22 April 2008 @ 02:37 pm
Oh jesus, am I wearing my "objectify me" pin again?  
You may or may  not have read [info]theferrett 's Open Source Boobies Project manifesto, which for the purposes of this post will be referred to as "Public Domain Boobies" (tm [info]lnhammer) since that is more or less what I take from it.  If you have already heard of it, and would like to read some soothing ranting, [info]the_red_shoes has a nice round-up post of reactions.

Interestingly, to me, my first reaction was to think of this post [info]commodorified linked me to the other day.  Obviously, there is a difference of both degree and proposed methodology, but it is fascinating to me that apparently there is a deeply felt conviction among some subset of men that the problem with today's society is that they do not have enough access to women's bodies.

(Also: because asking a Black woman if I can touch her hair is totally a healing experience for both of us, right?  (I don't mean to imply the experiences are equivalent, but is [info]theferrett  completely tone deaf?))

For the record, my comment to theferrett's post:
I have occasionally admired your writing, but in this case, I'm sorry, your head is up your ass. I acknowledge that demystifying women's bodies, acknowledging there can be non-sexual contact between people of different genders is a worthy goal, but in this case, the core of your plan involves making women's bodies more accessible to men.

You have never been a woman. You do not know what it is like to have a large proportion of men casually assume that they have the perfect right to casually touch any non-sexually coded area of your body. This is my reality. I have to politely explain to random men that no, I do not want their hand upon my shoulder, or hair, or elbow. Now you want to expand the set of body parts to which men may presume access?

Yes, I read the bits about asking permission. Yes, I understand this is opt-in. But live in a fucking woman's reality with a gropey boss for a fucking week before you decide that a woman's body is a tool for some kind of fucking mystical healing experience for men.
Usually after I fire off an angry comment like this I regret if five seconds later, but in this case?  Nope, other than a bit of subject/verb agreement, I still mean it.
 
 
( Read 79 comments — Post a new comment )
Betty[info]brown_betty on April 22nd, 2008 09:58 pm (UTC)
I had that thread open, so I've got most of it saved in html and can cap it, if you'd like.

But yeah, I love how he's like "But you're expecting me to wear a pin which might cause some folks to judge me!" OH NOES, IMAGINE THAT.
mildredmilton: ultimate fight[info]mildredmilton on April 22nd, 2008 10:08 pm (UTC)
You have caps? Oh please! Thank you!
Betty[info]brown_betty on April 22nd, 2008 10:40 pm (UTC)
I mailed it to the address in your profile, not because it needs to be kept private (share!) but because it's big enough it gave photobucket food poisoning.
mildredmilton: ultimate fight[info]mildredmilton on April 22nd, 2008 10:46 pm (UTC)
Thank you so much! I could *hear* the sound of ass being kicked in that thread.