Feel This Rant
Warning: I am NOT going to be pleasant on today's post. This is an actual rant, one I may regret tomorrow, but I feel too strongly about this not to state an opinion. Does this have to do with writing? In a broad sense, yes. It has to do with women taking themselves seriously and not acting the fool for any man (or woman) who will pay them a compliment.
If I were a good blogger I would send you to every link that's been talking about The Boob Project. But I don't have the patience to look up every place I saw it posted, so I will send you to theferret, where this originated. Go here and here, and then to Dear Author, the only place I posted.
If I understood this correctly, a mixed group of people came up with the Open Source Boob Project at PenguiCon, whereby if you wear a button, you were given the privilege of being asked whether another person can touch your boobs.
Can someone tell me in what world do they think this makes sense? Evidently, these guys thought PenguiCon was it.
How needy do you have to be to come up with this lame-brain scheme, or worse be a particpant to it?
theferret goes on to say that what works in the microcosm doesn't necessarily work in the macrocosm.
Ya think?
He further says that while it was women who originated this idea, he was not going to use them as a shield to protect himself from the barbs that ensued.
How noble.
According to theferret this is how it happened: "The original group was pretty firmly mixed: three women, four men. The originators of the Project were women, who asked first, and received first, with the men asking afterwards. In fact, it started out as women exploring each other."
So basically you get a couple of drunk, needy chicks who want to touch each other and you think you have a social experiment.
Oh, please! Try to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge now.
I'm glad theferret realized it wasn't a smart move and would not repeat it. He insists he would not want women to feel unsafe at cons.
This has nothing to do with safety. I'm not intimidated. I'm insulted. It's bad enough some loser wants a free ticket to cop a feel, but then to pawn this off as part of a social statement smacks of absurdity.
Just because some idiot lets you touch her privates does not make it a bright idea---unless you're a 14-year pimply faced boy.
I'm not a prude and have no issues with showing flesh. And if you want to get all touchy feely with each other, get your jive on in any dark corner you choose. But don't sell this as some sort of social experiment.
You're not fooling anyone, except the yahoos who bought into this sham. I expected this from men. (What guy turns down a free grope?) But hand to heart, I am really, REALLY disappointed in the women who thought this was okay.
And to the woman who first gave her permission to be groped, yes, you are needy and insecure. Please don't try to hide behind something nobler. It wasn't. It was just a cheap feel that gave you a false feeling of power and validation. I am hoping there was liquor involved. I'd hate to think any sober woman would see this as worthy.
This may be the first time I've ever ranted on this blog, but this just made me mad. I'm glad theferret saw the error in it, but I can't say it's redeemed him. I wish him luck.
If I were a good blogger I would send you to every link that's been talking about The Boob Project. But I don't have the patience to look up every place I saw it posted, so I will send you to theferret, where this originated. Go here and here, and then to Dear Author, the only place I posted.
If I understood this correctly, a mixed group of people came up with the Open Source Boob Project at PenguiCon, whereby if you wear a button, you were given the privilege of being asked whether another person can touch your boobs.
Can someone tell me in what world do they think this makes sense? Evidently, these guys thought PenguiCon was it.
How needy do you have to be to come up with this lame-brain scheme, or worse be a particpant to it?
theferret goes on to say that what works in the microcosm doesn't necessarily work in the macrocosm.
Ya think?
He further says that while it was women who originated this idea, he was not going to use them as a shield to protect himself from the barbs that ensued.
How noble.
According to theferret this is how it happened: "The original group was pretty firmly mixed: three women, four men. The originators of the Project were women, who asked first, and received first, with the men asking afterwards. In fact, it started out as women exploring each other."
So basically you get a couple of drunk, needy chicks who want to touch each other and you think you have a social experiment.
Oh, please! Try to sell me the Brooklyn Bridge now.
I'm glad theferret realized it wasn't a smart move and would not repeat it. He insists he would not want women to feel unsafe at cons.
This has nothing to do with safety. I'm not intimidated. I'm insulted. It's bad enough some loser wants a free ticket to cop a feel, but then to pawn this off as part of a social statement smacks of absurdity.
Just because some idiot lets you touch her privates does not make it a bright idea---unless you're a 14-year pimply faced boy.
I'm not a prude and have no issues with showing flesh. And if you want to get all touchy feely with each other, get your jive on in any dark corner you choose. But don't sell this as some sort of social experiment.
You're not fooling anyone, except the yahoos who bought into this sham. I expected this from men. (What guy turns down a free grope?) But hand to heart, I am really, REALLY disappointed in the women who thought this was okay.
And to the woman who first gave her permission to be groped, yes, you are needy and insecure. Please don't try to hide behind something nobler. It wasn't. It was just a cheap feel that gave you a false feeling of power and validation. I am hoping there was liquor involved. I'd hate to think any sober woman would see this as worthy.
This may be the first time I've ever ranted on this blog, but this just made me mad. I'm glad theferret saw the error in it, but I can't say it's redeemed him. I wish him luck.
Comments
You're completely correct of course. I had expected more of sf&f, and Linux, fans ... just goes to show. The sound you hear across the ocean is me banging my head on the desk.
I lived through that era. I am not going back.
Truth be told, I am angrier at the women. Most comments I've seen in cyberspace blame the men, but it's the women who allowed this to happen.
No one forced them. No one threatened to throw them out of the con. They "thought" it was a good idea.
Too often I've seen women act the fools just so they can get pity validation. This is a prime example.