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In reply to the discussion: A pornographer (and atheist) explains why the science guy’s shirt crash-landed [View all]Ravenna44
(40 posts)Yeah, gonna agree with this. Really the shirt isn't the big deal, provided women who say "Here's why that shirt disgusts me" are met with respect (not even necessarily agreement, just respect). It's the usual chorus of contemptuous sneers that's the real problem. It's the tropes that are always hauled out when women speak up and men feel criticized - whether the topic is a t-shirt or a gang-rape. The tropes include: "those silly women!" "Those frigid bitches!" "Those dumb whores!" and "Those humorless manhaters!" (I have probably missed a few.)
The men who club together to shout out these epithets are motivated by... What exactly? Fear? Wounded pride? Simple desire to look cool in front of their friends and prove they are not contemptible pussies? Who knows. But what motivates them isn't confidence or strength of character, but some form of weakness. I think that's safe to say.
Outrage isn't the right response to men who use those tropes. Mockery is.