New Post: "I Do Listen to the Experts. Do YOU?"

[proto57]

Rich, you surely know Lisa is not assuming you are prejudiced against women because you disagree with her.  You've disagreed with her throughout this thread already for weeks without her saying this.  It was your language in that specific post that she flagged.  I read it in the same way, which is why I picked you up on point 8 after planning not to post in this thread again.

Language matters.  It can be infantilizing.  Ask yourself if you would have said "Rene's a wonderful man but [insert reasons he's wrong while also assuming Rene wouldn't know something extremely relevant to his profession]." You've disagreed with Rene a lot here but haven't used such expressions so far that I've noticed. 

• If you think you wouldn't ever have used that kind of language about Rene, good to reflect on why.
  
• If you think you would have used that kind of language about Rene, then reflect on how professional women have been infantilized and had their opinions and credibility belittled for decades through phrases like that, and that even if you didn't it mean it that way, it's best to avoid inadvertently contributing to this narrative with such phrases.
  

Well, I do get your point, but respectfully disagree that anyone should read into what I wrote as reflecting these awful sentiments. And as to your first point, yes, I often do refer to those I discuss and even argue with in glowing terms. The reason is exactly to defuse any notion that any of my disagreements are personal.

Ironically, I called Lisa a "Wonderful woman" in my first post exactly to make this point, to express that what was to follow was not at all personal. Boy did that backfire! I've actually grown up with an environment particularly well versed in all issues of gender equality, and always been very careful not to use or support sexist tropes in my speech or writing. I have always used "Ms." instead of the unfair and unequal "Mrs.". In fact, since a child, I have been often critisized as being someone androgynous in speech and actions and interests, which I have thought somewhat sexist, and never liked.

In short, I am very sensitive to negative gender bias and tropes, and believe it was not warranted to accuse me of sexism, based on the well-intentioned moniker I was using to reach out my hand with.

But I will of course be even more careful to avoid the possibility of any claims, whether I consider them valid or not, that anything I say is in any way meant as "sexist", or "infantilizing". I always want my arguments to be free of any hint of personal animosity, both because it is wrong, but also because it then deflects from the purpose of the discussion at hand.

Rich.