Humorless feminism: Difference between revisions

From Feminist SF Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(some basic notes about humorless feminism)
 
No edit summary
Line 6: Line 6:
: A says something sexist ("Women can't drive.").   
: A says something sexist ("Women can't drive.").   
: B calls A on the sexist comment ("You know, that's really not true, and in fact is a sexist generalization.")  
: B calls A on the sexist comment ("You know, that's really not true, and in fact is a sexist generalization.")  
: A responds by bringing up humorless feminism: Geez, feminists have got no sense of humor.
: A responds by bringing up humorless feminism ("Geez, feminists have got no sense of humor.")


A attempts to diminish the critique by simultaneously reframing the original comment as "merely" humorous, and suggesting that B is not on the ball and is missing something.  
Here, A is attempting to rebuff B's critique by reframing the original comment as "merely" humorous, and suggesting that B is not on the ball and is missing something.  


Two, this is also a response to the general characterization of women as humorless.
Two, this is also a response to the general characterization of women as humorless.

Revision as of 13:45, 9 December 2006

Feminists are routinely lampooned as humorless creatures, as in the classic joke: Q: How many feminists does it take to change a lightbulb? A: That's not funny! (that actually is kind of funny, at least to some feminists).

This stems from at least two responses to feminism:

One, the defensive reaction of anyone who feels they are being critiqued or criticized; it is a subtle attack. It works like this:

A says something sexist ("Women can't drive.").
B calls A on the sexist comment ("You know, that's really not true, and in fact is a sexist generalization.")
A responds by bringing up humorless feminism ("Geez, feminists have got no sense of humor.")

Here, A is attempting to rebuff B's critique by reframing the original comment as "merely" humorous, and suggesting that B is not on the ball and is missing something.

Two, this is also a response to the general characterization of women as humorless.