Quit Talking About Your Penis & Your Balls!!!

Posted: February 11th, 2010 | Author: Peter | Filed under: culture, feminism, inequality, liberal, politics | 9 Comments »

I listen to liberal talk radio.


I know that’s problematic. There is too much spin on both ends of the left-right political spectrum, and the only thing that really “sells” on radio is naive, hyped, frothing-at-the-mouth extremism.

But what really bugs me more than blind, shameless politicking (of which I am certainly guilty) are the chauvinist “call-outs,” slams and rants of both MALE AND FEMALE, liberal radio pundits.
“It’s time to get some BALLS, Democrats!!”

“These Democrats need to GET A PAIR!!”

“The Republicans have completely NEUTERED this president!!”

And the most indicative of my thesis here: “THEY’VE COMPLETELY EMASCULATED THE PARTY!!”
People, this is a problem. It is not okay to equate male genitals with power, potency, effectiveness, truthfulness, correctness, etc…

Especially from SO-CALLED PROGRESSIVES! C’mon. We can do better than this. We HAVE to do better than this.

I was thinking (momentarily) that maybe we just needed to start making references to vaginas as symbols of power. Jen said that was wrong, problematic, and itself misogynistic on so many levels that she couldn’t even begin to list them. I’m open to correction. SO, here’s what we need to do: STOP USING GENITAL REFERENCES TO EXPRESS POWER PARADIGMS. Just stop it.

You don’t need penises to describe powerful or meaningful things. There are lots of other, very nice metaphors you can use. Some of them are even shocking.

In “polite society,” we (generally, in public) shy away from racist and even homophobic statements, slams and stereotypes. But sexism is still socially acceptable, and it needs to change.

9 Comments on “Quit Talking About Your Penis & Your Balls!!!”

  1. 1 WKen said at 1:21 am on February 11th, 2010:

    (f/k/a "Wickle")Take heart.Roll up your sleeves.Something.I'm sick of genital-comments as both crude and sexist. (A righty friend of mine recently said that Gov. Palin has bigger balls than most other Republicans. I thought that was unlikely.)Honestly, biceps are stronger than penises, anyway … let's use those.

  2. 2 elly said at 1:58 am on February 11th, 2010:

    Agreed. Also really hate it when people say "don't be a pussy."

  3. 3 Existential Punk said at 1:45 pm on February 11th, 2010:

    i am guilty of using them all! Oops! Sorry!

  4. 4 Peter said at 2:05 pm on February 11th, 2010:

    Adele, you're such a filthy chauvinist!!

  5. 5 Existential Punk said at 2:55 pm on February 11th, 2010:

    i am what i am!!!! LOL!!!!

  6. 6 Brendan said at 5:12 am on February 13th, 2010:

    Yes, yes, yes! I couldn't agree more. It's the worst when done in a context that is meant to be feminist. Like when a highly sexualized ass-kicking women tells another women on TV to "grow a pair". Grrl Power?

  7. 7 Peter said at 7:26 am on February 13th, 2010:

    Yup, good example Brendan. I can appreciate the intent behind it – I get where Adele is coming from – but ultimately I think it's self-defeating to the feminist/humanist cause.

  8. 8 Existential Punk said at 12:57 pm on February 13th, 2010:

    i think as a queer being on the defensive so much that maybe is where feminists come from, whether good or bad, helpful or harmful.

  9. 9 Peter said at 1:06 pm on February 13th, 2010:

    Understood – and I'm not criticizing you Adele. It's a dynamic I have read that lesbians often struggle with – "what is my first allegiance/focus/priority? Sexuality or gender?" That's tough.

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