So there’s been a lot of talk about sexism and racism in the presidential campaign. Some have said that Hillary Clinton was the subject of a lot of sexist media coverage. (A few of those people go on to say that they won’t vote for Barack Obama because of that sexism. On the part of the media. Mmmm-kay…)
Others say it’s not Hillary’s femaleness that made her a target, it was her Clinton-ness. Still others say that she received as much negative coverage as anyone else—maybe more, but that’s what only because she was a front runner for so long.
I was not a Hillary supporter, but I cringed at a lot of the coverage of her. (Sickening video there) I loved her line from her concession speech about there being 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, allowing the light to shine through like never before. But I was disheartened by some of the comments I heard and read.
So what makes something sexist or racist? Is it solely in the eye of the beholder? Do we just know it when we see it? Is it solely a matter of intent?
Randi Rhodes was suspended from Air America Radio for calling Hillary and Geraldine Ferraro “f*cking whores” during a comedy show. Is that sexist? I’ve heard people say no, that Rhodes called several male politicians the same thing in that show—she was criticizing them for having sold out their principles. In this case “whore” has nothing to do with selling one’s body sexually. And yet I think that epithet has added potency when applied to women. So I would argue that it was sexist, even though Rhodes would say she was an equal opportunity offender/criticizer.
Similarly, I’ve heard that someone came up with a T-shirt that has Obama’s name with a picture of Curious George on it. The T-shirt designer said it’s because Obama has big ears. That may be (though I seriously doubt it), but I think such an image is racist, because of that additional layer of potency due to past uses of “monkey” to demean black people. You can make a T-shirt with a monkey and George Bush’s name on it and it’s commentary. Connect that image to a black man and it’s something else entirely.
This doesn’t encompass every example of sexism or racism. I’m just trying to think of a response to “I said the same thing about [some other group], so how can my comment be sexist/racist?”
7 Responses to “what makes something sexist/racist?”
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I really agree with what you’ve said here, and think your examples are spot-on. I think context means a great deal, as do what you refer to as “added layers of potency.”
I agree that context means a great deal, but I think intent does, too. I don’t believe anyone could show a monkey with a black man’s name under it without intending racism; but I do think the word “whore” can be used without intending (or achieving) sexism.
The epithet may have added potency when applied to women, but after conceding that point, I’m foggy about the next link in the chain of reasoning.
I hate how sexist and racist get thrown around so loosely. I agree that context and intent mean a lot. I was appalled by Geraldine Ferraro’s comments throughout the campaign, but I don’t know that I’m comfortable calling her a racist.
I have thought about this a.lot.
Racist and sexist are extensions on the continuum of thoughtlessness and rudeness. Sometimes they are vicious and intended, sometimes they are revelations of a feeling we did not even know we had, sometimes they are an honest human misstatement and sometimes they are just plain evil.
Still and all, it is exceedingly painful to have to teach my son that when he starts to drive and go places alone as a young man, he must always act as if police officers are assuming the worst about him because of his skin color. Does teaching him that say that I am prejudiced and rude about police officers….yes….and I pray about that daily.
No, teaching him that says you are pragmatic about decreasing his chances of getting a DWB.
Well, I assume it’s a B. You didn’t actually say.
If it’s a W, your post didn’t make as much sense as I thought…
I agree with Sherry, alot of it comes from rudeness and thoughtlessness. It is also about intent, unfortunately with strangers you can not determine intent.
Much like your visit to the drs and the nurse being appalled about you not doing anyting about your blemishes. Her intent could be interpreted by another was that you keep your beautiful face that way, not to be vain. Maybe she figured if you can take the time for a check up while dealing with the 2 littlest ones then whats another appointment to the dematologist.
Being told that you are on the mommy track now that you are pregnant (male boss to female employee) is that sexist, or a man just not thinking? And is that statement (man just not thinking) sexist? Not knowing me or the situation, and just reading it at face value - I would accept cries of sexism.
Racism is defined as such (dictionary.com)1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Using that as the gold bar standard - are we all not a little racist? Have we all not told a Polack joke or a blonde joke or some kind of “blue” joke? Can that be considered racist? What is important are the steps we take to raise above or overcome.
Media is media. They are doing what will give them the best numbers. Sexism and Racism have become the new buzz words. Media will always pander to the lowest common denomonator, in my humble opinion.
I guess my whole point is that what I will teach my children will always supercede what they see on tv or read in the newspapers. When they get to be of driving age (many moons from now) they will be told to act as if they are always being watched, not for the color of their skin but simply because they will have me to answer to if they do something wrong, and that can be a fate worse then any kind of harrassment by the local police force.
(steps off my soap box and shoves it under ther couch)
Beth
I believe that racism or sexism in not an objective thing. I was recently taken to task for ridiculing a NJ State Senator who said that a press release saying “you always seem to be scowling” was racist. Who am I, a white man, to tell an Asian American that “scowling” isn’t racist? My answer is that I have a brain and I know how to use it and “scowling” isn’t racist - it is an indication of displeasure. The State Senator claimed it referred to a stereotype of an “angry and inscrutable Asian”. Well, no one is both of those. If you are inscrutable, then we simply don’t know you are angry.
This is a long way of saying that racism is simply hatred rooted in someone’s racial characteristics or membership and sexism is just hatred rooted in someone’s gender and/or gender identity. Not all hatred is racism or sexism. Hatred has a million faces and none of them are pretty. The State Senator, I wrote, was right to feel as if he were being publicly belittled - but it was not because of race, it was because he was a prickly and unpleasant person. Even so, hatred of prickly and unpleasant people is no prettier than hatred of blacks or Asians or women or transgendered persons.
A friend of mine who grew up in Arkansas in the 1950s says that he is a racist by default. He learned to be racist early in his life and anyone who lived where he did at the time he did who says differently is lying. He has since learned how wrong his early teachings were, but from time to time a racist thought will rear its ugly head. At least he’s honest enough to admit it.
I have the same problem with gay people. I was taught from an early age that they were icky and unclean and should be ridiculed and, if necessary, beaten into normalcy. I have learned how wrong that is and am apalled that a child was ever taught such things. But when I see Burt Lancaster running, I still think “He runs like a f**!” (thanks to my wife for pointing that out). I still find myself reaching for half a dozen references to homosexuality as something being abnormal (queer as a three dollar bill) or somehow less manly than otherwise (that guy’s weak as a queer). I hate it, but I don’t think I’ll ever be rid of it. I simply have to realize that some hurtful things lie deep down. I have to remember to be careful about how I talk about such things because of this. I don’t like it, but it’s the truth.
All of this is to say that many of the references I learned as a child were also inappropriate racial references. Brer Bear and Brer Rabbit? The Tarbaby? Probably 90% of the cartoons I saw as a child refered to “Injuns” and such. It was actually not long ago before I realized that “call a spade a spade” was racial as is “Sambo” (one of my most favorite kid stories). So people can toss out legitimate racist and sexist statements without even realizing they are doing so. Their intent doesn’t matter, nor does the manner in which they are accepted. The reference exists independent of the objective reality of either the sender or receiver.
That sucks for some of us because I would never knowingly denigrate someone for their race or gender. But my language has done it without my input, so to speak. If I can be permitted a particularly rude observation, the word “nigger” was once accepted as the norm - neither person involved in the use of the word took offense at it. But it didn’t change the fact that it held the full weight of hundreds of years of racial preferences and hatred. The word itself is racist.
However - and this is where the writer and academic in me dig in and fight it out with everyone around me - language lives and evolves. Even the word “nigger” is slowly being drained of its racist content. I can walk down Central Avenue and hear Puerto Ricans using that word to refer to Asians and Asians using it as a reference of friendship with whites. For someone of my generation, it will never be a word of liberation, but I’ve had some of my female students refer to their girlfriends as “my b**ch”. I don’t understand how this happens, but someone the meaning of the language is changing.
Of course, this is not how anything was used in reference to either Mr. Obama or Mrs. Clinton. So I guess this was a long aside that led in a circle.