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- G e n d e r G a p p e r s T M
TESTING, TESTING...
| There are all kinds
of tests both scientific and not so. The increase in political news and
speeches are the hallmark of the silly season. With
just a bit of thought, one can pretty well figure out what is really going
on by applying either the giggle test or the smell
test to what is claimed.
We must learn to listen critically because most of us have become so brainwashed that even the simplest societal atrocities seem really O.K. to us. We don't even question them. It's always been like this, we think, so we do not even try to apply a test to what we are hearing. Here's an example to ponder. Men in drag are funny. That is, men dressing like women and acting silly and stupid and vain and vapid are funny. There's a whole entertainment history and industry built on this "art form." However, women dressing like men and acting bold and brash and sloppy and profane are not generally considered funny. There are exceptions like Roseanne Barr but although she was very funny to some of us, males hated and resented her. Women should not, but it's O.K. for men to ridicule men. Sure it's the old double standard but hardly anyone really thinks about it and realizes how destructive it is to human relationships. Women especially need to ponder why they quietly accept things so damaging to their self-respect and safety. They must notice and analyze why they are treated differently. Men are not characterized the way women are when the pollsters look at their voting preferences. Men may be listed by race, and the majority of all males regardless of race vote Republican. Women cause the gender gap, when it appears. Recently a poll determined that single women seldom voted but those that did usually voted for Democrats. Bushites claim to have abolished the gap by winning over married women on the safety issue. Already the media, taking its cue from the administration, are playing to the stereotyped woman that the culture has brainwashed. Gone are the soccer moms, enter the safety moms convinced that Bush will keep them safe. Better we teach them to be savvy moms. When women learn to critically analyze why their gender is being misrepresented and understand why they accept drag as funny instead of demeaning, they will stop laughing at it. Then they can easily apply the giggle test to Bush strutting like a banty rooster across a carrier deck just as if he had won the Iraqi war. Then they can give a thought to the caskets still coming home filled with the dead who really fought the war that is still going on. Bush is not keeping anyone safe. All the hunting and killing of terrorists is being done by professionals -- the same ones that would be doing this if a Democrat were prez. Bush and Rummy are not tough -- the frontline
women and men in homeland security, the military and intelligence are tough.
Bush is just a show off with million$ trying to buy another election. He
fears any close inspection and his moves and speeches are choreographed
to dupe women. His cohorts actively discourage any free speech that involves
criticism of Bush: Common sense would tell anyone that it doesn't pass the giggle test to look at chicken hawks for protection. Just a check of the lies about why we had to invade Iraq coming from this administration certainly doesn't pass the smell test. We must get the gender gap back to get rid of Bush and the neocons. Everyone can help by encouraging women they know to think critically about what is happening to this country and the world. Word has it that some moms are getting savvy about Bush and his approval rating is going down. Great! But we must do more individually. One suggestion: encourage single friends to register to vote and then take them to the polls with you on Election Day.
2003-032 Copyright 2003 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@sover.net. |
