This stupid topic again

But sure

  • mozz@mbin.grits.devOP
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    4 months ago

    I use it just because it’s more distinctive than her last name and “Harris” takes a second to figure out, for me. I do the same with “Bernie”. It’s not a gender thing, it’s just an informal internet speech thing. Calling someone by only their last name is usually worse than calling them by their first name, and far worse than the titled version, in terms of respect engendered, but I say “Biden” and “Trump” all the time.

    Idk, you might have a point + maybe it’s something I should not be doing. There’s probably some subtle level of shade that exists with it even if it’s not intended. Maybe “Harris” is the equivalent? I feel weird typing “Kamala Harris” every time, let alone using her title like some kind of press release.

    • PedestrianError :vbus: :nblvt:@towns.gay
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      4 months ago

      @mozz I don’t think everyone intends for it to be sexist at all, it’s just that it takes places within a context in which female professors and medical doctors frequently report being on conference panels or introduced at meetings and have someone doing the introductions talk about, ‘Dr. This, Dr. That [both male], and Amy.’ It’s just one of many subtle ways women’s professional expertise and authority are quietly diminished.

      • mozz@mbin.grits.devOP
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        4 months ago

        No doubt; sounds like it sucks. But please don’t blame me for misogyny that they are doing.

        If you give me something to call her, equivalent to “Biden” or “Trump” or “Bernie” or things that I say about men in politics that I am talking about, I’m probably happy to start calling her that way.

        • PedestrianError :vbus: :nblvt:@towns.gay
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          4 months ago

          @mozz I’m not blaming you, I’m just saying that having a potential presidential nominee who is most frequently referred to by the public at large by a first name only is unusual and sets her apart from previous (male) nominees in ways which may unwittingly add to some voters’ already present feeling that perhaps she’s not really serious or experienced enough because she’s a woman.

            • PedestrianError :vbus: :nblvt:@towns.gay
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              4 months ago

              @mozz I would just try to mix it up a bit: Kamala Harris, VP Harris, the vice president, etc. Compare it to however you refer to male/white politicians in everyday speech and just try to balance it. If you’re calling Biden Joe or referencing a conversation between Bernie and Kamala or whatever, no problem. What really shouldn’t happen intentionally or not is unequal parallels like “the VP debate between Kamala and Vance” or “Biden and Kamala need to articulate their message better.”

              • mozz@mbin.grits.devOP
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                4 months ago

                Tell you what

                I’ll start calling her “Harris” and see how that seems. Like I say, I think you kinda have a point that it has a subtle impact even if the way it got arrived at has nothing to do with misogyny.