Feminists

longship

(40,416 posts)

21. History is what it is

Wed Jun 20, 2012, 10:39 AM

Jun 2012

Herstory is a stupid coinage. It basically claims that history is deliberately skewed to report only about males. Either that, or that women are so unimportant in history there needs to be a special herstory.

The first is clearly not true. And I don't think anybody would claim the second.

If women are misrepresented in history, the solution is to fix it, not making a special herstory, forever separate.

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Sexist language that I personally cannot stand [View all] La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 OP

The question of whether or not I'll have kids. Neoma Jun 2012 #1

that's not sexist language as much as sexist attitude though. nt La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #2

I'm more or less sterile. It annoys me. Neoma Jun 2012 #4

If its asked by your boss, you may have an actionable legal complaint. Warren DeMontague Jun 2012 #41

That's good to know. Neoma Jun 2012 #42

Im not a lawyer, mind you.. But its worth checking out with one Warren DeMontague Jun 2012 #43

or worse... LadyHawkAZ Jun 2012 #19

I have had to deal with this one for decades. I am married to kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #53

When younger, I had people tell me two things that used to piss me off obamanut2012 Jun 2012 #55

using male analogies while teaching La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #3

sports analogies? OKNancy Jun 2012 #13

most women don't though La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #16

well, I just don't think it's sexist to use sports analogies OKNancy Jun 2012 #17

Jen Rizzotti, Rebeca Lobo One_Life_To_Give Jun 2012 #36

i don't like that english doesn't have a third party singular alive-but-unspecified-gender pronoun. unblock Jun 2012 #5

agreed. a lot of queer people have starting using ze La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #6

I've never heard of ze. Neoma Jun 2012 #7

i love it! i'm going to try that! unblock Jun 2012 #8

.. La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #9

I was once on a board where "em" was used hifiguy Jun 2012 #38

I sometimes use herm for her/him. nt Whisp Jun 2012 #47

I use "they," too obamanut2012 Jun 2012 #44

I do because I'm originally southern... Neoma Jun 2012 #45

The "gword" just cannot pass my lips obamanut2012 Jun 2012 #46

I've been using female prominent language as the default since I was Zorra Jun 2012 #10

I like to do this also, kiva Jun 2012 #18

Unfortunately English is not the best language for #1 longship Jun 2012 #11

This is what I do. Neoma Jun 2012 #12

But history is full of women who made a difference longship Jun 2012 #14

I wasn't disagreeing... I was pointing out the same thing... Neoma Jun 2012 #15

ever read Lady Chatterly's Lover? azurnoir Jun 2012 #39

Uhm, no... Neoma Jun 2012 #40

But "history" has often been precisely "*his* story" planetc Jun 2012 #20

History is what it is longship Jun 2012 #21

Umm... laconicsax Jun 2012 #22

I understand your point, and it's really correct longship Jun 2012 #23

The discussion takes place no matter how it's branded. laconicsax Jun 2012 #24

I agree 100% with you longship Jun 2012 #25

herstory isnt intended to replace history La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #26

Using "Female" when you mean "Woman/Women". JoeyT Jun 2012 #27

lol La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #28

I use the term female because LiberalLoner Jun 2012 #29

i think the poster meant it in a specific context La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #32

I tend to use male/female because not all males are men and not all females are women. laconicsax Jun 2012 #30

I dunno... Neoma Jun 2012 #31

Ooh, good point. JoeyT Jun 2012 #33

I didn't have one until now. laconicsax Jun 2012 #34

referring to women as 'the female species' Whisp Jun 2012 #35

referring to any gender as species in troublesome La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #37

"Girly girl" used to describe adult women Gormy Cuss Jun 2012 #48

good point La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #50

In 1974 a close friend was a strong feminist. She and I agreed that the term "balls" was stupid Rowdyboy Jun 2012 #49

Man up! teach1st Jun 2012 #51

i HATE it too. nt La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2012 #52

+1 obamanut2012 Jun 2012 #56

Straight men don't crochet. tridim Jun 2012 #54

But needlepoint is OK One_Life_To_Give Jun 2012 #57

Back in 1982 there was a book-"Real Men Don't Eat Quiche" Rowdyboy Jun 2012 #58