Monday, August 29, 2005
Monday Madness - Playing the gender card
Peter: Listen Lois, I know you're a feminist and I think that's adorable, but this is grown-up time and I'm the man. - Family GuyHey guess what? I'm a chauvinist! (and not in the patriotic sense) That's the insinuation made against me by Sinead from Sigla Magazine. Why you ask? Good question. Remember that post I made a while back about blogger factions and how a person's blogroll can tell alot about the blogger? You can find it here. Well, apparently it contained chauvinism!
Sinead has taken offence to these comments I made about her blog in that post:
"Now let's look at some blogs which I myself do not link to and which likewise do not link to me - Sigla, wysiwyg, Thinking Out Loud. These types of blogs would be more 'glitzy/pop culture' blogs. They would not focus on political matters but rather on flashy, entertainment-type issues. They appear to encompass the pop culture faction. We 'political' bloggers don't enter their world, and they don't enter our world. We have our own circles, our own groups, our own factions."
I know what you're thinking - where's the chauvinism? Well, I'll let Sinead explain in her own words:
"it's interesting that the three blogs mentioned are all helmed by women"
D'oh! That dreaded gender card rears its head! She continued:
"I can't help but think that the ugly gender 'us blokes blog about politics, you birds blog about Heat magazine' issue again, which is a bit sad."
Funny cos I find the gender card 'a bit sad'. I responded:
"I'm surprised at how you have taken offence to my remarks. As for blokes blogging about politics, I would like to see more women blog about politics so don't make me out as some sort of chauvinist. In fact, here's a comment from me on a Monday post I made when I updated my blogroll adding 'JoBlog': "I'm not aware of too many female bloggers who take an interest in politics so I think her blog will be worth keeping an eye on in future. I wish her well."
Kinda destroys your 'ugly gender' theory."
But no! The gender card once used is near impossible to escape from as Sinead pressed on:
"But let me just point out that I didn't call you a chauvinist, I merely asked why the three blogs mentioned were blogs by female bloggers. A valid question, I'd have thought."
Uh, how is that valid? And no you never labelled me a chauvinist but the insinuation was there.
"I don't have a gender theory, to be honest I wish it wasn't even an issue but referencing one other female blogger hardly constitutes answering the gender question."
She wishes it wasn't even an issue yet she was the one who brought it up! It isn't an issue. And if referencing Jo's blog doesn't suffice, how about I reference Emma from Canada, Caoimhe from The Blog and I and Fi's blog, Trixibell. There's also the broom of anger blog which has been down for some time. Hopefully that 'constitutes answering the gender question'.
Let me say this, playing the gender card is complete bullshit. It's like me playing the 'Irish' card in a debate with foreigners . It's a pathetic red herring-type tactic which, to me, says more about the person who uses it than anything else. "You have offended me. Is it because I'm a woman?" What a joke.
I feel better now after clearing that up. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try and see if I can have a cup of tea made for me. Being at that strip club earlier has left me thirsty. I must also try and get some sleep as I'm to watch a mud-wrestling match tomorrow. My money's on the red-head. I can't think of her name. Then again, it's not like it matters...
# posted by United Irelander @ 1:51 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
