Friday, May 7, 2010

The Second Post in what will be a Series on Women and Skepticism

This won't be a super-long totally in-depth post today, mostly because I've got a Listening Project post to do too, and I really should finish up the book on the pre-socratics, also, like, submit grades for this semester, finalize my lectures for the upcoming semester, pack and figure out where I'm living in a month and a half.  (Let me tell you how much I'm looking forward to the end of that list. Either a lot, or not at all.  Actually, could you tell me how I feel about that?)

All deep and intense whining (or whinging as the Brits say it) aside, I really just wanted to comment on something that made me incredibly happy.  There are times when The Internet just warms the cockles of my cold, angry heart, generally when The Internet stands up for Not Being A Douchehatted Assclam.  And PZ Myers did that one small thing, and I really just wanted to comment, aloud and alone in cyberspace (does anyone use that phrase anymore? Is it like the Information Super-Highway?) that the intersection between feminism and skepticism isn't just for the ladybraynes.
 Again, this is such a simple thing, and yet, it was unexpected.

This begins with Myers blogging about the American Academy of Pediatrics issuing a statement about the AAP's stance on female genital mutilation (FGM).  It's a complicated stance, and I don't exactly agree 100% with the AAP nor with Myer's reading of the statement, but that's really neither here nor there. 
But I knew what was coming in the comments.  Oh, lordy, did I ever.
Now, one of the reasons why I follow Pharyngula is that the regular commenters are pretty funny and have this really great core of people that will call you out and cut you if you appear to be any form of bigot.  Which just makes me happy.  However, there is also just the fact that every fucking time people (should read "women") talk about FGM, within 30 seconds someone (should read "d00d") jumps in with ZOMG IT'S TERRIBLE THAT BOYS GET CIRCUMCISED - ENOUGH ABOUT CLITORECTOMIES WHAT ABOUT THE FUCKING FORESKINS!!!1!!!eleventy-fuck-all!!!! Because any time we talk about women there is always some jackass that can't perform the slightest bit of empathy-or-shut-the-fuck-up, and has to make it about the dude-life.
And sure enough, about 4 comments down, there's some jackass who's all "what about foreskins?!"

And then Myers posted this.  Which you should go read.  For serious.  Just right-click the little link.

Because that's right.  And sometimes it just makes me happy to see the boys act out against the male privilege.  And then I want to share.

No comments:

Post a Comment