One more for the Bitch List...
I almost forgot this one...
I am sure you have heard or even said these phrases "He doesn't have any balls" or "Grow some balls" or any other variation thereof. I know, I have even found myself, to my horror, using it on occassion. It is one of those things we "just say" when we think somone should show more aggression or assertiveness. We even say it about women (wow! she really has some balls for doing that!).
But what does it mean, really? It means that, basically, in order to be assertive, one must have a set of balls, gonads specifically, male sex parts. So assertiveness is then a masculine trait? Women don't have balls, therefore it is against their nature, and wrong, for them to be assertive? And when men show compassion, they are thus emasculated and therefore "have no balls" because compassion is against their nature?
So basically this phrase perpetuates stereotypical sex roles (woman=meek, man=aggressive) that we have supposedly moved away from.
posted by macboudica at 10:46 AM
3 Comments:
I never thought of it this way. Excellent point! I will adjust my thinking accordingly.
i completely agree. the one that goes around this here workplace is calling someone a "woman" or "mrs..so and so" as a laughable insult.
i give them a hard time, and say "you fucking wish," and then threaten lawsuit.
thanks for comment at my place! no, i do not have twins (have seen sprog on ultra) just amazon-baby, I think!
Perhaps we should begin admiringly telling guys who are compassionate: "Wow, Deke, you really showed some ovaries there in the meeting!"
Maybe everyone would see how ridiculous all the 'balls' phrases sound. (I am also guilty of using them but cringe when I hear someone say, of a woman: "She's really got the balls to do it!"
Gah!
-Blue
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