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On Using "Humor" to Shame and Silence Feminists

By Fannie

Yesterday I wrote about some Klassy "humor" by our friend the Playful Walrus. Walrus has written a response complaining that, come on you knew this was coming, "Feminists Have No Sense of Humor" (tm). Accusing feminists of having no sense of humor when they are ridiculed is an expected reaction from someone who has been so clearly called out on his rudeness.

Not only is Walrus completely unapologetic in accusing feminist women of being unattractive, he continued the meme by providing the "funny" Rush Limbaugh "feminism was established as to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society" quote. He's sort of like That Guy we all know who will publicly ridicule your new outfit and then tack on a "What? I was just kidding" at the end of it as though that somehow erases the mean thing he just said. It's like, just own your rude behavior, dood. It is not feminists who are No Fun for not finding humor in being told that they, as a class, are unattractive. It's you who is Not Funny. And it is you who is No Fun for creepily objectifying the looks of your political opponents.

Anyway, to pick nits, that whole lack of a sense of humor bit, well that's another falsehood that I have to call the man out on. The thing is, we feminists and lesbians are often quite willing to engage in humor, including the self-depricating variety. Unfortunately, some people mostly find "humor" when it comes at the expense of others. That is, as Ellen (one of many funny lesbians feminists) would say, some people just don't know how to kid properly. When a funny joke has been made, we'll know it, because we will all be laughing. But when the biggest reception your "joke" gets is a couple of coughs and a loud boo, well, any diligent comedian would re-think the "funniness" of his routine.

So, while Walrus's response contains a lot of words, it's essentially a highly disappointing run-around. A simple apology would have sufficed. Yet, I doubt that one will ever be forthcoming from one who firmly believes in the truth of his deluded Feminists Are Ugly worldview. It's a bizarre argument he's made, and he tries to backtrack a bit in admitting that he doesn't even know what a feminist is to begin with. But he clarifies his stance a bit by separating feminists into the good anti-choice, feminine, heterosexual kind versus the bad pro-choice, masculine, lesbian kind. If one falls into the first class, he writes, "there's a good chance you're not a feminist in the sense to which I was referring in my earlier blog entry." Wow, deep thoughts.

Again, this is all relevant to anything how?

I guarantee this man that he sees pro-choice feminist women who may or may not be lesbians probably every day of his life, assuming he does venture into public from time to time. Yet, because the imaginary feminists that dance in his head are unattractive baby-killing Leftist Gender Warriors who burn patchouli, braid their pubic hair, and smear menstrual blood on each other by the light of the waning moon at Michfest**, he doesn't even recognize or acknowledge attractive "normal" women as being feminists when sees them. It's all about confirmation bias for some people. Every time he sees a feminist woman who is unattractive (to him), it just confirms his grand theory about what all feminists are like.

To end his non-apology, Walrus cited a "funny" anti-feminist book by a Townhall writer and has encouraged his reader$ to read it. I encourage you all, and especially Walrus and his readership, to read this post about how anti-feminists often use "humor" as a tool to shame and silence feminists.

** Self-depricating and funny. See how it's done? Hardy-har-har.

Full post as published by Fannie's Room on February 26, 2009 (boomark / email).