Feminist Accuses English Language Of Being Sexist, Gets Brilliantly Schooled By Linguist
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It started off with a premise that, to be fair, deserves discussion and scrutiny. A Tumblr user, who refers to herself as ‘Feminist Chewbacca’ wanted to discover the root causes of patriarchal domination in society, and turned to the English language to investigate the inherent sexism it allegedly contains.
In these days of fake news and agenda pushing however, it has never been more important to check your facts. This is where Feminist Chewbacca came unstuck. Reblogging a post she had found on Visual Poetry, she had probably not counted on being fact-checked by an actual linguist. Her poorly chosen examples were deconstructed one by one, until she began to look rather basic, and a bit silly.
A couple of things to note here. Firstly, by introducing her post with the words: “Men fabricated the idea that they are the default sex to compensate for their biological inferiority and general superfluousness,” Feminist Chewbacca sets a militant tone that isn’t going to endear her to many people, and she needs to have rock-solid arguments to respond to the inevitable attacks on her position.
Secondly, it is of course by no means clear that this ‘linguist’ is indeed qualified or not, and his facts also deserved to be checked. After some cursory research I can gather that while some claims hold water, others are open to argument themselves. There is certainly more to the issue, and Feminist Chewbacca is right to shine a light on it. She just went about it in the wrong way.
So what to take from this sordid affair? Well, I guess it’s easy to pass off someone else’s arguments as your own, but at least maybe check if they are factually correct first. Also, if you begin from an extremist position and with fighting words, expect people to fight back. If they come armed with facts and you are just regurgitating opinions that suit your political outlook, you are just asking to be made to look stupid.
Scroll down to check out how it unfolded below, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Tumblr user ‘Feminist Chewbacca’ picked up artwork that resonated with her beliefs, that sexism is rooted in language
Image credits: Richard Tipping
But this linguist wasn’t having it, and wrote a detailed and qualified response
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Brilliant!!! Stay in your lane!! haha
Haha
Love..Stay in your lane...I am a 73 year old woman and am ashamed of the women of today. Any woman with a brain in her head knows that a woman is what has brought this world down by wanting to be everything but a "woman". A man will treat a woman like a queen if she treats him like a king. Women who want to do a man's job rather than be a homemaker and mother is really messed up. Also, the generations of women since the 60's are nothing but a bunch of misguided retards. They dress like a whore and then wonder why they are treated like one and want to cry rape. This is so sad. If you are truly a woman be who you are and proud of it. When women left the home and went out into the world to be like a man is the world's biggest problem. Misguided children, lazy husbands, and other problems exist because a woman does not want to be a woman and to do her part in society or in the home. I know this will really stir up a lot of shit but what the hell.
Boy are you old fashion and uneducated. We all should have moved out of the 1940's, yet here you are telling women we need to grovel at mans feet to make this a better world! Sorry I am 75 and totally disagree with your analogy. I have a wonderful young lady who helps me in my home and I am very Proud of her and many other young girls I see. Sure ever since time began there have been rotten women as well as man. you just need to rise above it.
Obvious troll is obvious.
I kind of agree with you except many women wanted to make their own choices, and were able to do so.
this person isn't real. old people don't use the word retard, nor do they go on about men being kings and women being queens. this is new language. probably someone in their 30s, they are the ones most likely to talk like this. i think it's a guy because of the whore/rape reference but a lot of women also hold the same misogynistic belief so i'm not sure on gender as the king/queens is usually what females say but everything else they are saying points to bitter male. detective signing off. :)
you are absolutely correct Connie Stone. its sad the lies women believe.
Wow, Connie. At least you got to say your piece before your ancient body dies, taking the last remaining neanderthal mind with it.
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Connie Stone- you are incredibly sexist against women! You would be happier married to a member of ISIS I think.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Wow, what a load of sexist and offensive bullshit!! Please tell me how women who are unable to have children are supposed to "fulfil" thier so called roles or are we simply cast aside? You are an old enough hag to have been around during war time right? What was it that kept the economy going and the war effort running when all the men were off at war? Must have been elves as it couldn't have been decent women like you could it?! You are a disgrace to your country, your gender and all those who came before and after you to make this world a better place. I just hope to god you don't have and kids to fill with your bike vitriol and idiotic ideas of someone clearly brought up by a highly abusive father. In fact, if it weren't for you spreading your crap I would pity you!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Thank you Connie Stone. So true.
Hahaha this is one of those times I failed to understand feminists and feminism. Can *S he also say *Her is derived from *His? Oh I just figured something out laughing about this. See, "haha" and "hehe" are used interchangeably in writing to signify laughter or some degree. That is because the sound we make when we laugh come in these two basic forms. According to Feminist Chewbacca, "hehe" is sexist so I suggest Feminists should refrain from using "hehe" and only use "haha" or start using "sheshe" or some other sound depending on what sound they make when they laugh. Oink oink oink :D
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thats sexist. stay in your lane is liek telling a woman to stay in slow lane.
i'm a feminist and i think she had it coming. one should do the proper research before posting something most of the planet can see or face the consequences. if only trump had stayed in his lane.
Feminist perspectives do not postulate that men are biologically inferior.
Indeed, that is bad feminism.
Uh, "good" feminist doesn't exist
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Lynn all feminism is bad.
Sounds like a #NotAll
How so ? And I thought the topic was language not Biology ?
Yes, actually they do. Modern feminism teaches that mean are inherently beastly, oppressive savages rife with toxic masculinity. If you don't like it, maybe you should school your own feminist brethren.
oh yes they do see many feminist claim 1st wave feminism wich is the only feminism acceptable in a modern society 2nd wave feminism wich is clearly a man hating way of feminism and then we have now 3rd wave feminism wich clearly states men are inferior or at least the majority of 3rd wave feminism state such things if your 1st wave more power to you any other form of feminism is cancer
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Only that men are disgusting pigs.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I've never heard of this rational feminism you talk about, where can I find this rare species?
Rational feminists exist all over. Every feminist on this site right now disagrees with this woman.
They're just scared of women. They think being violent in word or deed will make them look "manly, when in truth it just makes them look like toddlers.
Excellent schooling and very interesting information. It's funny that the Old French "femella" is current day's word for female in Catalan ("mascle" = male and "femella" = female).
Femella is Latin, not French.
Didn't you actually read what the linguist had to say about "femella"?
I meant "hence", not "thus", sorry for my bad English
Max, it is supposed to be Old French, not our current language, thus the similarity with Latin
I did, S. Heitmann. What point, exactly, were you trying to attempt to make?
And French comes fro latin duh
Brilliant!!! Stay in your lane!! haha
Haha
Love..Stay in your lane...I am a 73 year old woman and am ashamed of the women of today. Any woman with a brain in her head knows that a woman is what has brought this world down by wanting to be everything but a "woman". A man will treat a woman like a queen if she treats him like a king. Women who want to do a man's job rather than be a homemaker and mother is really messed up. Also, the generations of women since the 60's are nothing but a bunch of misguided retards. They dress like a whore and then wonder why they are treated like one and want to cry rape. This is so sad. If you are truly a woman be who you are and proud of it. When women left the home and went out into the world to be like a man is the world's biggest problem. Misguided children, lazy husbands, and other problems exist because a woman does not want to be a woman and to do her part in society or in the home. I know this will really stir up a lot of shit but what the hell.
Boy are you old fashion and uneducated. We all should have moved out of the 1940's, yet here you are telling women we need to grovel at mans feet to make this a better world! Sorry I am 75 and totally disagree with your analogy. I have a wonderful young lady who helps me in my home and I am very Proud of her and many other young girls I see. Sure ever since time began there have been rotten women as well as man. you just need to rise above it.
Obvious troll is obvious.
I kind of agree with you except many women wanted to make their own choices, and were able to do so.
this person isn't real. old people don't use the word retard, nor do they go on about men being kings and women being queens. this is new language. probably someone in their 30s, they are the ones most likely to talk like this. i think it's a guy because of the whore/rape reference but a lot of women also hold the same misogynistic belief so i'm not sure on gender as the king/queens is usually what females say but everything else they are saying points to bitter male. detective signing off. :)
you are absolutely correct Connie Stone. its sad the lies women believe.
Wow, Connie. At least you got to say your piece before your ancient body dies, taking the last remaining neanderthal mind with it.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Connie Stone- you are incredibly sexist against women! You would be happier married to a member of ISIS I think.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Wow, what a load of sexist and offensive bullshit!! Please tell me how women who are unable to have children are supposed to "fulfil" thier so called roles or are we simply cast aside? You are an old enough hag to have been around during war time right? What was it that kept the economy going and the war effort running when all the men were off at war? Must have been elves as it couldn't have been decent women like you could it?! You are a disgrace to your country, your gender and all those who came before and after you to make this world a better place. I just hope to god you don't have and kids to fill with your bike vitriol and idiotic ideas of someone clearly brought up by a highly abusive father. In fact, if it weren't for you spreading your crap I would pity you!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Thank you Connie Stone. So true.
Hahaha this is one of those times I failed to understand feminists and feminism. Can *S he also say *Her is derived from *His? Oh I just figured something out laughing about this. See, "haha" and "hehe" are used interchangeably in writing to signify laughter or some degree. That is because the sound we make when we laugh come in these two basic forms. According to Feminist Chewbacca, "hehe" is sexist so I suggest Feminists should refrain from using "hehe" and only use "haha" or start using "sheshe" or some other sound depending on what sound they make when they laugh. Oink oink oink :D
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
thats sexist. stay in your lane is liek telling a woman to stay in slow lane.
i'm a feminist and i think she had it coming. one should do the proper research before posting something most of the planet can see or face the consequences. if only trump had stayed in his lane.
Feminist perspectives do not postulate that men are biologically inferior.
Indeed, that is bad feminism.
Uh, "good" feminist doesn't exist
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
@Lynn all feminism is bad.
Sounds like a #NotAll
How so ? And I thought the topic was language not Biology ?
Yes, actually they do. Modern feminism teaches that mean are inherently beastly, oppressive savages rife with toxic masculinity. If you don't like it, maybe you should school your own feminist brethren.
oh yes they do see many feminist claim 1st wave feminism wich is the only feminism acceptable in a modern society 2nd wave feminism wich is clearly a man hating way of feminism and then we have now 3rd wave feminism wich clearly states men are inferior or at least the majority of 3rd wave feminism state such things if your 1st wave more power to you any other form of feminism is cancer
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Only that men are disgusting pigs.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I've never heard of this rational feminism you talk about, where can I find this rare species?
Rational feminists exist all over. Every feminist on this site right now disagrees with this woman.
They're just scared of women. They think being violent in word or deed will make them look "manly, when in truth it just makes them look like toddlers.
Excellent schooling and very interesting information. It's funny that the Old French "femella" is current day's word for female in Catalan ("mascle" = male and "femella" = female).
Femella is Latin, not French.
Didn't you actually read what the linguist had to say about "femella"?
I meant "hence", not "thus", sorry for my bad English
Max, it is supposed to be Old French, not our current language, thus the similarity with Latin
I did, S. Heitmann. What point, exactly, were you trying to attempt to make?
And French comes fro latin duh