Those Lewinsky threads have some really vile posts...

[YoungDemCA]

Yet more evidence of misogyny and sexism. On a progressive website.

A couple threads:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4915152

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4917740

(not necessarily the OPs themselves, but some of those responses....ugh. Fucking horrible.

[TexasTowelie]

1. Agreed, both threads were horrible and I didn't read either of them until I served on the jury for

the first thread.

However, let us keep in mind that misandry (aka philogyny) is also prevalent on this site. It is just as wrong to call someone a "pr*ck" or a "d*ck" (however, I give some leeway when they are using those words to describe VP Cheney or the GOP candidates in 2012 like Santorum and Perry).

To avoid words that have such sexist connotations, I believe more appropriate words are terms like "sleazy" or "adulterer" which are more neutral and applicable to either. Hopefully people will make a greater effort to avoid the offensive terms and improve their vocabulary since some of the accounts have been flagged for review.

[Gravitycollapse]

2. Textbook cases of political opportunism.

In a conflict between ethics and and the party, we see poster's real predilections.

Abandoning ethics at the slightest sign of inconvenience means they weren't ever sincerely held beliefs. And these people are as much the enemy of feminism as any outspoken right-wing bigot.

[Agschmid]

3. Yup.

[newthinking]

4. I think it is a sickness, and unfortunately it infects even some of our own

We have become a terribly judgmental society.

[theHandpuppet]

7. Well said

It's still really damn frustrating even when we know its coming. I've seen the same pattern when it comes to issues of LGBT rights but then, homophobia and misogyny go hand in hand.

[intaglio]

5. Some of the misogynistic garbage is being hidden

I also suspect there'll be some PPRs and time-outs.

The problem is that too many people (I wanted to type men but, sadly, many are women) think that if someone unwisely idol worships a powerful person that worshiper is responsible when the powerful use them for sexual pleasure.

[ismnotwasm]

6. I can't even look

At work today, as often happens the family I dealt with was very right wing-- you can't argue. It was a rough day in general, and tiptoeing around right wingers over a 20 year issue is not what I wanted to deal with. They were disappointed it wasn't Benghzai on Fox News, but Ms. Lewinsky, but had no problem cheering on Fox News. I get home after a 14 hour day to log in to this despicable crap.

[Texasgal]

8. Nasty, nasty!

I responded on some but I am not sure I made any headway. Disgusting!!!

[BainsBane]

9. The amazing thing

Is some have decided those comments are the responsibility of "feminists" or "radfems." Granted, I haven't spent much time looking at those threads, but I have only seen condemnation of using terms like slut to refer to women by member of this group.

[Whisp]

10. I am a bit surprised and disappointed by all that

I sense that even some otherwise good feminists are looking at this as a way to protect Hillary rather than a way to treat Monica like a human being and not follow the status quo of evil succubus home wrecker while the man goes ahead with life as normal.

There have been posts by strong Hillary supporters about Monica's past sex life and try to paint it as distasteful and gross and generally how awful a person she is because she had sex and are judging who and how old her mates were -- mainly because they see her as a threat to Hillary's run, I suppose. The fact that Monika apparently had an abortion was also brought up. Jesus Christ.

A particular poster of this kind is one of the first ones to cry out sexism at every opportunity whether deserved or not when it's applied against Hillary but has no trouble spouting this ancient evil woman crap against Monica.

That is sad beyond sad.

[boston bean]

11. Really? I've seen the opposite.

Maybe I've missed it.

[Whisp]

12. You did miss them then. n/t