Sexism/feminism: what's your reaction to this song?

[Thumpalumpacus]

I call women "sweetie" often enough. Oddly enough, the only time I tendered offense (to my knowledge) was here in Texas, where such sweet nothings are commonplace, rather than SoCal, where it's rare.

[Whateverist]

Maybe this should be a thread for posting videos or music that make you think about all those issues. Here is another.

https://youtu.be/SeOWZLpVK58

[Whateverist]

I call women "sweetie" often enough. Oddly enough, the only time I tendered offense (to my knowledge) was here in Texas, where such sweet nothings are commonplace, rather than SoCal, where it's rare.

As with so many things, context and setting count for a lot.  But wherever two people are involved there will always be the chance of not being on the same wavelength.  Don't think I'd fall all over myself apologizing where that happens.

[c172]

That kind of music is really grating onmy ears. I got through 2:30, and that was the slowest 2m30 of my life. I found the song a bit whiny, but I usually don't address a woman as "honey" or "sweetie". 

However, some able-bodied people (primarily women), will address me as such. Not in a sexually endearing way, but as though I were a child. I ambulate with crutches, and my speech is a tiny bit off, so its easy to assume intellectual disability with me. So, I get the pet names, and am usually quite annoyed by them. So, I don't use them, unless I need to put somebody who happens top be female in her place. Take her down a notch. Use pet names on me and I might do the same to you, if I feel like it might be effective.

I'll need to finish the song off tomorrow.

[Jesster]

So, to start, I am a feminist.

This song isn't very good imho. If this was supposed to be talking about feminism, I didn't hear it. The lyrics reminded me of the classic hits that very obviously inspired it (these boots are made for walkin'), so it wasn't saying anything important. I really didn't like the sound, either.

I dunno. Maybe if it was talking about cat calling, I could connect the dots. I really don't think it was though. Maybe objectifying? I think it really just missed the mark though.

Also, sometimes I just like being called pet names. That has nothing to do with feminism.

[The Grand Nudger]

It seemed to be about old men calling someone honey, and how honey had too much respect to be courted by old men, unless they respected her...and maybe had more than a penny....?

IDK, I couldn't make out all the words over the sound of the cat that terrible woman had imprisoned in her stone cello.  

[Alex K]

f) more cow bell

[Thumpalumpacus]

I call women "sweetie" often enough. Oddly enough, the only time I tendered offense (to my knowledge) was here in Texas, where such sweet nothings are commonplace, rather than SoCal, where it's rare.

As with so many things, context and setting count for a lot.  But wherever two people are involved there will always be the chance of not being on the same wavelength.  Don't think I'd fall all over myself apologizing where that happens.

When she voiced her discomfort, I apologized immediately, though to be honest I was almost as irritated as I was sorry. But I'm not a gal, and don't know how it might feel to be addressed so familiarly in a manner that could be construed as condescending. And as you suggest, I took the opportunity to think about, and modulate, my approach to waitstaff. I no longer call them "sweetie" unless I know them and know they won't mind.

What a sacrifice, eh?

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I'm a guy and I get called 'pet names' all the time. 'Darling' , 'love'. These are more colloquialisms though where I live, everyone gets called them.

There's not even a gender pay wage gap.

In the UK at least there very much is. The factors that affect this are multiple and nuanced, but mostly it appears to be caused by women leaving full time work to raise children, and upon returning being a few years behind their male counterparts doing similar work. For me a way to stop this would be to equalise maternity and paternity leave and pay rights, give couples a year to divide out between them when they have a child and force employers through legislation to recognise the time taken by both women and men (currently it's around 2 weeks full pay for fathers and around 6 months at full pay for women, with the right to take up to a year with reduced pay + accrued holiday entitlement). Some statistics:

http://www.equalpayportal.co.uk/statistics/

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.u...423853.pdf

http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistical...is/viewer/

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2016/m...n-lifetime

Women are likely to earn £300,000 less than men over their working lives, according to a new analysis that has sparked fresh calls for more shared parental leave to close the UK’s stubborn gender pay gap.

Before International Women’s Day on Tuesday, figures show a gap of £5,732, or 24%, in average full-time annual salaries between women and men – more than four decades after the Equal Pay Act of 1970 was introduced.

Over a career of 52 years, that gap translates into a lifetime earnings shortfall of £298,064 for female employees, according to the analysis by the recruitment company Robert Half

[rado84]

I don't see anything sexist/racist/bulshitist in that song. She said it at the beginning - he's just an old fart, too old for her to be with him who's also not her type.