Bedford Readings 3/3

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Regarding some of the literature we've been reading, I feel like it should be mentioned that reverse-sexism is becoming more and more evident in today's culture. If a woman asks a favor of her husband, its just that, a favor. Yet if a husband asks a favor of his wife, its sexism. Just saying it doesn't seem right.

I will say that is seems like men are now the ones are called guilty too quickly. It seems like a woman can now call "sexual harassment" and have it believed without sufficient backing. It is indeed reverse sexism; and when the man tries to defend himself, it only adds to the disbelief. In a society that has supposedly "figured it out" we are still pretty backwards. We seem to always go from one extreme to the other, can't we find a middle way?

One thing--don't we not have to say reverse sexism? Sexism is just discrimination on the basis of sex, it's not just men discriminating against women; that just happens to be more common.

Another thing--the same thing happens with race. It's been pointed out that a black-only choir or what have you is acceptable, but whites-only anything is racism.

My own opinion is that sexism directed at men is wrong, but that we shouldn't think that just because this so-called "reverse sexism" is commonplace that sexism against women is no longer an issue. It's not an either-or situation. We can't use sexism against men as an excuse to ignore sexism against women, or vice versa.

what zoe said.

Does it seem in general though that we have become both desensitized and over sensitized to racism, sexism, etc., to the point that everything has become an inuendo, sexist, racist, politically incorrect, or a crime.
What is the point of our freedoms if society seems to have stripped them away?

what paul said.

This will seem strange, but I think everyone here should go read Watchmen. Its very well written and a lot of these issues of what is right and what is wrong and how culture has become a bit desenitized and oversensitized to certain issues are addressed in the book.

Very original, Kate.

Okay, I'm not really done yet: I do agree that lying about sexual harrassment, or, to give a more extreme example, rape, is wrong, for two reasons: the more obvious short term negative effects it has on the accused and the accuser, but also for the subtle long term effect that such cases have on society. People hear about false accusations of sexual harrassment, rape, etc., and assume that any accusation is false. Real victims, reacting to societal disdain (among other things), do not report actual instances of sexual harrassment, making it easier for people to get away with it.

And before people start attacking me, I just want to let it be known that I realize not all people would react this way. I'm not saying that there are people in this room who would react that way; I actually don't think that at all. And I'm certainly not saying that this is the actual view of anyone in this class.

I imagine with all of the hype around the upcoming movie you could easily find it in a public library.

The irony is, we've become both desensitized and oversensitized about the same issues.

since the movie is coming out, i bet you it's checked out at almost every library, because everyone is going to want to read it. (that's what happened with coraline.) but you could look.