The Asshole’s Guide to Insulting Women
I don’t know any sexist asshole men in real life. Really. So I’m always amazed when I encounter asshole men on the Internet.
The thing about sports is that it, well, tends to be an old-boys’ club. The sports world is full of sexist shit that pisses me off if I think about it too much (and, honestly, I’m not often prone to do that, because I don’t always want to be addressing Big Issues in the context of something I enjoy just for the hell of it, which I suppose is lazy of me). Commercials aired during sporting events or programs often are sexist. There are sexist athletes and sexist columnists, and I hate it all, but I try not to hold it against sports as a whole. That would be like being a Cubs fan, but hating the Cubs because of Cubs fans.
That said, there’s one place where the sports assholes come out in droves and it drives me batshit insane every freaking time I see it. It’s a land where you’ll see Asshole Stupidus in its natural environment, taking a gigantic dump on women and human decency.
It’s the land of the Deadspin commenters.
Let’s consider some examples, shall we? These are just from the past two days.
Here we have a post that includes a picture of a Patriots cheerleader. She’s young and you can get a personalized, autographed picture of her. Okay, fine, what’s the big deal?
Comments on this post include [my comments are in brackets and italics]:
- Sarah Jessica Parker’s got some stiff competition for Horse of the Year. [Haha she's ugly and so is a rich and famous woman who has nothing to do with this post!]
- I remember this story from last year and clearly recall this chick was somewhat attractive. What the hell happened? [Haha she's ugly!]
- Rebecca, Thanks a lot for causing my testicles to ascend back into my body. I really appreciate it. [Thanks for telling us about your testicles!]
- Looks like she got beat up by her Masshole boyfriend. [Comment that refers to her as ugly and abuse victim. Hilarious!]
- Meh. (still would though) [This from someone with the username KazMatsuisAnalFissure.]
- I don’t think she even qualifies as an attractive Arena Football cheerleader. Maybe AFL2. [Haha she's ugly!]
- Dance 10, looks 3. [Comment 1, looks ???]
- I’ll pass. Seriously, I we need to start establishing some boundaries on what’s a “yes” around here. [Apparently without boundaries and guidelines, we are not intelligent enough to determine who is too ugly for us to be sexin'.]
- Oh, like you don’t think she belongs in the Butterface All-Stars? [Obligatory Butter Face reference? Check!]
Then we have a post about the backlash against Erin Andrews. I thought the post was well-written and interesting, and agreed that the dress Erin was wearing was appropriate for the situation. Mike Nadel, who wrote the column being discussed, looked like an asshole. The Cubs players discussed in the column looked like immature boys who can’t function like normal adults around an attractive, intelligent woman wearing a summer dress.
But wait until you get to the comments:
- Am I the only one here who would rather nail Linda Cohn than Erin Andrews? [Are you the only one here who gives a rat's ass whom you'd like to nail? I thought so.]
- This is exactly why she looked like a bimbo. If you want to be taken seriously you dress for the job. That dress is intended to be worn while going out to pick up men, not to be taken seriously as a journalist. When she interviewed Theriot post game, he couldn’t even make eye contact with her. [If Theriot couldn't make eye contact with her, isn't that HIS problem rather than hers?]
- Butter-Face [Haha! No really! That's the whole comment! So original! So funny!]
- Jesus, bringing up Linda Cohn just completely killed my hard on. She’s all teeth. [Thanks for telling us about your penis. Is this the most action it has seen since the Cubs won the World Series?]
- Erin Andrews reminds me of the drunk chick at parties who overtly flirts with every guy she can in the shortest amount of time except for me. Her whole act is just too forced, and she comes off like a fucking idiot sometimes. [Fixed that for you!]
- EA would get sideline interviews no matter what she wears, so why set yourself up for this kind of criticism by wearing something that’s obviously unnecessarily casual? [Why fall into the trap of criticizing a woman for the behavior of those who will criticize her?]
- as she bent over to shake Aramia Ramirez’ hand, she said: “Good for you…these are gOoOoOoOod for you”…as she shakes her goods for Ram Ram… [???]
- A well tailored pants suit doesn’t look dowdy or dykey. [Token lesbian insult.]
- You know what would be awesome? Having sex with Erin Andrews. [You know what would be awesome? For you, I'd guess, having sex with another human. For me, it would be living in a world where assholes stop objectifying women like this.]
- She has to do more and be better than other journalists in order to attain credibility, otherwise there are people like me who say she got where she is because she’s pretty. If she wants to be taken seriously as a journalist, then she needs to tone down the wardrobe. [Actually, I think the problem is "people like" you who say she got where she is because she's pretty. She's not responsible for your issues or judgment of her.]
- I’d do her.
- Look, Erin Andrews isn’t a “journalist.” She’s just the token bimbo that ESPN trots out there to ask softball questions during baseball games, so she dresses like one. And she is an average-looking blonde. [Are you the token asshole?]
- if she wants to be taken seriously, she has to err on the side of dressing conservatively. [Really? According to you? You're too stupid to take a woman seriously because she dresses less conservatively than you think she should? How sad for you.]
From these examples and more, I’ve learned from Deadspin commenters that, if you’re an asshole and you want to assert your superiority and power over a woman who has the misfortune of encountering you, either in person or on the internet, it’s as easy as following these three steps:
1. Insult a woman for being ugly or fat.
This is by far the best option and should always be your default position. There’s no need to be original here. A two-word comment of “Butter Face” will suffice because really, that one hasn’t been used enough. Obviously, a woman who is ugly and/or fat is completely irrelevant, so commenting on a woman’s ugliness lets everyone know that she is of no importance whatsoever. Don’t be afraid of this option if you’re a woman! Nothing says “I’m one of the guys” like insulting a poor, innocent cheerleader’s appearance.
2. Insult a woman for being a slut.
Unfortunately, not all women are ugly. In fact, some women are hot. Also, there are some instances, especially on the internet, where you have no idea what a particular woman looks like. Fortunately, you can protect yourself from the hot woman or a woman of unknown attractiveness by calling her a slut or a whore. Being a slut is the next best thing to being ugly. You can’t take seriously anything a slut says or does, and a slut is automatically reduced to nothing but boobs and a dissipating vapor of sex appeal that will never amount to anything of substance. Even women who are unwilling to call another woman ugly or fat will use the slut label in the right circumstances.
3. Insult a woman for being a bitch.
You might not know what a woman looks like or anything about her sexual behavior or preferences. In these limited instances, you always can resort to the fall-back position of calling a woman a bitch. The bitch insult is always appropriate and can be used in conjunction with ugly and/or slut. “Bitch” is a very common insult; therefore, some innovation may be necessary. Innovative ways of saying “bitch” include: uptight, needs to get laid, harpy, dyke, killjoy, and one who takes things (especially the internet) too seriously.
So there you go. Hopefully, one day this kind of shit will die out. Until then, I guess I’ll just have to make fun of it.
As a man, Deadspin commentor, and relatively decent human being, I love this post. Furthermore, I love that most of the other men are letting it go in one ear and out the other faster than they can see the “Leave a Reply” section.
Ironically the article that links here from Deadspin agreed with most of what was being said in this article.
P.S. This site instantly got added to my RSS reader for being the shit, it’s nice to have more people who write about sports in the forgotten timezone, especially someone who writes well and is entertaining (besides Woody Paige).
Dova
August 1, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Tracy,
Why do you read something that pisses you off so much?
I try to avoid shit like that.
Pam
August 1, 2008 at 12:22 pm
“I am ugly AND fat AND a woman who reads Deadspin.”
Hey, hey, HEY!!! I will not listen to anyone talking that way about Clare. Not even Clare.
Go to you room this instant, young lady.
Extra P.
August 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Your thesis that many sports blog commenters are misogynists is very true. Scrolling around various sites comment threads feels like a meeting of the HeeMan Woman Hater’s club sometimes.
With that said, many of the comments you chose didn’t back up your point.
The truth is that many of the commenters on Deadspin are just trying to get a cheap laugh out of some mean spirited humor. You can find similarly low-brow jabs at male sports figures profiled on the site (ad nauseum).
Although it is important to not be sexist, it is also important not to make women out to be china dolls that are above criticism. If you have a legitimate bone to pick with a female you should be able to hash that out (in a respectful way of course).
If someone thinks that EA is dressing innapropriately for her job does that make them a sexist? really?
Good post though. Very thought provoking and well written.
Jeff V
August 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Do you have a commenting account? Do you want one?
Rob I.
August 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm
*cough*http://xkcd.com/386/*cough*
WrighteousMetsFan
August 1, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Because Tracy has never been at a bar, saw a girl wearing something designed soley to attract male attention, and then immediately leaned over to a girlfriend and made a snarky comment. Get off the cross Murphy Brown.
Deadspin is where the sportsfan comes home, sits in his favorite chair, flicks on the tube, and slides his hand down the front of his pants. He just spent all damn day living in your PC world, and would like to let a few harmless insults fly. Everyone else on the board knows the context of the comments, and if you think people log on to Deadspin with the expectation that they are gonna “take them females down a notch”, you know not of where you speak.
Do you think Sarah Jessica Parker would give a rats ass about what we think of her looks? Presented with that comment about her lookin like a horse, she’d reply “I’m rich, biyotch” and pay someone to throw a bag of lighter fluid on us. She cares what her gay husband thinks (does homophobia insult women too? See, I can comment on my comment just like you!) and what her kids think. The fact that you don’t understand the forum, doesn’t mean you are correct in your assumptions. Now go fix me some tater tots!
Olsentwinsvaluemenu
August 1, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I’m going to say kudos to you for letting all of the comments through. I think we should all abide by the rule that if we’re going to stick our necks out and espouse an opinion, we let readers give it back. Sometimes it sucks, but it’s the only honest way to do this.
Extra P.
August 1, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Oh, and it’s not misoginy, it’s misanthropy. Everyone gets theirs!
Olsentwinsvaluemenu
August 1, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Wiener…
Norms Hip Pillow
August 1, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Woops.
*cough* http://xkcd.com/386/ *cough*
WrighteousMetsFan
August 1, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Wow I thought I got away from you when I left home today.
So are you happy that the same people you just wrote about have made your sight popular for a day?
P.s. typical whiney bitch
Whendidmygfstartapost
August 1, 2008 at 1:02 pm
>>Commercials aired during sporting events or programs often are sexist.<<
Do you watch much television? In commercials that go for laughs, men are always portrayed as idiots.
Tim
August 1, 2008 at 1:27 pm
@Tracy: I’ll be sure to send you some royalties from my misogyny.
The Fan's Attic
August 1, 2008 at 1:44 pm
@ Dova – if you think Woody Paige writes well and/or is entertaining, you should probably turn in your Deadspin commenter license immediately.
SecretIdentity
August 1, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Don’t you hate pants?
Cognitive_Friction
August 1, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Damn baby I bet you’re a firecracker in the sack… why dont you come over and sit in my lap after you are done making me a sammich.
lol
August 1, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Tracy,
As a proud Deadspin commenter, I find it rather ironic that you trot out the stereotype of the Neanderthal male chauvinist sports fan in order to condemn all of us as sexist pigs because we make jokes based on a stereotype of women in sports. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more intelligent commentariat anywhere on the web than what you read at Deadspin. To my mind, the greatest sin about the comments you cite in your post aren’t that they’re over-the-top sexist, but that they really aren’t very funny, an egregious breach of the Deadspin Commentariat Manifesto Prime Directive: Thou shalt not NOT be funny.
That said, you raise good points (most of which are being debated, in some cases rather heatedly, on the site as I type this). It’s too bad that those points may subsequently drown in the sea of look-at-me hyperbole you chose to cloak the rest of your post with.
Senators Lost Cojones
August 1, 2008 at 2:44 pm
So, between the comments posted on here and the comments posted on DS, what have I learned? DS commenters can dish it out but they can’t take it. Tracy’s post, besides being pretty accurate, was funny. And quite frankly, it’s the DS commenters that are coming off as curlish, over-sensitive, petty and whiney. And several of the DS commenters’ attempts at look-at-me hyperbole humor on here are pretty pathetic. But hey, I must be on my period.
On a positive note, Tracy, I like your site.
Nadia
August 1, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Iron my shirt, bitch!
that guy in that one sign
August 1, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I am a new-ish Deadspin commenter (lonmgtime reader) and while you’re eright about the sexism, I’ll add a bit of advice: if you think Deadspin is bad for stuff like this AVOID THE YAHOO BLOGS. At least in the NHL blog within 10 comments 7 people didn’t understand the post and tell the author how much they suck, 3 insult each other for being fans of whatever team and 1 is a spambot. Yeesh.
loser domi
August 1, 2008 at 4:33 pm
I’m a guy and a huge baseball fan. I think that half these examples are people who have no life and have a serious denial problem. She is a very attractive and intelligent woman. Though some of the players may not have liked, it’s because most are twenty something and what do most guys do when they see a woman of EA’s physique come along. They’re gone from home half the year talking to other twenty somethings so there trying not to embarrass themselves on national TV. On that note, many of these guy’s bring stuff in that doesn’t have anything to do with what’s decent. Thank you for pointing out what’s wrong with the things that people will say when their is no physical repercussions.
On that note, I feel ashamed you have to bring all men into this equation. By saying that all men are sexist pigs who label people with stereotypes on the examples of a few is in itself an act of sexism and a stereotype. Yes,there are men who should keep their mouths shut, but not all of us have the blatant disregard of common courtesy to label women on a rating system or bring their wicks into an online forum.
And for the final flip-flop, most sportscasters don’t bring in anything amazing to to experienced persons. Most of the stuff they say is obvious, or stupid (I disagree with Joe Morgan half the time, if I even listen to what he says). They do it for the casual, to occasional fan, to keep them interested in the game. And the ball players need to grow a pair and look someone in the eye when being interviewed. So what if she’s wearing a studio picked dress, business on the field, and do what you have to do or say behind closed doors, don’t disrespect someone n national television.
Alec
August 1, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Hey Sweetheart, welcome to the conversations the majority of 20-something men have with each other when women aren’t around. Its what we do, we’re juvenile and about ten years less mature than women. Stay on the hippypreferredhikingtrails.com websites if you’re not interested in men, sports, or the BS we talk about.
Stone75
August 1, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Although, your site is pretty damn god.
/He sheepishly admits after posting a rant and then bothering to read the front page of the site.
Stone75
August 1, 2008 at 9:18 pm
[...] My pal Tracy of Hit by a Pitch incited a near riot both on her blog and over at Deadspin with her “Asshole’s Guide to Insulting Women. [...]
Friday night Blog Lines 8/1/08 « Gridiron Goddess
August 1, 2008 at 9:27 pm
The problem with the Deadspin commenters is not so much that they are sexist. It’s that they’re unspeakably lame. Every day it’s a race to post the most obvious Simpsons reference, or other inane, shopworn, fratboy joke. It’s pretty amusing how they’re constantly sucking each other’s dicks over this tired banter. I mean, this is the quality of an invited commentariat? Really? I mean, at least they can spell, putting them one step above the average internet commenter dross, but they are, by a long shot, the weakest link of an otherwise solid sports blog.
Dave
August 2, 2008 at 1:01 am
I’d hit it
skeet skeet
August 2, 2008 at 7:09 am
This post is crap. Sorry I’m not witty enough to come up with a long column of insults like you, but sometimes simplicity works. I could never walk into a room full of women and listen to the way they relate to each other and toss off general, generic insults of them, nor would I want to. But you did, so congrats. All you show with this garbage is your hatred of men, especially men who don’t pick flowers and don’t lay down their coats to cover puddles for women and don’t worship every single female on the planet. Pathetic.
Dre
August 2, 2008 at 8:31 am
And these are people who are accepted to be Deadspin commenters for their wit. “Butter Face” is some wit! Now I understand why I was never approved to comment on Deadspin.
Eileen
August 2, 2008 at 8:41 am
INTERESTING STUFF.
Jake
August 2, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I usually find myself reading the comments after every article on the Internet, be it news, sports, the auto industry, etc, etc. I think I enjoy reading just to see how off topic someone can get in such a short period of time. Regardless of the content of the site or article it will always degrade into the antithesis of a Mensa meeting faster than you can say “No, you’re an idiot!”, “No, you’re an idiot!”, “No, you’re an idiot!”, “No, you’re an idiot!”
This is where the 18 to 24 year old males get to finally talk some shit and “bully” someone else around after years of being abused. Granted, this is not as fulfilling as they expect it to be since they know deep down inside that when they’re in a bar, or on the road, or in their “super cool” frat house, they just sit there and take that same old abuse like the little mental midgets they’ve always been.
The fun part is counting how many comments it takes for the commenters to stop abusing the original target and start abusing each other (usually ten depending on the site). Eventually, someone calls someone a Yankees fan, a Nazi, or a queer or someone’s mom a Nazi or a queer and then it’s on like donkey kong (and quickly down hill from there). Like that car accident on the interstate, on the information super highway, you simply just can’t click the X button and drive away.
Great article by the way. Funny as hell too. Maybe we can design an application or website where people can comment on comments like that???? Before I leave I almost forgot to mention that you’re a queer Nazi idiot Yankees fan. There, I feel much better about myself now.
holydogwater
August 4, 2008 at 8:56 am
1) woman writes post critical of men’s behavior on another website.
2) men flood from said site onto woman’s website to continue that behavior, only more emphatically, and aimed directly at her:
–unsolicited and condescending judgments are offered about everything from her writing ability to what else she should be doing instead.
–another popular tactic is to find ways to make the male behavior (even if there are female exceptions) being criticized the woman’s fault, whether it’s “why do you read deadspin, then?” or “if you don’t want to be objectified, dress in a way I don’t find provocative.”
–use the words “oversensitive, petty, and churlish”, because a great way to refute criticism you don’t want to hear is to call the one doing the criticizing “oversensitive.” And when women act “churlish,” it’s best to remind them of that, also, in case they don’t realize they’re coming across as unladylike.
are the commenters on deadspin really the biggest issue facing the western world? of course not. but it’s still behavior that deserves to be criticized. reinforcing the author’s point by flinging insults / condescension at her doesn’t change that, either.
beth
August 4, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I don’t typically read the comments on deadspin or here, but I just sat through all of this.
Really Tracy, if you don’t like the website or the comments, don’t read them.
Whether you disagree with it or not, the First Amendment allows for the blogs, and the comments, well, everyone has an opinion, including you, it’s just not worthy of my time.
Thanks for the insight, I’ll be sure to never read this website again.
I will say the annoying font and lack of pictures and video also doesn’t help your awful website either.
Bryan
August 4, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Actually, I just thought your post was kind of toothless. Why do you resort to sarcasm in nearly every retort? The quotes you chose were (largely) devoid of the funny; even more unfortunate than that: your attempts at a lighthearted, I’m-above-this tone were dire. Failed humor makes me cringe. Even though I was rooting for you to land a couple punches on the self-congratulatory love-in that is Deadspin, I hate to admit it: Deadspin earned a TKO.
Look, any time you take on a closed-loop blog on the Gawker network, you’re going to come across as a feeb who can’t score a seat at the cool kids’ table (which, given the uncool demographic of Denton’s commenting/posting nexus, is impressively ironic). That’s just how it is. The same thing happens whenever people congregate to harp on the needy oeuvre of Mo & Slut Machine, or Emily Gould, or who have you. And it doesn’t help that your overarching observations (many guys define women down out of insecurity or fear, a lot of men who obsess over sex probably aren’t getting laid) are on the syllabus of Freshman Armchair Pysch.
Just call Deadspin what it is: a social networking site focused on sports. It’s got about 10-15 consistently great commenters and hundreds of guys who happened to get lucky with a Tim Tebow Messiah joke. The writing is pleasant enough: riddled with typos, full of facile editorials to make its readership feel all warm and special because they aren’t scoring press passes. It’s great for offbeat news scoops, ESPN takedowns, Rick Chandler, and the aforementioned commenting elite corps, but it’s not a fearsome sexist sports juggernaut. And it’s certainly not alone.
Oh, and save your bile for newsposts. I can’t tell you how many people get bent out of shape over Salon, TNR, the A.V. Club, etc., when their real, pathetic beef isn’t with the sites themselves – it’s with anonymous internet bile. It’s not going anywhere, believe me. No measure of reactionary snark – even if it’s not half-assed, as it was here – is going to shame it away.
Brad
August 4, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Tracy,
Thanks for this intelligent piece—I am glad at least one other female blogger has noticed this. When I first started reading Deadspin comments, I actually used to hit the “report comment” button (can you imagine? ah, to be young!) because I thought they were so awful. But none of them ever got taken down, so, I figured out that they must actually enjoy having comments that say things like, “I’d like to shove my dick up her ass!”
To each his (and I do mean “his”) own.
Sarah Green
August 4, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Spot on, Tracy. Boys will be boys is such a tired, exclusionary, bullshit excuse for acting like a jerk.
Sadly, Deadspin comments seem to be full of people who are still in the anal stage of development, so proud they can take a shit that they just have to smear it all over the walls for people to see.
Luckily, all of sports blogging comments are not like that. The Yankee blogs I read tend to have intelligent, respectful commenters and the commenters seem to have a good time, and be mostly male. So it certainly is possible, and makes the comment threads a lot more informative than those on Deadspin.
Deadspin choses this level of discourse, it is not a requirement for sports discussions, as you well know.
Elle
August 4, 2008 at 3:12 pm
If you don’t like us, and what we’re doing on the Interwebs, you just don’t “get” us and you’re an asshat.
We’re the funniest freakin people alive.
/dickjoke
+1 for me!
By the way, I’m writing this comment while I should be working on my LEGAL WORK at my LAW OFFICE. I’m a lawyer, you see. God I’m cool.
Deadspin Commenter
August 4, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Let me preface this by saying that I agree with the main thrust of your post. I’m a female sports fan who used to be a regular Deadspin reader, until I found the news to be less and less interesting, and the comments to be the same tired race/sex/sexuality/religion/etc. stereotypes. The easy jokes, you know?
You also forgot one of the other ways to insult women in a sports-related context: insult a woman for not being a woman. If she’s involved in women’s sports- or, really, anything related to sports at all- and she’s just a hair short of supermodel status, expect the dick jokes to start coming. In a related vein, this is also a way I’ve seen men insulted on sports-related blogs: if he likes women’s sports, he must not be a man at all. So you get, essentially, “insult a woman for being a man” and “insult a man for being a woman”.
But Deadspin’s not the only place where this shit happens. Take it from a WNBA fan- the racist, sexist, misogynist, so-prejudiced-it’s-a-wonder-they-can-type-and-breathe-at-the-same-time trolls are everywhere. They pop up on the ESPN message boards and “Conversation” threads. They show up for any article posted online. They’re on every sports blog I’ve run across that allows comments. And occasionally Deadspinners can get their shit together and have an actual discussion instead of a string of grunts, yes/nos, and Martin Lawrence references. This post inspired a really, really good one.
I suspect it’s more a matter of sports being something that engages just enough of the higher brain functions to allow for typing without actually, y’know, thinking.
Queenie
August 4, 2008 at 4:34 pm
I do love the “if you don’t like us then don’t read us” comment. Which of course can be expanded to “if you don’t like us not liking you then don’t comment on us commenting on your comments.” This could go on for years. Funny how some have a right to criticize anyone in anyway they feel necessary, but when it’s leveled at them… WAAAHHHH!!!!
Bottom line – some people like to abuse and some people like being abused. Seems like you’ve found both all in one with these guys. Good luck with that.
holydogwater
August 4, 2008 at 5:23 pm
I’ve never commented on the website, but I am a reader. I’d say I see one big assumptions here: What someone says a relatively anonymous message board isn’t necessarily exactly what they think.
I’ve learned from experience that it’s really a waste of time to get upset about what people say even if it’s blatant false, “offensive,” or ignorant. Angry or not, they won’t change because any one of us wants them to.
I really don’t care if you’re mad or if you’re going to jump to conclusions about what certain people are or aren’t. I will say it’s a path to being miserable a lot–and not being able to change anything.
That, of course, is the decision we all have to make.
deadspinreader
August 4, 2008 at 6:44 pm
You have no idea the can of worms you have opened. You just brought the internet against you. Do you know who Dee Mirich is? Well guess what, you are then next one.
Affirmed.
Go whine on jezebel if you want to complain about boys being mean. And they would probably say the same thing about Linda Cohen’s pantsuit, if not worse.
jodark
August 4, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Best comment? Definitely from Brad. Brad shifts the narrative almost entirely away from the topic of sexism, pops the collar on his letterman jacket, and informs Tracy that she’s a stupid square:
“Look, any time you take on a closed-loop blog on the Gawker network, you’re going to come across as a feeb who can’t score a seat at the cool kids’ table…”
At some point Brad becomes aware of how idiotic and UN-cool it is to be fawning over a friggin “social networking site,” so he adds some snark:
“…which, given the uncool demographic of Denton’s commenting/posting nexus, is impressively ironic).
Here’s an armchair diagnosis for you, Brad. You MIGHT be a myopic woman-hating, no poontang-getting, micropenis having, insecure boor. But you are most CERTAINLY a loser.
Onward. Brad thinks the article lacks bite because Tracy uses more sarcasm than he’d like. PLUS, her examples of DS fuckery aren’t FUNNY. “Failed humor,” makes him all squirmy. Casual misogyny, on the other hand, the kind that defines women first and foremost and forever according to fuckability and fertility, is something Tracy should learn to live with. And besides, Deadspin is “not a fearsome sexist sports juggernaut. And it’s certainly not alone.” (This last part confounds my feeble mind a widdle bit. Deadspin isn’t alone in their sexism but Deadspin is NOT sexist. Aiy…)
And with that the sexist boilerplate is complete:
1. Deflect. Attack. Condescend. Deny the possibility of sexism. Refuse to consider the claim of sexism. Frame any and all documented sexism as harmless. Remind the broad that she’s powerless.
I think what Brad is trying to say is that women are not allowed to speak about sexism. Wait! I think he’s also saying that we should ONLY call out misogyny on non-Gawker sites. Shit. Can’t do that either, cuz B sez that there’s nothing we can do about it anyway…
What to do, Brad?!
Hopelessly Devoted to Brad
August 4, 2008 at 10:14 pm
You. Don’t. Fuck.With. Gawker. Ever!
Tracy, do you see what you’ve done?! THEY WILL BURY YOU UNDER THEIR MATCHING LETTERMEN JACKETS.
Hopelessly Devoted to Brad AND JoDark
August 4, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Good for you.
I used to be confounded because it made me crazy. It made me crazy that women wanted to be there, but okay, it’s up to them. It made me crazy that “everyone” thought Deadspin was okay. I still don’t think it’s okay. I feel sad for the women who want to play there. I can do that, and they can still play there, and it’s all valid.
And then I realized that a whole lot of people actually don’t care. A lot of smart people don’t read Deadspin and don’t care about it.
I could go into more, but you already said everything. I will agree with the following statement: a lot of guys hate when they can’t control what women say, when women are smart or smarter than they are, when women don’t do what they want them to do, don’t look like a supermodel, when women do anything that disturbs their beer commercial fantasy world.
Not all guys are like this. They want to believe that they all are, so it makes them feel more secure in what they do. Most of those guys are over here now.
“Don’t say anything, THE INTERNET COMMENTERS WILL COME AFTER YOU AND CALL YOU FAT, UGLY AND UNFUCKABLE, and A FEMINIST!! OH NO WHAT WILL YOU DO!!!”
how they managed to take over the world eludes me, still.
And, dudes, if you were so dudely you would know that the First Amendment has nothing to do with blogs or blogging or comments.
caryn
August 5, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Wow. This post was so petty. Deadspin is a sports blog for fans that don’t take everything in sports so seriously . Taking a site like Deadspin so seriously is just pointless.
Most of the comments that seem to be so blatently sexist/racist are done and not taken seriously. It seems people not in on the joke are the ones being offended. I agree some of the mean-spirited comments are not necessary, but they are so insignificant it isn’t worth the effort to care.
People go to Deadspin to get away from mainstream sports media, because it can be annoyingly serious. In fact, many comments are people venting about the gimmicks ESPN is forcing upon fans who really don’t have many other places to go for sports coverage.
Men always have and always will objectify women. The author thinks she doesn’t know any men that are remotely sexist, but the fact is, men generally don’t objectify women when their around them because it obviously upsets them. It isn’t right to objectify a human being, which is part of the reason why commenters do so in such an over-the-top manner.
Most commenters on Deadspin aren’t trying to offend anyone so why let them?
Oh So Petty
August 6, 2008 at 2:46 am
[...] My pal Tracy of Hit by a Pitch incited a near-riot both on her blog and over at Deadspin with her Asshole’s Guide to Insulting Women. [...]
American Sports News » Blog Archive » Friday Night Blog Lines for Aug. 1
August 8, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Why are your whining over making fun of women? There are tons of men who get made fun of just as much on the internet. I’ve tried numerous times to try and understand where you are coming from….I can’t find it. Commenting on articles in an inane matter is part of the internet fun. You need to stop taking evertying so seriously and enjoy the retarded jokes. Yet, you choose to take the cry baby side. Sucks for you. Learn to laugh.
Jayson
October 31, 2008 at 3:09 am
Deadspin sucks. It is the Duke University of sports blogs: rich, white, preppy condescending assholes that think they are better and smarter than you. You have to audition to leave comments? Gimme a fuckin break. What a joke. Fuck deadspin I will never read that site again.
PS all these douchebags telling you to quit whining will change their tunes once they have a daughter. Or maybe they’ll never get it. Funny, because you WERENT EVEN WHINING, not to mention the fact you PREFACED THE WHOLE RANT by saying you dont take it seriously most of the time! Fucking morons
Matt
December 23, 2008 at 12:36 pm
your an uptight bitch that needs to get laid!!! hahahaha
dylan
February 28, 2009 at 9:52 pm