reminding me and all strong women of their place in this world. I know its up to you to stand in that information gap, in case the conservatives, the misogynists, and various forms of extremism fail to give me proper instructions on how to lose a man and make myself look like a bitch.
Gotta love language. Why would they choose “feminism” as a descriptor for rabid? Well angry women are scary, emasculating creatures of fable. Like the Kraken, we rise up out of the sea and steal your man-parts lickity-split, for fun, sometimes as a trophy, sometimes, (as Pat Robertson once pointed out) to practice Witchcraft.
Honestly I could think of better descriptors, better examples. Such as; “See Fanatic, or Extremist,” but crucifying feminism is more colorful in this day and age of revenge porn and Hobby Lobby.
Ever wonder what would make a woman a Feminist? Ever wonder what would make her rabid—read angry? I realize that women aren’t ever supposed to show anger at anything more important than a broken nail, otherwise, it’s to the pound with ya. But seriously—ever wonder?
When you see a woman that is angry because she is tired of being harassed on the street, because she believes that having her ass grabbed isn’t a compliment, or maybe she doesn’t like males taking credit for her ideas in the boardroom where no one listens—did you ever think that if that happened to you, you might become “rabid” too? Did you ever think that women get tired of being ignored because the situation isn’t revolving around sex or the possibility of sex? Ever think that we don’t like living a social caste system that quantifies our value by our looks, sexual availability and youth, exclusively?
For example—check out this rabid piece: A Story of the F*ck Off Fund. Nothing to see here folks, just another woman making mountains out of mole hills.
Did you ever think that the need to embrace feminism is an act of self preservation in a world that is still hostile and condescending to women? That it is an attempt to stick together, to create a coherent voice in the public to defend our human rights and our civil rights?
Living your life, in a world that says-- as long as you are young and pretty and a potential sex partner, people will tolerate your presence to watch your tits jiggle, and then ignore you and berate you once you start to age, or the moment you become a mom. --That is a very frustrating proposition offered to every female out there. Would you want your life and work to be valued like that?
“Do the American people want to watch a female president age before their very eyes?” WaPo
That was Rush Limbaugh on Hillary Clinton the first time she ran for president. Apparently her skills and expertise rest solely on the depth of her wrinkles and the firmness of her breasts. Who knew? Sadly a lot of women know about that first hand. Hillary was just a very public example of what many women deal with and have dealt with since some god sold dirt to a guy named Methuselah.
Of course the candid thoughts of special forces people about women being allowed to qualify for those roles in the military:
“We [men] like to kill things and bang women. It doesn’t matter if she’s qualified. -- E-8, Special Forces” (Huffpo)
It doesn’t matter if she is qualified---as long as you get to bang her and then kill her? Or is the order important? Yes, we get those messages all the time-- all three of them.
This is a brotherhood. There are places for [women], but this isn’t one of them. They cause drama, especially on deployment. -- E-4, Rangers (Huffpo)
We get that message too—“This is a brotherhood” is code for, this tree house is the domain of the He-Man Woman Haters Club. Split tails need not apply. And horny guys with bad boundaries—they never cause drama, only females. Got it!
It’s 2016 and we are still dealing with medieval religious conservatives who want to turn us back into chattel, and keep us as breeders and domestic help with or without our consent—if someone made it painfully clear to you—that this is what they have in store for you while they slut shame you for even knowing your own reproductive cycles—because only sluts would know about that; while they threaten doctors and nurses who would help you in the most dire of circumstances, sometimes bombing the clinics or sending snipers out to pick those people off—denying you the opportunity to make choices based on comprehensive health care options—I dunno—would that piss you off? If you learned that there were attempts to legislate the right, for doctors to lie to you about the state of your pregnancy, in order dissuade you from considering certain choices—would that piss you off?
The next time you think about the phrase, “Rabid Feminist” feel free to also think about these statements below: Oh—but be sure and get your rabies-cootie shot before reading it, otherwise you might become afflicted!
“...women who become sexually active are dirty and used, like a chewed up piece of gum.” (Think Progress)
“ Women are told that their virginity is a special gift, tightly wrapped in a bow (you can guess the physiological connection here). If they give away their special gifts to anyone that they don't marry, they will have nothing to give to their husband.” (Burnt Orange)
what do you give your second or third husband? Just asking?
You see more in the same vein here.
Kansas in it’s enlightened state of male awesomeness has decided that female law makers and citizens are too stupid to dress properly for the legislative sessions. In a rabid—feministic response, one female lawmaker responded:
"Oh, for crying out loud, what century is this?" Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said Thursday.” (Huffpo)
Careful there honey, you will never get a man with that attitude. And then you will die, eaten by your fifty cats in a smelly one bedroom walk-up, filled with rom-com dvds and chocolate wrappers. This has happened in Montana and Missouri as well. Because well, you know women are as stupid as they are rabid so someone has to take charge right?
You know in college, anything by Oxford was favored as an academic source, but I could never shake the notion that it also stood for colonialism and Western, patriarchal bs. Thanks for confirming that Oxford. Hope the chuckle was worth it.
Meanwhile, down here on earth, with the other girl-peons, we are just trying to make some sort of living and have some sort of life. We fantasize about the day, when angry women aren't immediately labeled as rabid, or man-hating. When our anger or even sarcasm can be accepted as a logical response to illogical public policy and institutional gender discrimination and social double standards.
I cannot wait to see the glowing review that Oxford gives Donald Trump. I bet they have a lot in common.
In the end, the disregard of the intrinsic value of women, of our intellect, our love and affection, our talents, and gifts, our ambitions and ideas—it all boils down to very simple things such as if we are considered human enough to be given rights and protections through the law, but also through society. The jokes would be funnier if they weren’t profoundly true, and indicative of a society that is so hostile to our independence that it is okay to hurt us, and to kill us, if we say no or if we say yes, or if we do anything that isn’t in line with your expectations as to what should happen next. We aren’t just punished for being women, but for not being mindreaders, for not being completely compliant, and silent and grateful for any attention you give us, no matter how negative or hurtful or ridiculous in any situation be it professional or social.
If you lived in that world; would that piss you off? Would that make you froth at the mouth? And if it did, would you think that was a logical and predictable response?
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