The Constant Disparagement of Women on the Internet

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Spiderpig
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09 Sep 2018, 7:59 pm

Chronos wrote:
But the question is, why do they feel compelled to make them in the first place?


I’m probably not telling you anything new, but chances are it’s one of those funny social phenomena we autistics are ill-equipped to take part in. What happens in ordinary social situations when the battle of the sexes rears its old, tired, jaded and anti-intellectual head to any man who fails to unconditionally support the men’s side, regardless of how much or how little sense they make or how many atrocities they spout against women? He’s seen as an unmanly coward and a traitor. Normal men know this instinctively before it happens. They know showing loyalty and toughness is vital and it doesn’t even cross their mind to behave in any other way. In the ancestral environment, it meant being kicked off the tribe in wrath, or simply executed.

How did I learn this? By lacking those instincts, screwing up horribly time and time again, and only in my mid twenties beginning to understand it all theoretically.

What we see online is a version on steroids of the usual dynamics.


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Omokage
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09 Sep 2018, 8:31 pm

I don't take much attention about gender disparagement, but I can see why it would severely affect some individuals in certain circunstances. I guess it would be beneficial for people to consider men and women somewhat different (which is an undeniably truthful statement), but, mostly, as humans that deserve respect equally and their gender doesn't imply everything about themselves, just a small part. Maybe this is an unpopular idea, but my idea of gender roles is somewhat weak to begin with. I'm on the internet most of the time and I just avoid making my gender obvious to avoid demeaning comments and harassment, but, yes, if you asked me, I wished there wasn't that need. In real life, I can't do much about that, but I'm fine most of the time. I'm a loner partially by circumstances and partially by choice, anyway. In fact, I wished I could hide my gender on this site, I wonder why there isn't that option. It always makes me somewhat uncomfortable having to label myself as female or male and how that will affect others percetions of oneself in unpredictable ways is worrying. Am I the only one that feels like this? I can't understand very well. :|

If it doesn't affect me directly, I just let it be. I don't like the demeaning comments, but I just choose to ignore it. Explaning that it's idiotic is too tiring and even if you explain using good arguments, most of the people that believe in such old-fashioned ideas won't turn their train of though easily. Even if you happen to shread light to some individuals, it won't stop there. Maybe disparagement towards men and women (the one I mainly see on the internet is the last one, but you can't disregard the first one) is a perception that will only weaken in some generations, or, alternatively, it's something that is inherinted or learnt in most individuals and there's not much to do but just soften it in the most effective way, even knowing that its existence is inevitable. I won't be here at that time, but I think it's a good start people are questioning those beliefs that are mostly irrational.


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Chronos
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11 Sep 2018, 12:03 pm

Note: Bolding and underlying added by Chronos.

Omokage wrote:
I don't take much attention about gender disparagement, but I can see why it would severely affect some individuals in certain circunstances...


Omokage wrote:
I'm on the internet most of the time and I just avoid making my gender obvious to avoid demeaning comments and harassment but, yes, if you asked me, I wished there wasn't that need. In real life, I can't do much about that, but I'm fine most of the time. I'm a loner partially by circumstances and partially by choice, anyway. In fact, I wished I could hide my gender on this site, I wonder why there isn't that option. It always makes me somewhat uncomfortable having to label myself as female or male and how that will affect others percetions of oneself in unpredictable ways is worrying. Am I the only one that feels like this? I can't understand very well. :|

If it doesn't affect me directly, I just let it be. I don't like the demeaning comments, but I just choose to ignore it. Explaning that it's idiotic is too tiring and even if you explain using good arguments...


Consider that you feel inclined to take such steps to begin with indicates that while you may perceive this to not significantly impact you, it actually does affect at least your behavior in quite a profound way and is a reflection of the burden of safety from male hostility and aggression that females bare and which our lives are often constrained by, even in the relative safety of our own homes.

I do think it is rather significant if one truely considers the frequency of which it occurs and the level of our lives to which it permeates.

As to your question, no, you are not the only one who feels like others' knowledge of your sex will affect their perception of you. Others do take your sex in to account when forming their perception of you.



Apple_in_my_Eye
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11 Sep 2018, 4:41 pm

Tribalism and an instinct to build group identity? It's an easy criticism that requires no thought (or truth) and the people engaging in it get to feel superior, which seems very, very addicting to too many humans.

I've also observed it in class-type distinctions, blue collar vs. white, but that's not spread out everywhere like sexism is.