Inconsequential bits of sexism that bug me Thread

[m-jean03]

When I sing "Blowing In The Wind" I have to sing "And how many roads must a *man* walk down..." And I feel left out, really, from that whole "walking down roads" thing. I'm serious.

[rumguy]

1. check this - looks like you may not have to worry about it much longer

Education and social work are the fields in which the language police are busiest. My favourite example is from a new college textbook on human development that includes this statement: "As a folksinger once sang, how many roads must an individual walk down before you can call them an adult." This gruesome effort is some educator's attempt at a gender-neutral makeover to the classic folksong Blowin' in the Wind. In the original, it goes, "How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?"

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20040323.wxwente0323/BNStory/Front/

[m-jean03]

2. Huh.

Yeah, that sure sounds ridiculous. They should at least mention they are PARAPHRASING Dylan, not act like this is what he actually sang.

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to police the language. That line always bugs me though. Men seem to always have had a monopoly on walking the roads, romantic journeys, road-weariness, all that great stuff.

[rumguy]

3. I hear you

[Screaming Lord Byron]

5. 'There's a lady who knows all that glitters is gold....'

But I get what you mean, I'm just being an ass in countering what you said. Usually it's guys who get to do the questing.

[Tummler]

6. "Walk down" next to be redacted

"Walk down" excludes those who are unable to walk (e.g., the "handicapable," to use George Carlin's term). Hence my reformulation:

How many roads must an individual travel before you can call the individual an adult.

And even then, the statement is ageist!

[rumguy]

7. ahhh christ - LOL!!!!!

[jpgray]

21. Grammarians are gonna pounce on that one

'...an individual... call THEM an adult' is incorrect. It would have to be 'him/her'. :D

[camero]

4. How bout

How many roads must we walk down before we are a couple? :crazy:

Hey, it's gender neutral. :D

[Screaming Lord Byron]

8. How many roads must an individual travel before that person can

be considered to have gained the necessary wisdom that our society dictates is suitable for maturity.

[catzies]

9. Perfect! Now make it rhyme with the rest of the verse!

What rhymes with maturity? :crazy:

[GOPisEvil]

10. Security?

:shrug:

[m-jean03]

19. Purity

Security & Purity. Sounds like a repug song...

[GOPisEvil]

22. LOL!

:D

[Tummler]

13. excellent

just eliminate the letterist capitalization of "how," and it will be perfect.

[m-jean03]

17. Talkin about you and me, cam?

Eh? <elbow>;)

[camero]

20. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

;) :D Could be.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

11. On the other hand...

There's "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman"
"I Am Woman"
"I'm a Woman W-O-M-A-N"...

[TrogL]

12. Love it or leave it

If you don't like English's default gender bias, take up French.

Everything have to do with a house has a feminine ending. Everything else is masculine.

Kuch, Kirch, Kinder

[Donkeyboy75]

14. ????

Certainly not true, unless cars and guillotines have something to do with a house.

[rucky]

15. there needs to be a word for "person" or "one" that sound good in

music & poetry etc.

how about 'sape' (short for homo sapien)?

How many roads must a sape walk down...

[Tummler]

16. offensive to neanderthals

neanderthals have feelings too, you know. x(

[m-jean03]

18. Ha!

Yes, that's good. Screw the Neanderthals, they're all dead anyway.