Objectify a male tech Journalist day, your thoughts?

[J Tyran]

So on February the 1st the news editor from Gamasutra is encouraging people to objectify male tech journalists and judge their work by their physical appearance. http://www.newstatesman.com/voices/2013/01/roll-first-annual-objectify-man-tech-day

I understand why objectification is bad, its incredibly unfair that female journalists of all types often get judged by how they look. This event is supposed to try and encourage discussion about that but to me it doesn't seem that way. The organizers are genuine but it doesn't seem like its intended to promote discussion, it appears more like a case of "see how you like it" and that might be counter productive if it causes people to close their minds to the issue.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, does seem a bit "see how you like it"...with "in the knowledge that it's only happening for one single day as a publicity stunt" tacked on.

Nobody is going to learn anything from this. Maybe useful in the "raising awareness" or getting people talking sense, but I doubt it.

 

[alphamalet]

I'm sorry, but I don't know too many adults that condone or indulge in this dismissive conduct. It's all being done by a bunch of immature children. They don't need this to teach them a lesson; the world will straighten them out soon enough.

 

[StriderShinryu]

I have to agree. I get the idea, and support the ideal behind it, but I'm just not sure the approach is right. It's basically like getting back at a bully by bullying them to me, and I can't help but feel there's a better way to handle the situation.

Still, if it does raise some needed discussion, I'm not going to be too up in arms over it.

 

[Hoplon]

I'm sorry, but I don't know too many adults that condone or indulge in this dismissive conduct. It's all being done by a bunch of immature children. They don't need this to teach them a lesson; the world will straighten them out soon enough.

Accept it clearly hasn't since a lot of these people aren't physically children and haven't been for a long time.

I guess the idea is good, since something needs to be done about dismissing some one out of hand on the basis of something as stupid as Looks.

 

[aba1]

I would normally be more of a eye for eye doesn't solve anything besides women judge women for looks the as much if not more than men type person but if the goal is get discussion on this topic going it will certainly do it and well at least they got to the point.

To be honest I get tired of people devaluing women based on looks it gets old real quick and it is just so sad and pathetic.

 

[Sixcess]

I think the Escapist should get in on this, complete with a gallery of sexy pics of our most beloved news writers and other contributors.

 

[alphamalet]

I'm sorry, but I don't know too many adults that condone or indulge in this dismissive conduct. It's all being done by a bunch of immature children. They don't need this to teach them a lesson; the world will straighten them out soon enough.

Accept it clearly hasn't since a lot of these people aren't physically children and haven't been for a long time.

Fair enough, I suppose, but I still hold to my original point.

I mean if you hop on Xbox Live you'll clearly hear a teenager shouting a ton of ridiculous obscenities, but when was the last time you saw or heard of a thirty year old do that sort of thing with the same vitriol.

Anyone that spews this nonsense out in the real world, in my experience, isn't going to be taken seriously. Walk into a workplace and try it. Hell, walk into just about any social situation and try it. You're going to get it beaten out of you. I'm sure there are a few backwards people that propagate the nonsense Gamasutra is trying to address, but I find it hard to believe that the majority partaking in it are anything else but immature children.

Perhaps, I'm being idealistic or optimistic...

I will concede that all that I'm saying is anecdotal, but it helps my sanity to think that immaturity is the root of this nonsense. We can both definitely agree that it's terrible and should stop.

 

[Mr Cwtchy]

"Let's see how YOU like it!" isn't a particularly mature base for a day IMO.

In fact I would say it's about as mature as, say, shrieking verbally abusive 12 year olds over the internet.

 

[Quaxar]

Oh yeah, that guy's got... legs... of some sort. And nostrils of purest black.

Am I doing it right?

 

[DevilWithaHalo]

Oh yeah, that guy's got... legs... of some sort. And nostrils of purest black.

Am I doing it right?

Not quite; you need to say that his journalism sucks 'because' of his pure black nostrils and that's why you can't take him seriously.

...at least that's how I *think* it's suppose to work.

 

[Quaxar]

Oh yeah, that guy's got... legs... of some sort. And nostrils of purest black.

Am I doing it right?

Not quite; you need to say that his journalism sucks 'because' of his pure black nostrils and that's why you can't take him seriously.

...at least that's how I *think* it's suppose to work.

Well I'm sorry but it's quite obvious the blacker the nostrils the more competent an employee. That's why nasal exams are mandatory at my company.
On the other hand the fact that he doesn't know where to wear his foot garments suggests a slight problem, still, it's all covered by the exellent tutu.

 

[Dangit2019]

A bit childish, don't you think? What's next? "Stereotype A White Dude Day"?

 

[J Tyran]

"Let's see how YOU like it!" isn't a particularly mature base for a day IMO.

The frustration of the journalists organizing this is understandable, it must be horrible when you are trying to have your work recognized and judged by its own merits only to have people judge you by your appearance. The organizers seem pretty genuine when they say they want to promote awareness and if people are aware they might recognize that either with good intentions or without thinking they have been doing the same, maybe they will remember watching a video about the evolution of smartphones and complementing the presenter about how healthy her complexion looked instead of giving feedback on the video.

But in a twist of irony people will judge this event by its appearance, instead of thinking about it or discussing it a lot of people will see it as "You dont like it do you?" The organizers are not responsible for peoples reaction but I think they should have thought it through more. If people think its a tantrum it won't promote the discussion that might change peoples attitudes, it will simply polarize opinions and close peoples minds to the fact that objectifying the journalists is unfair.

I do not know they best way to promote the discussion but I don't think this is the way to do this.

Oh yeah, that guy's got... legs... of some sort. And nostrils of purest black.

Am I doing it right?

Not quite; you need to say that his journalism sucks 'because' of his pure black nostrils and that's why you can't take him seriously.

...at least that's how I *think* it's suppose to work.

It works both ways, with positive or negative comments. Obviously being critical or insulting is immediately more offensive than something positive like "you have gorgeous hair" but even the positive comments chip away over time. Imagine working really hard on a project for your employer and then you take it to the boss and all he can say is "your shirt really suits you" then imagine your boss never gives you feedback on your work and only ever praises your fashion sense. Then imagine 50%[footnote]number out of arse, I have no idea how widespread this problem is[/footnote] of the bosses you have ever worked for only praise your fashion sense.