Sexism is ok in the globalized landscape September 27, 2004 11:30 AM   Subscribe

So now that this little prostitute has enough money for herself...

so that this little chippie can pretend to be Mother Theresa...

So, is sexism excused when there's a globalization argument to pile on? I just want to make sure.

There's no point getting angry at Faze though.

I strongly disagree.
posted by solistrato to Etiquette/Policy at 11:30 AM (63 comments total)

As soon as I saw that thread this morning, I knew someone was going to troll using that very argument. I wasn't aware the thrust was going to turn so misogynist though. I think in this case the bait tastes more like sexism instead of 'celebrities are rich and want more celebrity.' We all know we shouldn't take the bait... but it just looks so tasty!
posted by sciurus at 11:40 AM on September 27, 2004


I'm sorry for being flippant about it in the thread, solistrato. The thread wasn't big enough for all the different levels of insensitivity Faze was showing in there. (The economic part of the argument seemed to be closest to on-topic, but that didn't mean the rest of his trollery was irrelevant.)

Obviously, the Little Multiplatinum-Selling Music Icon did something pretty heinous to Faze sometime in the past for this relatively benign act to bring out such visceral hatred.

But yeah, with the Oprah-gift thing last week, it seems everyone's teeth are a little sharper this time through (a variation on) the argument.

Faze might want to adjust his meds. No singer-songwriter (and I speak as one myself) deserves that much hatred for their off-stage actions.
posted by chicobangs at 11:47 AM on September 27, 2004


I think we should take Faze to the alley out back and shoot him in the back of the head, execution style for questioning the morals of the lovely Ms McLachlan. It's the only reasonable response.
posted by keswick at 11:49 AM on September 27, 2004


I don't like the way she sings out of the side of her mouth.
posted by rocketman at 12:05 PM on September 27, 2004


most any big music celeb is a prostitute - they've whored themselves out to the industry. i don't think Faze was attacking women, i think Faze is pissed because there ain't no johns flocking around *his* music career.
posted by quonsar at 12:05 PM on September 27, 2004


chicobangs: I think, basically, that if someone wants to rehash the old tired "THESE CELEBRITIES ONLY DO IT FOR THEMSELVES" argument, then hey, go right ahead. What rankled was that Faze's post was such an obvious troll, and so obviously bitter, that I was shocked that people actually tried to engage it and completely ignored the fact that he was basically calling her a whore.

keswick: oh, cut that out. ;)

quonsar: I definitely got the sense that Faze was not being metaphorical about her prostitution. Those were some bitter herbs there.
posted by solistrato at 12:10 PM on September 27, 2004


Yes, Faze's comment was way over the top and his language was uncalled for, but, honestly... why make it worse??

Faze, go fuck yourself
shut the fuck up faze...
Wanker. Troll.
kill yourself.
Dear Faze: fuck off.


If you know he's trolling then how is littering the thread with redundant "fuck you's" and angry comments doing anything but exacerbating the situation (and encouraging him)?
posted by Stauf at 12:14 PM on September 27, 2004


Faze isn't the only one throwing around excrement like confetti.
Quonsar, were you thinking of James Byrd?
posted by dhoyt at 12:18 PM on September 27, 2004


Maybe Faze was jealous of the success of Canada's Sweetheart.

I know I sure am. Even if I don't lay huge honking randomly hateful runny turds in the middle of threads about her (yet).
posted by chicobangs at 12:33 PM on September 27, 2004


I'm not sure that "prostitute" can be shown to be sexist in that case. The complaint was that the person in question would do undignified things for money. That much is metaphor, perhaps risque, but metaphor, not slur. Because - SURPRISE - "prostitute" is not a gendered word. There are plenty of male prostitutes. Words like "cunt" are gendered slurs. But you could just as easily call Justin Timberlake a "prostitue" in the same sense as used here.

In fact, this MeTa callout is a little sexist, because its allegation of sexism assumes that "prostitute" is a female-gendered slur.

No idea wtf Faze was thinking, but if we're going to go PC, let's go all the way.
posted by scarabic at 1:04 PM on September 27, 2004


I often call Justin Timberlake a cunt.

Matter of fact, that's about the only time I ever use that word.
posted by chicobangs at 1:09 PM on September 27, 2004


I think the addition of the word "chippie" gives more weight to the charge.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 1:21 PM on September 27, 2004


Actually I do think prostitute is a bit of a gendered word. When I was in college (10 years ago) I looked up prostitute in my thesaurus, and just about every word applied to women. Then there was a "see" reference to gigolo, and just about every one of those words applied to men. Even at thesaurus.com, this just about holds true today:

Entry: prostitute
Function: noun
Definition: loose woman
Synonyms: B-girl, bag, bawd, bimbo, blower, broad, call girl, camp follower, cat, chicken, chippie, concubine, courtesan, fallen woman, floozy, harlot, hooker, hostess, hustler, loose woman, midnight cowboy, model, moll, nymphomaniac, painted woman, party girl, pickup, pink pants, pro, scarlet woman, slut, streetwalker, strumpet, tart, tomato, tramp, trollop, white slave, whore, working girl

2 entries found for gigolo:

Entry: escort
Function: noun
Definition: accompaniment
Synonyms: alarm clock, attendant, beau, bird dog, bodyguard, boyfriend, cavalier, chaperon, companion, company, consort, convoy, convoyer, cortege, date, entourage, fellow, gallant, gigolo, guard, guide, henchman, john, partner, protection, protector, retinue, safeguard, shag, squire, train, warden

Entry: rake
Function: noun
Definition: seducer
Synonyms: Casanova, chaser, debauchee, dissolute man, Don Juan, gigolo, lech, lecher, libertine, Lothario, make-out artist, philanderer, playboy, player, profligate, rascal, roué, seducer, sensualist, sport, swinger, tomcat, voluptuary, wolf, womanizer

I especially enjoy "pink pants." So girlie!
posted by onlyconnect at 1:23 PM on September 27, 2004


onlyconnect, so that establishes that there are equivalent but different terms for males and females who sell their bodies. Doesn't make 'prostitute' sexist, Faze can't very well call her a gigolo.

Though he is still a putz.
posted by Space Coyote at 1:40 PM on September 27, 2004


Was I the only one that thought Faze was no less reasonable than many of the other commenters in the thread? I was thinking about calling out the people who told Faze to shut up or to fuck off but thought better of it. People here really need to learn not to shout down every idea they disagree with. Geez and people wonder why some people are afraid to dissent with the groupthink that is so prevalent on MeFi. Just because someone doesn't agree with you and uses forceful language to make that point doesn't necessarily make them trolls.
posted by gyc at 1:48 PM on September 27, 2004


I'm not sure that "prostitute" can be shown to be sexist in that case.

Yeah, well his subsequent use of very gendered refrences aside, I think the 'little' gives it away. This is what we tend to call women when we want to dismiss them. Calling Justin Timberlake a 'little prostitute' would sound inherently feminizing wouldn't it? (not that JT needs any help in that depatrment...)
posted by lumpenprole at 2:01 PM on September 27, 2004


All are prostitutes in the eyes of Morbo.
posted by Krrrlson at 2:03 PM on September 27, 2004


I was thinking about calling out the people who told Faze to shut up or to fuck off but thought better of it.

Go ahead, I was one of them. And no, I don't think refering to somebody as 'this little prostitute' because she may or may not have contributed to charity out of self-interest is in the least reasonable. I figure, if you go into an argument slinging that kind of rhetoric, get ready to get shouted at.
posted by lumpenprole at 2:07 PM on September 27, 2004


Space Coyote, looking at the definitions and synonyms, I wouldn't really call the words "equivalent." Gigolo and most of its equivalents are practically complimentary in both usage and culture. Prostitute and most of its equivalents have nothing but bad connotations attached to them.
posted by onlyconnect at 2:15 PM on September 27, 2004


My first big Mefi disappointment was posting a thread about music that Faze didn't deign to leave one of his inimitable comments in.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 2:16 PM on September 27, 2004


if we're going to go PC, let's go all the way.

Exactly, scarabic...well said.

Let's take the PC challenge to this FPP:-

- sexist implication of the word "prostitute" by many posters here.

....our survey says:-

those of you who deny the true definition of "prostitute" are all sexist.

onlyconnect, read this definition of "prostitute":-

1. One who solicits and accepts payment for sex acts.
2. One who sells one's abilities, talent, or name for an unworthy purpose.

Why do people ironically rely on sexism to accuse others of sexism? Why do the most PC people in this world only see the "ism"s everywhere? Then why do these PC people become utterly unaware of their own bigoted sexism/racism/etc?

Grow a fucking spine already.

Boo-fucking-hoo indeed.
posted by SpaceCadet at 2:54 PM on September 27, 2004



Faze isn't the only one throwing around excrement like confetti.


when in rome...
posted by quonsar at 3:21 PM on September 27, 2004


Nice. Just fwiw, check out your own link. The definitions you cite aren't gender specific, but several of the other ones on that page are. For example:

prostitute

\Pros"ti*tute\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prostituted; p. pr. & vb. n. Prostituting.] [L. prostitutus, p. p. of prostituere to prostitute; pro before, forth + statuere to put, place. See Statute.] 1. To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use; to give up to lewdness for hire. ``Do not prostitute thy daughter.'' --Lev. xix. 29.

prostitute

n : a woman who engages in sexual intercourse for money [syn: cocotte, whore, harlot, bawd, tart, cyprian, fancy woman, working girl, sporting lady, lady of pleasure, woman of the street] v : sell one's body; exchange sex for money

And note especially this one:

prostitute

\Pros"ti*tute\, n. [L. prostituta.] 1. A woman giver to indiscriminate lewdness; a strumpet; a harlot.

2. A base hireling; a mercenary; one who offers himself to infamous employments for hire.

No hireling she, no prostitute to praise. --Pope.

With these last two definitions, when it refers to sex it specifically refers to females. When it refers to being "a mercenary" (e.g., someone who fights for money) it can be either, though here the male pronoun is used. To say the word has equal meanings and connotations for men and women, or that the meanings contain an equal slur for each gender, ignores all the other definitions that you've ignored, which is nice for you.

But I don't mean to blow this out of proportion; I think it's a pretty subtle distinction, to be honest. I just remembered the little thesaurus experiment I conducted when I was in college, and remembered that the word didn't seem to be applied equally to men and women *at all*.
posted by onlyconnect at 3:29 PM on September 27, 2004


i was going to say something offensive here, but I'm not really into it right now. Can everyone just stop discussing what the word "prostitute" means. prostitutes.
posted by bob sarabia at 3:30 PM on September 27, 2004


onlyconnect, the chip on your shoulder is wearing me out....god only knows what it's doing to your posture.
posted by SpaceCadet at 3:45 PM on September 27, 2004


So there are no male prostitutes? "Prostitute" is only applicable to women? That's nonsense. Pull out as many dictionaries as you want, but in usage "Prostitute" is not gender specific.

Faze is insane, but harmless, let it go.
posted by elwoodwiles at 3:58 PM on September 27, 2004


Never said there are no male prostitutes. I just said that it is incorrect to say the word "prostitute" is not a gendered word. Several definitions (associated exclusively with lewdness and sex) apply only to women, and not to men. If the definitions applying to lewdness are used disproportionately to refer to women over men (and according to SpaceCadet's link, they are), I think it is naive to say that the word is technically gender neutral.

I'm not saying Faze is sexist; I'm saying that because of customary usage, it's not sexist to interpret the word "prostitute" when used on a woman as a sexual slur. Particularly in light of other arguments made here about the additional diminunizing terms "little" as well as "little chippie," which no one has disputed.

And I would have stopped arguing this two posts ago if SpaceCadet's post hadn't supported my point.
posted by onlyconnect at 4:26 PM on September 27, 2004


I, too, stumbled over that term "little chippie." I immediately went blind and so lost my ability to read anything that Faze wrote subsequently. He may have made some reasonable points. I'll never know.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:54 PM on September 27, 2004


Pull out as many dictionaries as you want, but in usage "Prostitute" is not gender specific.

It's always easy to delve into a semantic argument and ignore the bleeding obvious, though. Despite the ways the word "prostitute" may or may not be used, Faze's use was one of the most bile-filled and obnoxious, I've seen on Metafilter, combined with the "little chippie" especially.

Faze is insane, but harmless, let it go.

True...A fact that will be demonstrated by the thousands of adoring fans and respectful public who won't attend his funeral one day...
posted by Jimbob at 5:01 PM on September 27, 2004


From Faze in the original thread: "I apologize for the prostitute remark, and my perhaps too-quick-off-the-mark comments on this post. I certainly didn't mean to attract this level of ad hominem vitriol, or provoke the generally scrappy tone of the comments in this thread. I'm going to go out to the library right now, and take out a Sarah MacLachlan CD and see if I might actually like her. She might even become my new favorite band."

So, peace.
posted by onlyconnect at 5:42 PM on September 27, 2004


For all the people arguing about whether prostitute is gender-specific, "chippie" means female prostitute so your argument lacks substance, or at least meaningful substance. I think the sentiment itselfs is laughable enough, whether he was engaging in sexism or not. But I come across those sorts of things with some regularity here. The best thing to do is ignore it or argue against it coherently.
posted by The God Complex at 5:57 PM on September 27, 2004


She might even become my new favorite band.

HAH! proof positive you kidz have no clue what a 'band' is anymore!!!
posted by quonsar at 6:00 PM on September 27, 2004


Sarah Maclachlan's not a prostitute.

I wouldn't dream of paying to hit that.
posted by jonmc at 6:13 PM on September 27, 2004


For all the people arguing about whether prostitute is gender-specific, "chippie" means female prostitute so your argument lacks substance

Um, no, it really doesn't. "Chippie" is gender-specific. It's slang for a female prostitute. "Prostitute" doesn't necessarly refer to a female, but to someone who sells sexual favors. If the question is 'what is a prostitute?' I think a proper definition wouldn't refer to gender.

I checked through a bunch of oxford related stuff that defined prostititue as being "usually a female" which I still think is weird. The Oxford American, on the other hand, lacks any denotation of gender at all. So I guess I'll just shrug and say it doesn't matter, but continue to use the word in a non-gender-specific manner.

That's enough pedantry for one day.
*Cracks a cold one*
posted by elwoodwiles at 6:14 PM on September 27, 2004


I certainly didn't mean to attract this level of ad hominem vitriol

Is this what passes for apology these days?
posted by Space Coyote at 6:33 PM on September 27, 2004


If we're done shittin' on Sarah McLaughlan, can we start pissin' on Paula Cole?
posted by dhoyt at 6:46 PM on September 27, 2004


And then puke all over Natalie Merchant??

Can we huh?
posted by jonmc at 6:47 PM on September 27, 2004


Only if you don't "Come on Eileen".
posted by yhbc at 7:06 PM on September 27, 2004


My college girlfreind's name was Eileen. She really hated that song.
posted by jonmc at 7:14 PM on September 27, 2004


Pull out as many dictionaries as you want, but in usage "Prostitute" is not gender specific.

It's always easy to delve into a semantic argument and ignore the bleeding obvious, though.


Well, I only brought it up because I thought the term was applied for its connotations with "sellout, a person who will do anything for money," etc rather than "generic insult toward someone with a vagina."

Prostitute usually does imply "woman," but it's crucial to point out that it doesn't necessarily, and so it's not necessarily sexism to apply it. Considering how much of the context concerned money, I took the "lack of any values except money" meaning. If the word usually means a woman, and, uh... SM is a woman, then, uh... yeah. Okay.

Um, ban/burn him or whatever.
posted by scarabic at 9:15 PM on September 27, 2004


Scarabic, you called out solistrato for him/herself making a sexist callout of Faze, because you said the word "prostitute" was completely gender neutral. And yet, several definitions of prostitute that apply only to women have only especially lewd or sexual definitions attached. I don't think that's gender neutral, so I think your callout was misplaced. This, plus "little chippie." But, you know, peace.
posted by onlyconnect at 10:35 PM on September 27, 2004


Not a big fan of her music, but she's quite a looker. Vavoom, etc.
posted by chicobangs at 10:59 PM on September 27, 2004


Aright, aright. I concede that the definitions listed are in the dictionary. That wasn't really the point. The point is whether the usage of it amounted to sexism or not. I thought it was more character assassination than sexism, personally. That's my opinion. I wasn't "calling out" solistrato, just shining a different light on it.

Let no one be called a prostitute here ever again! (as long as we agree to ban the use of "prick," too, because, you know, that's a sexist word, and it starts with "P" too!) ;P
posted by scarabic at 11:23 PM on September 27, 2004


frickkin' sexist dictionaries...
posted by scarabic at 11:24 PM on September 27, 2004


The word 'prostitute' by itself has feminine connotations. Otherwise why would you need to modify it with 'male'?
posted by emmling at 1:14 AM on September 28, 2004


Even if you choose to willfully ignore the fact that "prostitute" can apply to both men and women, that still doesn't make faze's comment sexist. He's talking about one woman, and the nature she is earning her money. The accusation may be factually incorrect, but the word "prostitute" is accurately used in the context it was applied. He is not talking about women in general (if he was, he's a sexist). If you want to accuse him of anything, accuse him of SarahMclachlanism.
posted by SpaceCadet at 2:35 AM on September 28, 2004


Faze, go fuck yourself
shut the fuck up faze...
Wanker. Troll.
kill yourself.
Dear Faze: fuck off.


yeah, that's the way you deal with contrarian arguments.
A+, children.

there was just one impossible-to-defend thing in Faze's comments, the "prostitute" slur. and he has apologized.

but the kind of shit he got for simply questioning a millionaire crooner's good faith, well, it is appalling.

fact: McLachlan is getting lots of good publicity for a good deed. deal with it, Sarah fans.

nobody except McLachlan herself knows wether she is in good faith or it's just a self-promoting ploy.
want to criticize Faze's trickle-down economics? OK, go ahead.
but fuck-offs are childish, and rude, and not particularly intelligent.

if this alleged lib'rul community is uncapable take dissent on a
topic like Sarah Fucking McLachlan, well, we're in trouble. we'd better stick to linking to Flash sites, then.

MeFi gangbangs can get pretty nasty. Faze has apologized for the "prostitute" thing. the rest of his comments, he is completely entitled to express an opinion without having a bunch of people wishing for his violent death.
posted by matteo at 3:49 AM on September 28, 2004


That's fine, matteo, but for one thing: faze has a reputation for surliness and provocative comments that often cause outcries such as the one in that thread. Granted, the reactions he caused were extreme, to say the least, but certainly not unexpected. Why couldn't faze make his point without the slurs? He has a good point and a valid viewpoint that is lost by the way he expressed it - he essentially shot himself in the foot. As to his apology, it happened at the end of the thread and is next to worthless. If he really felt bad about the comments he made, why didn't he apologize before that?
posted by ashbury at 5:36 AM on September 28, 2004


That's fine, matteo, but for one thing: faze has a reputation for surliness and provocative comments that often cause outcries such as the one in that thread.

I'd rather have a surly contrarian who makes people work to prove their points rather than a site fulla nodding "me too"-ers.
posted by jonmc at 6:26 AM on September 28, 2004


I have no porblem with the way he presented his argument (well, a small one but I'm pretty forgiving) but most people do, and they should. Faze tends to be contrarian, which is not only fine, it's wonderful, but he needs to phrase his comments in a manner that will not detract from his point. If he would stop making comments full of crap and stick to his point, he might become a very well-respected member of the community. At this time, however, he's argument or point, such as it is, is missed by knee-jerk responses to his inflammatory comments - classic troll behaviour, unfortunately, since he knows from past history that his commenting style usually ends up with people getting upset with him. I sincerely think that's sad.
posted by ashbury at 6:43 AM on September 28, 2004


Well, ashbury, maybe (as matteo posited) the response he gets is at least partly the fault of the responders. I, for one, do respect Faze, even though he's called me a socialist among other things.
posted by jonmc at 6:46 AM on September 28, 2004


As to his apology, it happened at the end of the thread and is next to worthless. If he really felt bad about the comments he made, why didn't he apologize before that?

Because he's not sitting around glued to the monitor waiting for his next chance to "jump back in"? Maybe he was cuttin' grass or tracking a dead animal.
posted by Witty at 6:51 AM on September 28, 2004


Witty, he made more than one comment in that thread, with his second one being well after much of the vitriol tossed his way. He knew of the lack of well-being he was generating.

jonmc, there is no doubt that the responders are at fault, but so is faze. We've proven over and over again that the kinds of comments faze indulges in will always get those kinds of responses. Kill yourself??? That is so overboard as to merit its own callout, but because of his comments and his history, he asks for the vitriol. It's a sad but true fact that many people rise to the bait instead of discussing the crux of the point being made. It's human nature to respond to the negative rather than the positive and altho we 'filterites aspire to being better than that, we usually fail miserably.

I still ask why it is that faze can't post his thoughts in a manner that isn't inflamatory? If he wants to be taken seriously, and I think he does, he needs to make a better effort at not being derogatory, or at the very least choosing better and more respectful terms than he currently uses.
posted by ashbury at 7:41 AM on September 28, 2004


there was nothing inflammatory, except the prostitute thing, ashbury. he justs thinks McLachlan is an opportunist
posted by matteo at 8:07 AM on September 28, 2004




(scarabic, you know I like you! I just get fixated on little things and won't let go, in manner of yippy terrier dog. I also really, really appreciate that you raise interesting points without ever getting personal or insulting. So, thanks for that, and have a lovely day!)
posted by onlyconnect at 8:14 AM on September 28, 2004


ashbury, I just don't think faze was being that inflamatory in the first place.

As it happens, I disagree strongly with his point of view regarding the post (in my worldview, people working 16 hours a day for just $2 get far more of my sympathy than a sound/video engineer that just might have to flip burgers at 10$ per hour if he loses his job).

But inflamatory? Really? If so, then I think I should make a call-out everytime a guy on MeFi gets called a dick or a prick, or some other gender-specific term that possibly may offend. Then my guess is I'd get called an ultra-sensitive ninny (and quite rightly). That's pretty much what I'm calling those people who're (couldn't resist the pun) offended by "prostitute" in this thread.
posted by SpaceCadet at 8:22 AM on September 28, 2004


Well, if anything at least I've learned a new word for misogynist verbal abuse, I had previously thought a chippie (or chippy as the OED insists) was a carpenter. You live and learn.
posted by biffa at 8:33 AM on September 28, 2004


As someone who has on more than one occasion been told I've been too harsh on people's asinine comments, the "go fuck yourself Faze" pile-on was over the top. Yes, Faze made an inappropriate remark (or two) within an ignorant thesis, but come on, people- there were tons of things he said you could have picked apart, and you're focusing on two words?

Oh, and bravo, emmling. Nice to see some common sense amongst the obsession over OED definitions.
posted by mkultra at 10:38 AM on September 28, 2004


spacecadet, faze was inflamatory in two ways: the first in his use of the words "prostitute" and "chippie", the second in the manner in which he framed his point of view. Calling somebody a prostitute is fine, or somebody a prick, dick, cocksucker, motherfucker, whore, butthole, assclown, freak, dink, ignorant, asshole, redneck, etc etc is also fine, if they deserve it or the description is somehow apt, but I don't believe this was the case. For example, instead of saying So now that this little prostitute . . . he could have said something along the lines of Sarah McLachlan has prostituted her values and . . . That would have made his P.O.V. far more acceptable to most and certainly wouldn't have generated the hate I read in that thread. Also, as I've mentioned a few times now, faze has a history of being contrary and difficult - when your reputation precedes you, you have to accept that your words will be misconstrued. So yeah, I think he was being inflamatory. Were his remarks worth the death penalty? No. Do I think he is a troll? No. Were his remarks really that horrible? No.I just think that this is the way faze is, which is a natural propensity for rubbing people the wrong way.
posted by ashbury at 11:12 AM on September 28, 2004


"altho we 'filterites aspire to being better than that"

You do??? Who all do you include in that "we"?
posted by mischief at 1:52 PM on September 28, 2004


Yoko Ono rated a wicked prostitute from Faze.

he called bea arthur an aged prostitute a couple of weeks ago, in regards to her fit at the airport. it made no sense whatsoever, outside of assuming he has an irrational hatred for female actors, or famous women in general. no probs with it, just one more crackpot to add to my ignore 'em list
posted by t r a c y at 2:13 PM on September 28, 2004


faze told me that because i am a woman and i make art, there must be a man somewhere pulling the strings.

sexist? i'll let you decide.
posted by pxe2000 at 3:04 PM on September 29, 2004


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