[UA] UA unintenionally sexist?

[Patrick O'Duffy]

Chad Underkoffler wrote:

> Whoo. Go away for an evening, and BOOM! Seems I dropped a
> firebomb. I've been reading the aftermath with interest, and I'd
> really like to send some good vibrations out to Patrick, who's
> doing a hell of a job playing devil's advocate in two courts.

Must interject.  I'm _not_ playing devil's advocate; that's a game I
won't get into, of arguing for argument's sake.  Hate that shit.
I merely think this is a situation worth discussing.

And thanks for the vibes, Chad.

> It might look, on a very shallow reading or flip-thru to a
> certain mindset of browser, that this is a book glorifying sex,
> porn, booze, and violence, just as PULP FICTION, RESEVOIR DOGS,
> and FIGHT CLUB seem to be about glorifying violence. Well, it
> ain't.

Yet plenty of reviewers have dismissed all three of those works as being
exactly that (particularly FIGHT CLUB).
We know it's not just that, because we found something that interested
us enough to go to the effort of a deeper reading.  But it should come
as no surprise that some people (and yes, perhaps women in particular)
will be alienated enough by those surface elements to not bother with a
deeper reading.

> I think the sexism comments stem from three bits:
> 1. the presence of sex, porn, drugs, and violence as targeting a
> lad audience via titillation.
> 2. the abscence of female NPCs/GMCs on a level with the big guns
> of the setting.
> 3. (some of) the most powerful female characters in the setting
> are related to a powderkeg and often sexist element of society
> (porn).
>
> Number 1 is this *unintentional* sexism we've been talking about
> (though Jo has wondered how unintentional it was).

Which, by the way, I think she was out of line for doing.  If she wants
to wonder about unintentional sexism - fine.  If she's ascribing
intentional sexism to John & Greg, that's out of order.

> Number 2 is
> also *unintentional* sexism, by favoring male NPCs over female
> NPCs.

That's a point I touched on; I don't know if Jo has actually commented
about gender balance.

> Number 3 compounds with both 1 and 2, and acts as a
> lightning rod. All are interesting and worthy of being looked at
> and pondered-- which is what we are doing.
>
> Discussion is good.

Agreed.  Well, until it threatens to overpower the list and annoy or
bore those who aren't involved.  I hope it won't come to that.

--
Patrick O'Duffy, Brisbane, Australia

Sumo is the most perfect of sports.  It has elegance, ceremony, danger,
art, speed, and, most important, two fat bastards smacking the shit out
of each other.

 - Spider Jerusalem, TRANSMETROPOLITAN #26



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