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Comment by jack-r-abbit | Hacker News Reader

Misogyny: The hatred or dislike of women or girls

I know it exists, but I don't see it here.

No, it's there. It's just so ingrained most people don't notice it. Insults like that are almost always targeted at the target directly or the women around them. That's because society places women on a weaker level. Also notice the emphasis on fat and ugly. It implies that if a woman isn't pretty she isn't to be valued. In terms of misogyny in our society, it fairly mild. However, it still qualifies because it exploits the general power imbalance.

I would contend it's quite the opposite, it's the adoration of women and putting them up on a pedestal that makes the 'yo mama jokes' even exist. The underlying theme of the joke being that the target would be insulted or feel slighted by the references made to his mother. This implies that the target cares about his mother or least cares about her reputation.

As to the choice of adjetives, they are almost by definition negative in connotation. A fat and ugly does not seem an equal alternative in terms of value to a regular man, hence those adjetives devalue both genders. You could make a case that those particular adjetives devalue women to a greater extent than they do men, that's sexism, not misogyny.

The reason we don't see 'yo papa jokes' is because stereotypically people won't defend or get riled up over what's said about their fathers. I interpret the attacks as targeting something that is valuable, much like a terrorist tries to blow up a landmark (despite the security) and not a shack out in the boonies (because it's defenseless). I contend that socially, biologically and culturally speaking males are predisposed to protect women because they are valuable (and in certain lights, more so than males).

So no, I do not believe this is misogyny, far from it. I do, however, believe it is sexist.

No, it's not. People fought hard for women to be treated equal. You can't pick and choose what you want to be treated equal on and what you want special treatment on. Either everyone is fair game for jokes or nobody is. Which is it?

edit: also, misogyny is about a hate or dislike of women (which would imply all women... or it would have said a woman). So while it does exist in ways that some assholes have a messed up view against all women... a cartoon depicting a fat woman chasing a bear is not making any sort of statement of hate of women... or even just hate of fat women. This cartoon is a fat woman chasing a bear. If it was a fat man chasing a bear... then it would be a cartoon of a fat man chasing a bear. If it was a skinny man with a mohawk chasing a purple bear on roller skates then it would be a cartoon about a skinny man with a mohawk chasing a purple bear on roller skates. But the second there is a woman involved... holy crap that cartoonist is being misogynistic? I don't buy it.

>You can't pick and choose what you want to be treated equal on and what you want special treatment on. Either everyone is fair game for jokes or nobody is. Which is it?

This is a very optimistic world view. If people tend to continuously harrass black people, even for something that is obviously in the nature of the insult, racist (e.g. calling them stupid athletes or something), would you have that same stance? Either everyone is fair game or no one is, so it's okay to keep making fun of that black guy, cause he's allowed to make fun of us as well?

The point is that it's not fair game. This is a conflict involving no women. Yet we still see one being attacked, in a way that you can't really attack a man. You can call a man unattractive, but insults along those lines don't have the same punch, because men aren't defined by the way they look, they're not being objectified. Even when you are using it negatively, it's still objectification.

And the other point is that it's always women. I don't hear very many "your daddy" jokes.

There is a difference between making fun of someone that is a woman and making fun of some one because they are a woman. But logic fails when emotions get involved. I'm done with this stupid argument.

You will find it's not just the why, but also the how. Again, to put it in terms of a racial equivalent to make the point more clear, if I use a racial slur against somebody because they're pissing me off, I'm not insulting them/making fun of them because they are of that race. That does not make it okay, however. Motif isn't the only thing that matters, and that's the point.

We are still talking about the same thing right? The picture of a fat woman chasing a bear? There is no possible way that we will ever be on the same page if you think a drawing of a fat woman chasing a bear is anywhere near the same as using a racial slur. You can continue to spout such absurdity all you want but that doesn't make you right. Good day.

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