Dark Wind said -Gay/Fag posts snip-
So basically is what you're saying to care more about the intent/usage of said words rather then the words itself?
If so I agree. But I think we're just approaching the problem differently (in the same sense we're both against sexism. You approach it as a feminist, I approach it as a humanist). Correct me if I'm wrong, but you seem to be approaching it from a perspective of being conscious of how said words are used sometimes in harmful ways, and treating such words with caution as a result. While I more just go "Words are sounds, to worry about the sound we make with our mouth's is pointless. Let just tackle the ill meaning behind the word directly", where essentially I'd let words like Fag, Retard, Nigger etc. stick around no problem, but would have issues if they got used in insulting ways rather than in descriptive ways (or friendly in the case of nigger).
Dark Wind said Not necessarily nigger. There is a difference between using the word nigger and nigga. That's a culture thing. The word nigga is clearly used in a form of camaraderie, and anyone would know that if they've hung out with a group of black people.
The reason it's taken as racist is because, well, in black circles in inner cities there just are not a lot of white people. And when a white person says it, there is a different connotation. It's built in because a history of racism. And some white people have said it and not been called racist, probably not a majority, but there are cases.
Regardless, there's a lot of work we need to do in the racial relations department of the world.
I'll admit to being in an area majority white. There are some black people around, but not to the extent where you see groups full of just black people walking around. So I'm probably pretty alienated to the cultural use of the word's Nigger and Nigga.
I get why there's the double standard though of black people can use it fine, but white people are labeled racist. But to me that makes as much sense as when men asked to be treated equally in an area they're currently not, and then Femi-Nazi's turning around and calling him sexist because of how men treated women about 50 years ago. People's heads are just stuck in the past, and we need to get them out of the past and into the present.
Dark Wind said Not always. It's okay to be offended. It's like going somewhere and saying something racist to a black man, he says he's offended, and you say that he shouldn't be offended and he's just being sensitive. Granted, I know that's not what you're trying to say. But, that's how it comes off.
And, this is really where I'm coming from on a language confusion and language psychology stand point. People will take things personally because there are too many meanings attached to words, and when that happens, there will be people who have had so many negative experiences with specific words those words will be internalized within that person and they will lash out defensively. Rightfully so, I might add. It's not that they're being oversensitive.
Again, I understand and mostly agree with the wide range of meanings and the differences in usage. We should be tolerant of different viewpoints, but that doesn't mean different viewpoints are immune from scathing criticism.
I think this is where the thick skin/thin skin element comes into it mainly. If some guy is running around saying mindless racist comment's like that, it's better that people have the thick skin to ignore it rather than be offended by it. The racist comments are idiotic and should be ignored as such. However, I understand that it's not always that simple. But simply being offended by things isn't the best way to go, cause it means you're either being intolerant of another view point, or you're simply letting the negative spoutings of someone else get to you and get in the way of your day.
Dark Wind said No models are doing it to harm women. At least, I doubt it. I really disagree that a model should be aware of what job does what. But, this is really just a minor disagreement here. The focus should be the odd standards of beauty.
I'm not saying a model is purposely trying to sabotage women.
I'm saying they are probably aware it is harming women, but choose to keep doing it regardless cause of the benefit.
In other words, they are not trying to make it worse for women. But they are willing to make it worse for women in order to get the roles, publicity and the pay.
Dark Wind said Eh. Guys all over the place have posters of half-naked women in their rooms. Not that girls don't have posters of guys or pictures of guys. There could be a demand for more male models, sure.
But, women consume women products at great rates. They buy those fashion and beauty magazines. It kind of caters to both sexes in an interesting way.
Oh I know men do that, but it's normally just the more horny guys that do so.
A lot of the guys I hang out with aren't like that, it's simply not something they pay much focus or attention to.
I was about to say it was different for girls there, but then I re-thought it. I can list a number of them who don't, and the rest who do are in fact one's who I would say put pretty high values/priorities on sex or at least getting into a relationship for the sake of being in one.
In the end though, there are still about as many girls who will stare at boys as there are boys who stare at girls.
So there's good money to be made if you cater to those girls. You're right though in that the girl fashion business works on both sex's, but I think that still doesn't change the fact the other market also has some potential. Besides, I think the women one only get's double because culture/media is constantly trying to pressure girls to be like the latest models, we start to get rid of that and the amount of girls buying into such things should start to shrink.
