sigelphoenix

Some links to start off your morning by making you laugh, cry, or go WTF?

-From the New York Times comes an article about the changing role of the word "slut." A decent treatment of the subject, especially for a mainstream publication - though you gotta love how both Ariel Levy (Female Chauvinist Pigs) and Leora Tanenbaum (Slut! Growing Up Female with a Bad Reputation) are quoted, and yet there is nary a mention of feminism in the article. Ah well.

-Sony has now officially pulled the fucked up PSP ads and apologized ... sorta. From the official statement: [W]e wish to apologize to those who perceived the advert differently to that intended." In other words, We're sorry that YOU have a problem, but it's not really our fault. Gotta love pseudo-apologies like that. (Actually, what you have to really love are the comments in response, which include a few level heads but also some of the most stereotypical racially ignorant statements I have ever seen - including the gem, "i'm white, so i know these things.")

-Of course, not to be outdone by racism in the geek world, sexism makes its own showing by reminding us what a woman's place is. Thanks, Marvel!

-Ragnell shows us how "dynamic" translates into "porntastic anal sex pose" to some in the comics industry. Thanks again, Marvel!

-She also has a lovely and pithy analysis of Princess Leia's empowerment. XD

-And finally, remix17 reminds us that feminists must be careful in their response to these things. Hilarious satire.

One of the common reactions of people who learn about their privilege is to go to the non-privileged group for education. It makes sense, in a way; privilege begets blindness in the privileged, so those who are most likely to have knowledge of privilege and its resultant oppression are members of the non-privileged group.

However. The follow-up to: "I just realized that people like me have been disadvantaging and taking advantage of people like you" should not be: "Now YOU come teach ME about how I've been screwing you over." Because, um, hello, sense of entitlement? One of your first steps should be learning to stop demanding things of the non-privileged group.

So. How do you get educated? I see a lot of frustration from well meaning privileged people who feel stuck, because on the one hand they're not supposed to make non-privileged people be their teachers - but on the other hand, without someone to teach them, how do they make sure not to hurt/offend/piss off people in the future?

( Step 1: Put that frustration in context )