Rep. Scyller Borglum (R-32/Rapid City) continues to play strip tease, announcing yesterday that she’s going to make an announcement Monday about whether she’s going to primary Mike Rounds for his Senate seat next year.
The Rapid City Republican’s ploy to grab attention this year has been nakedly obvious. I generally say teases like her release yesterday are not news: Donald Trump tries the same thing all the time, telling the press he has a big announcement coming up and thus capturing the news cycle to amplify the news story he wants to make even before he makes it.
In Trump’s case, the tease is more than mere attention-seeking manipulation: he has to trial balloon everything because he needs to hear how Fox News will respond so he can make up his mind. I get the impression that Ph.D.-totin’ Scyller Borglum doesn’t need Fox News or the South Dakota press to tell her what to think. If anything, she’s Caprica Six, and she has a plan.
The main plan is to try to get the South Dakota press to talk about her. It’s working on me (despite my determination not to be manipulated), because here I am gracing her non-news toot with Battlestar Galactica references. And it’s working on some of the news sites, because there her words are, talking about “common-sense conservative solutions” and inviting cameras and microphones to come record her Monday at the Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City at 8 a.m. Mountain, at the Dignity statue at 1 p.m. Central, and at the downtown Hilton Garden in Sioux Falls at 4 p.m.
And you know, legislators don’t take a summer drive across the entire state making three appearances just to announce a bill they’re floating next year to increase funding for rural school districts.
Primary, please.
The SDGOP commenting on Pat Powers pathetic blog are having a complete meltdown over this impending news.
Would you call it a strip tease if a man was running? Would appreciate the sexist language removed, please.
This is a highly sexist and offensive blog post. Describing S.D. Rep. Borglum exploring a possible run against U.S. Sen. Rounds as a “strip tease” and “nakedly obvious” is gross and inappropriate. When a woman announces she’s preparing to run for office — regardless of whether she’s a Democrat, Independent or Republican — it’s never okay to use sexist and objectifying language and rhetoric.
Hooray for anyone who is willing to call out Marion for his malfeasance. Of course, will any repub call out another ??
Maybe dirty dancing would be better?? Gender neutral of course…
Good point Ms. Kroger. I noticed that too.
Good luck to Ms. Borglum. Malleable Mike needs to get a real job.
I would like to announce that I may have a comment Monday regarding Rep. Borglum’s potential announcement.
ps I have to side with Susan here too – a bumped into the sexism of the “strip tease” language.
I think the strip tease language is just fine. It should remain.
This is unacceptable, Cory. Please read the comments from women and reevaluate your choice of language when writing about women. We all expect better from you. Do better.
We men, Mr. H and I, know that it’s a wink wink thing and nobody is really expecting young Dr. Borg to strip and tease. Or is grudznick agreeing with Mr. H just to manipulate him into modifying his insluting blogging?
Scyller Borglum deserves the same respect and dignity as any man who enters a political race. If you genuinely support progressive ideals then you wouldn’t use language such as this. Even more bothersome is your sexualization of womens’ appearances. Scyller is impressive, professional, and reasonable. She works hard to represent all South Dakotans. Are the words you chose more of an indication of a lack of creativity or just pure unadulterated misogyny?
This sexist language is not acceptable and would likely not happen if she were a man. We must do better than this. Rep. Borglum is worthy of MUCH better treatment, as are all women. I am quite disappointed by this post, to say the least.
Seems very much like a technocrat.
Well, since announcing that one is announcing is mere media manipulation, it appears many commenters feel the need to manufacture a different news story. There is no sexist treatment in crafting an accurate metaphor for what’s going on: revealing just a little bit to grab everyone’s attention and get them to watch for more. The ploy for attention is not covered by anything: it is naked in a fair use of the word.
Expect no apologies or revision.
Susan, yes I would… although I recognize that arguments about hypotheticals prove nothing.
You want sexism? Watch what the GOP establishment will do to knock down this primary challenge.
Chris, we could use a technocrat in the Senate. Borglum could make a good legislating partner for Dusty Johnson. I need to hear more from her, but when Borglum declares her candidacy for real on Monday, she will be the best candidate running for Rounds’s seat.
But who is Borglum’s base in the primary? Her opposition to the Peterson-Haugaard war against diversity on campus makes her sound like a pragmatic, middle-of-the-road Republican, and that part of the SDGOP belongs to Rounds. She hasn’t sounded yet like enough of a culture warrior to rouse the radical right Trumpist base to rally behind her in the primary. Borglum can play technocrat and savvy marketer all she wants, but where is her base? Where is her path to victory?
Cory, you are better than this. I was deeply disappointed to see your response: “Expect no apologies or revision.” Many among your readership are offended that you’d use such a sexist metaphor when discussing a woman considering a run for political office. I seriously doubt you would metaphorically call a man in the same position a Chippendale dancer. You are sexualizing a female politician who’s preparing to make an announcement. It’s inappropriate and unfair. If you don’t like what she’s doing, just say it, but don’t be sexist. I urge you to show some humility and listen to your readership. Thank you for your consideration.
Cory, this blog is raising eyebrows not because of Scyller’s run but because of your lack of awareness of the sexism in this blog. You should really consider changing the language here because the only thing you are accomplishing is offending a lot of women. The comparison to Caprica Six is disgusting.
I’ve read the comments here and I agree with the commenters who are calling you out on your choice of sexist and misogynistic language. One thing I have noticed is that many of the ladies calling this out are liberal or Democrats and they are defending a conservative and Republican. Answer this question for me, Corey and be honest with yourself. Would you have used the same language if Ms. Borglum was a Democrat?
I may not agree with Ms. Borglum’s positions and I am certainly no Republican, but she does not deserve to be talked about using the language you used in your post.
I’m keenly aware of the issues here, Nikki. The passion with which readers are defending a naked marketing ploy with cries of sexual discrimination is misplaced.
But so what’s the path to victory here? Is Borglum expecting Democrats to re-register and put her over the top in the primary?
Cory, in your attempt at defending yourself, you’re deflecting from addressing any of the valid arguments against your word choice with the political challenges Borglum faces. No one is here arguing about Borglum’s base, but we would all be a lot more keen to read an analysis on her path to victory without the gross sexualization. You aren’t edgy, you’re creepy.
i first met sculler borglum at an occasion sponsored by racing magpies in rapid city just before the last meeting of the sd.legislature.she was there supporting two newly elected ladies from dist.21. she is an intelligent young lady who deserves our respect & support. if she choses to run against sen.rounds i would support her.maybe she could push enough buttons to help us find out the truth of ex.gov.rounds & the republican coverup of the EB-5 & joop bollen & all the missing money. maybe even more light on the slaughter of the family at platte sd. she may be the new picture of the republican party of sd. that’s gotten a bad smell to it1
Cambridge definition: “a form of entertainment in which a performer takes off his or her clothes in a way that is sexually exciting to the people who are watching:
I’m not the sort of person who’d do a striptease.”
If this is not a performance by Borglum, then what is?
More: “Synonym Discussion of tease. worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease mean to disturb or irritate by persistent acts.”
Cory, I am going to have to side with the other commenters. I respect you and I think you are awesome, but the words used in this post seem beneath your otherwise stellar writing skills. And I can see why people are taking offense. You made Scyller into a sex object and therefor dehumanized her with your choice of words. The same dehumanization conservatives do to liberals and women daily.
I read your response but hope you change your mind and use this as a learning experience. We all have room to grow. Even I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience; we need to be mindful of how our choice of words can negatively impact others. Surely that brilliant mind of yours could have used a better metaphor to convey this story.
Sincerely,
David
Give Cory credit, his use of strip tease got your attention. I find it bigly appropriate use of the word to describe her “musings” and keep people occupied for the weekend speculating.
She is certainly not my type. And i have never been accused of rape or sexual assault in my life. It would be nice to see the anger at Cory redirected to the sexual predator in the kremlin annex and you all know which Drumpf I am referring to.
You are entitled to your own opinions, of course.
Cory, by not acknowledging the feelings and perspectives of these women, you’re perpetuating the misogynist attitude and image that you’ve illustrated, unintentionally or not. Men have to be willing to listen and accept their mistakes when they reaffirm the societal sexism that exists against women.
I am speaking from experience when I say this. I have said sexist things without realizing I said them, offended women, and had to take responsibility and change my words and attitudes. If this stubborn mule can do it, so can you, my friend!
Cory said the same things about President Trump. Is that also sexism? Ms. Borglum got several inches (See. It can be done without intent.) of column space and that’s what she wanted. (See. It’s where the reader’s mind is, more than the actual wording.)
A lot of commentors must have a hard time dancing with those sticks up their butts to quibble about unintended innuendo.
I’ve never been to a male strip show, but there are such things. Thus, Cory is absolved of sexism for using the term “strip tease.” Of course, there is a tease, and then there is the Full Monty. Two different things.
What, I wonder, would we call “Magic Mike’s” ( maybe “Magic Marion’s”) slow unclothing of his fake Department of Education abolishment bill? Now THAT was a tease, complete with artificial enlargement. So, I disagree with Cory somewhat. Yeah, Scyller hasn’t been hiding her ambition, but there’s wrong with “leaning in.” “Magic Mike” certainly did that during his legislative days, and he took on and beat two favorites to win the nomination for Governor.
Let’s see what feelings and perspectives of these women the Republican primary candidates acknowledge in serious policy proposals and in willingness to repudiate the misogyny of their occupant of the White House.
Borglum is engaged in marketing. I’ve noted before how effectively Borglum uses this tactic to get attention. We should always be suspicious of people who manipulate the media to get attention.
But I guess since we’re going to lpay word games instead of figuring out Borglum’s games…
A quick search indicated forms of “naked” have been used to describe the unconstitutionality of Mark Mickelson’s IM 24, the economic terrorism committed by Donald Trump (reference from the Chinese press), the figurative mole rats whose figurative crap a bad law figuratively sucks, the people Pope Francis tells us to clothe, Brian Gosch’s call to partisanship, the branded beverage Noem tweeted on her Congressional committee desk instead of educating the public, and the screams for attention composed by incompetent and overpaid state marketing contractors, some of whom were likely women.
You’re stuck between the Scylla and Charibdes on this metaphor. (Duh.)
Samantha, the fact that no one here is addressing Borglum’s path to victory and instead are spending time dissecting my word reasonable word choice is a problem.
Marvin raises the most important question to arise from this discussion yet: Marvin, will your support for Borglum extend to November 2020 if Borglum faces a Democratic challenger on the ballot?
I do not recant. Neither does Mr. H. Move on.
Hey Cory,
Your language in this post is entirely unacceptable. Women in politics, like Rep. Borglum, already have to put up with so much sexism. I would hope the fact that numerous women have written to tell you the way you wrote about Rep. Borglum is wrong would give you pause. You know language matters. This was a mistake; own up to it, apologize, and learn for the future.
Corey, just apologize. I have no idea what your intent was. But the impact you’ve made speaks for itself. Take a step back, re-read the comments with good faith, and apologize. Your woman readership doesn’t deserve to be objectified and condescended to.
Cory, here’s the frustrating thing for me and for many women, apparently. We’re saying we find this offensive. You’re saying, no it’s not. You’re telling us, you’re wrong. And what about…….
You see, we are in different places. What is offensive to you or Porter or Mike is not the same as what is offensive to me or the other women commenting here. The point is not, do the men find it offensive. The point is, are you willing to make the change in the post because We find it offensive, whether you do or not? It’s not your opinion or your sensibilities or your feelings that matter here. It’s not about how it feels to a man.
It’s important to remember who it is that has a history of being disregarded, disrespected, disbelieved, laughed at and ignored. Who’s been told they’re “overreacting, it was just a joke, buck up, get over it, I was just kidding.”
That’s what feels like is happening here. Why? Because it’s our history. Because we’ve heard it for a lifetime. But it’s a shock to hear it on DFP.
You can say, “That’s not what I meant. That’s not how I meant it. I didn’t intend for it to be hurtful and I’m very sorry it was. I’ll make the change.” That’s all we want. To be heard and respected. Simple.
I remember when President Obama first took office, there was a political cartoon that depicted him as a monkey. That portrayal did not imply he was dumb or primitive – just used an image of a monkey for him. The author did not intend to drum up a racist trope, but he did. (And in fairness, President Obama’s ears d stick out a fair bit.) Characterizing an African American as a monkey/chimp/ape drags a weight of history, a connotation that is weightier than even that writer intended.
In the same way, I think the strip tease metaphor, although on-point, drags the weight of negative connotation for/of women with it.
I don’t think Cory meant anything by it, and I do think he should reword it. Cory, with your creative way with words, I think you could rewrite something that is more tasteful.
I am actually surprised in a good way that this many South Dakota women are standing up against sexist writing, and that is a good thing.
I meant exactly what I said, Debbo. The metaphor is apt. Offense is better taken at the manipulation of public opinion and the news cycle.
Cory unintentionally started a local feminist movement.
So, now that we’ve established the easy and trivial point that I’m morally reprehensible, I’m waiting for answers to the more serious questions of public import:
What is Borglum’s path to victory? Is Borglum planning to seek progressives like Marvin who would boost her in the primary and then not challenge her with a Democrat in the fall?
And while I’m thinking of it, did Borglum really mean to set out to come up with rural education policy during her vaunted tour of the state? Will she be addressing immigration and child concentration camps during her announcement tour on Monday? Will Borglum’s “common sense” compel her to call out Mike Rounds for his support of Trump’s anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-science, anti-decency policies?
“So, now that we’ve established the easy and trivial point that I’m morally reprehensible, I’m waiting for answers to the more serious questions of public import:”
Well, that’s how white male privilege works. Women’s concerns can be trivialized, “more serious questions”
(And ownership of DFP.)
I have been put in my place.
Cory’s choice of words is neither sexist nor offensive, and those who think it is are the reason that Trump won.
I’m probably offended by roughly a third of what Cory posts on this blog, and his “strip tease” reference definitely falls into that category, but I’m more offended by the whiny, condescending comments from some of his critics.
You’ve made your positions clear, and Cory has made his clear. Trying to mass-bully him into an apology would be a waste of time even if it weren’t lame and annoying.
I agree dusty and skyllar or whaev will lead to better representation than marion the doof (builder of mansion on river he dabated management of as gov for 8 years then his cronies sued USCOE for mismanagement cause it snowed/rained before the thaw). Rounds is a 1%er in every fashion. Hears to ms borglum in the privmary and to the dem opponent may his/her striptease be in the offing.
Knowing Cory, neither of us have a chauvanistic bone in our body and his usage was certainly intentional and calculated. Everyone of you women who voted for trump have put a mass kidnapper/genital grabber in the most powerful office in the world. White privilege? How about our own coming Tinamen Square!? The plainly evident mysoginist here, every day, is space waster troll grdz. Everytime.
Here
Well Cory, looks you and Joe against
the world.
off-topic trivial BSG metaphors: Putin did the same as the cylons with Caprica-6 series, only the russians used red-heads, some real and some not,
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9325670/russian-spies-redhead-linkedin-steal-military-secrets/
I think it’s really unfortunate that out of all the posts Cory has authored, this has drawn the bulk of comments…I don’t think Cory owes anyone an apology, but the use of the term “strip tease” is iffy. For those who have criticized Cory, perhaps you could utilize those same standards for the way others involved in our state and federal government speak. So, yep..if you weren’t pissed off about Trump grabbing women by the “pu$&y”, but are upset about someone not using a better metaphor, that’s on you.
Point well spoken RJ, and even “Kurt Evans” as well. When will everyone be upset with wording “casualties of war” spoken by old Sonny Perdum regarding farmers that he has destroyed? trump did the strip tease in Japan and will do the strip tease in Korea. It’s all about the ratings.
Do any of you men making the “whataboutism” arguments against Trump think that the women commenting on this post have chosen this one single instance to decry sexism? That we didn’t also *volunteer* *donate* *actively campaign* against Trump and other equally sexist politicians?
This kind of mentality that suggests liberal men should be immune from the same expectations we hold Republican men against is absurd. Just because you “aren’t as bad” as Trump does not mean exempt you from a higher moral standard we expect from E V E R Y O N E on the left.
Why is it so hard for Boomers like Biden and Cory to admit a mistake and learn from it? You can’t do better? Really?
What is the definition of high ground in this climate? Is it the drowned man and his child on the Mexican border? How about the tens of thousands of children in Yemen that have been allowed to the the slaughter and the starvation by our complacent government before and after trump in the name of profit for Wall Street? Tell me what you feel is the appropriate definition of a moral standard?
“jerry” writes:
Thanks for the compliment.
This is kinda like the incident before the 2014 election when Cory called Kristi Noem a “welfare queen” and “pin-up girl”:
https://madvilletimes.com/2014/10/gop-abandons-all-principle-attacks-pressler-for-seeking-farm-subsidy-replacement/
I think Cory is better than this and his stubbornness is getting in the way.
Better than what? His stubbornness on what? That he doesn’t cave into a mold that you demand? BTW, Borglum is running to the right of Rounds. Borglum meets with Dusty Johnson and then teases the meeting into something nefarious, an attempt to extort her for traveling around the state looking into education, that doesn’t even meet the smell test. I’m no fan of Dusty Johnson for his relationship with Butina, but that seems like a big tease to me, a threat to keep her from going against Rounds. Rounds has a few million in his campaign war chest (wonder what happened to the 9 million Rounds said he had when he ran against Pressler). https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/326473-mike-rounds-raises-over-600k-for-south-dakota-senate-bid
” According to recently filed reports with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, who is up for re-election in November 2020, raised nearly $597,000 in campaign contributions in the first quarter of 2019, through the affiliated Rounds for Senate committee”
The first quarter of 2019, kiddo’s. We are quite a ways from the 2020 election so a few million in the South Dakota market is huge. Who knows, maybe they are in this thing together to raise money for Rounds. The only thing Borglum and Rounds lack is a pole.
“People, I just want to say, you know, can we all get along?”
Rodney King, 1992
don’t mean to p.o. any new commenters about comments on the choice of metaphor discussion, but as facts go- Joe Biden is not a boomer, and I’m pretty sure Cory is not a boomer.
(aside) trivial BSG reference: grace park is.
Cory, just some advice on women, and for future elections that I know you want to be successful in – women never forget. I think this has been especially hard on your female readers here because you weren’t supposed to be that kind of guy, you are an intelligent well read SD man that respects women and is a staunch supporter of women’s rights.
You had no intention in your dreams that a couple of words would get your female followers upset but this is the social media age, the me too age, and if you had a campaign manager or political analyst working for you, you know they would say “apologize. Don’t hurt your biggest supporters.”
C’mon ladies, wingnuts are raining on your civil and constitutional rights and you are all concerned because Cory used the word striptease when talking about a woman.
This is something women need to pay attention to… from article in Think Progress
In a democratic nation, an elected legislature writes the laws. In a liberal nation, those laws apply equally to members of the ruling party and the opposition party alike. In a liberal democracy, all parties have equal access to the press and to public discourse.
Last Supreme Court term, admittedly before Kavanaugh joined its ranks, the court struck down a California law requiring anti-abortion centers that masquerade as reproductive health providers to make disclosures that could reveal that they are, in fact, sham clinics. That aspect of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra was a defensible application of the First Amendment doctrines barring compelled speech, but the court also reaffirmed a past decision upholding “informed consent” laws, which require abortion providers to read an anti-abortion script to their patients.
NIFLA held, in other words, that abortion opponents have greater free speech rights than abortion providers. That’s a fundamentally illiberal decision.
Debbo, anyone more concerned about establishing my moral unfitness than about asking Scyller Borglum if she intends to defend women’s interests and hold Mike Rounds accountable for enabling Trump’s real misogyny really is putting the trivial above the substantive.
Leslie, I am eager to see Borglum make the case that she would represent South Dakota better than spineless Mike Rounds does. If she has the spine to stand up to the GOP establishment, she has the spine to do well in Washington. But the big undiscussed question is whether Borglum has any chance of surviving a GOP primary in which Team Rounds has already signaled through Dusty that it will pulverize anyone who tries to upset the GOP establishment.
So is the outburst over the relatively trivial (i.e., relatively irrelevant to the quality of representation South Dakota gets in Washington and our progress in eradicating Trumpism from policy a signal of what Borglum might be counting on, that women will be so tired of the failure of the Democratic Party to field effective candidates in South Dakota that they will migrate en masse to the GOP column, all turn out to sway the GOP primary in her favor, and then persuade the Democrats to put no one besides a placeholder up for the general? Is that the path to victory?
“Debbo, anyone more concerned about establishing my moral unfitness than about asking Scyller Borglum if she intends to defend women’s interests and hold Mike Rounds accountable for enabling Trump’s real misogyny really is putting the trivial above the substantive.”
That’s not what I said. I don’t think you are morally unfit and I didn’t say that. I think your language was wrong in this instance and you should believe the women who are saying we found it hurtful. That’s what I said and that’s what I meant.
For the record, I’m a female and I’m liberal and I wasn’t offended. Focus on the actual issue topic being discussed…I appreciate when candidates are straight forward and transparent. The “tease” is pretty annoying and I feel like it detracts from what a potential candidate is actually about( which is probably intentional).
this being sunday evening i am a little slow catching up on this subject.to the answer to the question if i would vote for sculler or a demo.in 2020 it would depend what the thoughts of who supports women, especially women of native decent & certainly native people.& also have guts enough to take on rounds in regards of his lack of candor on the subject of EB-5 & letting trump get away with all his bull crap.our state & all of us deserve better. i certainly will be interested in scyller’s thoughts on control of the pentagon .
But let’s think about this for a moment. Recently, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker criticized Joe Biden for legitimizing a segregationist, Senator John Eastland, just because Biden suggested that he could work with anyone including Eastland back in the day. So if it was wrong for Biden to do that, then is it wrong to legitimize a Republican legislator – by Democrats – a Republican I might add who is anti-choice and opposed to most policies that the Democratic Party supports? Or, does Borglum symbolize more than a Republican, but rather women in general and particularly women in politics, which legitimizes the critics of Cory, but can you do that without ignoring the fact that Biden’s Eastland comment was meant to be about consensus building beyond the beliefs of any individual politician as an example?
So, if Biden’s comment can be limited to Eastland, then why can’t Cory H.’s comment be limited to Borglum? And when it is limited to Borglum, why as Democrats are we protecting a Republican? Who is anti-choice, and thus anti-women, which is far more damaging to women than some one suggesting a lewd act or actions about a woman, who is a Republican, who doesn’t vote for women…..#SB72…. So to put it simpler, if Cory H. is wrong, then Joe is right and then Kamala and Cory B. are wrong also.
I planned to be done commenting here because I feel I have said everything thing I could. I only wrote my last comment because Cory addressed me directly.
However, JKC, if you reread the comments women have written, you’ll see it is about comments that sexualize women, no more and no less, at least for me. The fact that she is anti-choice GOP is not relevant to me.
Now I’m really done here.
Is it possible that Borglum will abandon the R after her name and take a run at Rounds as an independent or even as a Democrat?
Good point Mr. Claussen. Ms. Borglum is most certainly anti woman and has proven it time and again. As Roger notes, will Borglum suddenly abandon the party that she claims has threatened her or will she simply drop out as Rounds will surely be collecting more campaign cash. Was that really her message, tease more campaign money for Rounds?
One thing for sure, republican elected women all seem to know how to tease money from the gullible.
Debbo,
I don’t disagree with your assessment of the comments, but to assess them in such a way is to look at
Biden’s comment in terms of consensus building as oppose to who he invoked in that comment. Because, who he invoked is analogous to the abortion issue with a given legislator.
Making the statement, innocent as it may be, is one thing. Doubling down on it is another. And doing it multiple times? Wow.
Yeah Mr, Henriksen, you would think then, that the statement is the truth. I would say a very good observation, knowing how these things work.
This is how the typical liberal male thinks when he’s left to his own devices. He’s a lot like his hero Bernie. https://nypost.com/2015/05/29/bernie-sanders-wrote-an-essay-saying-that-women-fantasize-about-rape/
James is the typical “grab ’em by the pu**y” republican.
Don’t those republicans that happen to be president also walk in on teenage beauty contestants?
I love this stuff. Some of you think that Cory should change the words of his own published work because you are offended? Really? Do you think that everything that offends anybody should be changed? Telling somebody to get over something trivial isn’t sexist. You being offended by Cory’s post is trivial, so get over it.
How are Cory’s metaphors any different than all the comments about the physical appearance of GOP fellas that I see on this blog all the dang time? Or the comments about prissy pussy pence? Or about the flaccidness of trump? Those often come from debbo, but others laugh and play along, too.
Nobody defends stupid trump or anybody else that you want to make fun of, unless that victim is female. Now That is sexist! It’s funny and fair game when you want to pick on somebody, right? But gawd forgive us if a female is criticized in any way! Haha yeah start a movement to protect this poor girl from Cory’s terrible assualt! haha
I’ve been watching this thread with interest over the past few days.
All I can say is, Cory, if you ever do win a seat in the SD Leg, you’ll fit right in with these kinds of comments.
It’s the same kind of sexist trash that women legislators and lobbyists deal with on a daily basis there.
And, of course, we’re told to not be so sensitive and grow a thicker skin about it because *clearly* there are more important matters to address, like the *much more serious & relevant* point said sexist jerk was making when he made the trash remarks.
Really. Own up and do better.
I am so disturbed by the sexist remarks and we need to do much better as a community to say that this is not acceptable!
This article is disgusting and sexist.
The fact that we’re shouting more about that perception about my words than about Scyller Borglum’s assertion today that Donald Trump governs with common sense and that she will support him more than Mike Rounds is unacceptable.
Cory, you know I love your wonkishness to the moon and back. Teachable/learn-able moments occur unexpectedly, often eclipsing what was *supposed* to be the point of the moment. So, in the spirit of seizing opportunity when it arises…
I love the English language, I love its richness, and I love its constant evolution. I love the cascade of synaptic firing that we can make happen in the minds of others as well as ourselves simply by virtue of the words we choose and how we put them together.
We are wired for neurological efficiency, running constant reinforcement loops of synaptic pathways we’ve already forged. If I think this thing, and this thing is challenged, I will think this thing even more! Our personal mental shortcuts and the internal biases they incept can lead us to discount the validity of an alternate position, especially when it comes in the form of an attack on our written selves.
I know you have an indelible passion for the practice of debate. You’ve already built a very brief case *for* the language/tone in question. What about a brief followup exercise in making the opposition case *against* that language — argue from the side of the criticism? (I’m personally terrible at this, but I never had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of formal debate.)
Although it feels like a sidetrack, this is a really important conversation to have! I actually do not find it necessary for you to change the language (especially absent notation re: the edit). But I ask you, please, to reflect on how the language in question might feed into gender reductionism, especially when used in reference to a woman (see any given discussion regarding sociolinguistics). Although the dictionary says a “strip tease” might be done by any gender, what’s the likeliest mental image to be conjured? Caprica Six was a complex character who went miles beyond the blonde-bombshell-in-a-red-bodycon-minidress first impression, but that’s the precise image referenced here.
It’s okay that you don’t personally find the sum of the word choice offensive, but it’s difficult for a significant portion of your readership to see you and other commenters dismiss their complaints when, for them, the metaphors plainly obscure the meat of the story.
I’m not worried that you had sexist intent at the time you wrote this. I’m just hopeful that you’ll consider a redoubled commitment to intentional language on DFP. I’ve got no plans to nope out.
(PS RJ, I doubt you really think that the commenters here who are unhappy with some wording in this piece actually have *no trouble* with Trump’s attitude/words/action toward women. That’s disingenuous in the extreme.)
(PSS FWIW: “strip tease” is used only once as far as I can find across all of DFP. “Tease” alone is used a *ton* with no bias toward any gender. Same goes for “naked,” with the exception of a single headline use of “Noem gets naked on committee desk.” I can’t find any equivalent usage regarding male or non-binary persons. The numbers on those few terms, at least, certainly don’t indicate a marked propensity for sexist language on DFP.)