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PaperclipPerfector  5d ago (text post)   1810 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for November 29, 2024

Be advised: this thread is not for serious in-depth discussion of weighty topics (we have a link for that), this thread is not for anything Culture War related. This thread is for Fun. You got jokes? Share 'em. You got silly questions? Ask 'em.

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especially given that no man I've ever heard of has had any problem with being called "a male."

I'm surprised to hear that, since in recent years "male" and especially the dreaded "cis het white male" seems like something of a slur, and I'm not sure in what other contexts people would call a specific man or boy "a male." Calling oneself "a male" comes across as an apology.

"male role model" is probably the big one.

Oh yeah, that one is positive.

Along those lines, I guess a female boss or CEO sounds neutral to me, and like something I might say.

Both of these are used as adjectives It's the nouns that have bad reputations.

Yes, but the reason it feels more natural is that by saying ‘female’ in that context it was initially (and perhaps remains) a way to divorce the baggage ‘woman’ carries as ‘nothing bad about them’, scientific, natural. Mistake theory. ‘Woman’ had negative connotations in that setting.

By contrast, ‘mayle’ is intended to invoke the opposite end of that and meant to imply science and nature are against how they generally are. Conflict theory. ‘Men’ had neutral to positive connotations in that setting.

I've seen 'the group of males over there' and the like. Or 'why do males do x thing'. You're right, though, it doesn't seem regularly used for a specific referent.

And I suspect there is just a gender difference in how easy it is to get offended. Men just get offended by stuff like that less. Everyone makes fun of 'Oh he's got his panties in a wad over being called Mr Whatever instead of Bob' but its far more acceptable for a woman.

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