(no subject)

[novapsyche]

I want to encourage all of my friends to take my latest poll. It's been interesting to read all of the different discussions in various posts this week in my journal. Thanks to all of you for making this journal an active (I even want to say vivacious) place.

So, after you've taken the poll, please read further:

I did a bit of Google digging and found out that "B. Deutsch" is indeed a man, or at least that's what I assume from the person's name. B stands for Barry. The list was published online here at Expository Magazine in 2004 (although some versions of it were known online before then, because I saw a discussion of it dated to 2003).

Here is Mr. Deutsch's biography.

For those who thought that the author of the article was a woman, does your reading of the article change now that you know otherwise?

Comments

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

Incidentally, it did make me come up with a companion list for women. It needs more work before becoming a common list, but I think it points up some mirrors to the priviliges men get:

Privileges of Women in American Society:

• I can hit a man and reasonably expect not to be hit back.
  
• I can leave my career to raise my children and not be called a lazy bum.
  
• If I wish, I can spend hours in front of a mirror playing with my appearance & experimenting with makeup, and not have my gender identity questioned.
  
• I have a much wider selection of clothing options available to me. It doesn't matter to the vast majority of people whether I choose to wear a dress or slacks.
  
• I can go on a date with someone of the opposite sex and not be surprised if he pays for everything. Conversely, people will think it's exceptionally nice of me to "go dutch" without being asked first.
  
• If I learn to do tasks that are non-stereotypical for my gender, such as changing the oil in my car, I am being independent and self-sufficient.
  
• Being a homemaker is considered an acceptable career option.
  
• People do not consider it strange if I don't know the rules of football or baseball.
  
• I am more likely to graduate from college.
  
• I am less likely to be a victim of violent crime. [1] Also, if I commit a violent crime, I am less likely to be found guilty and more likely to have a shorter jail sentence.
  
• If I divorce my spouse, and I want custody of our children, I will probably get it.
  
• If I abuse my male partner, people will assume that he is the actual abuser and I am just defending myself.
  
• I can consciously choose not to advance in my career and not be considered "wimpy", an underachiever, or non-competitive.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

I am thinking of making my own privilege lists (female/woman, black, and the combination thereof), but I think, and this is my point, that the reason privilege lists are important tools is because they are written by those who are in those shoes. The person who wrote about the invisible knapsack was white. The person who wrote the male privilege checklist was male. I think it's important that each person examine his or her own privilege and acknowledge what he or she has received. The whys attend naturally.

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

*nod*

Well, feel free to use any of the stuff I posted, if you feel it's relevant.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

*smile* I probably will. Thank you.

[guttaperk.livejournal.com]

Absolutely so.

This is actually why I have resisted the urge to draw up a list of female privileges- I think it really would just be counterproductive.

I would actually be very interested in seeing your list of privileges.

[sophiaserpentia.livejournal.com]

I would actually be very interested in seeing your list of privileges.

Ditto that, novapsyche.

I think i'll try to come up with a list of transsexual privilege. It could be a very interesting exercise...

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

This is a similar objection rate to the first list, but:

If I learn to do tasks that are non-stereotypical for my gender, such as changing the oil in my car, I am being independent and self-sufficient.
I get the same thing all the time for cooking, though.

Being a homemaker is considered an acceptable career option.
That's a duplicate.

I can consciously choose not to advance in my career and not be considered "wimpy", an underachiever, or non-competitive.
No.

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

The duplicate? Maybe, if you consider "primary caregiver of children" and "primary caretaker of household" to be the same thing. I'd argue that they are not. You can be a childless couple with one spouse at home; you can care for children and hire staff to clean the house.

As for the non-stereotypical stuff -- well, I wasn't actually thinking of cooking. I was thinking of sewing, home decorating, house-cleaning, doing the household laundry, and/or certain "crafty" hobbies such as knitting.

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

You can be a childless couple with one spouse at home
I suppose you could, but I don't think that would normally be considered an acceptable career option for either gender.

I was thinking of sewing, home decorating, house-cleaning, doing the household laundry, and/or certain "crafty" hobbies such as knitting.
Are you sure? Those *are* stereotypical women's tasks.

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

Yes -- my point is what do most people think when a *man* does those things?

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

You were talking about women's priviledge, and how women would get praised for doing stereotypical men's tasks. My response was that men get the same sort of response for doing stereotypical women's tasks, with my cooking as an example.

Unless you really intended to counter by providing more examples for my side, I think you lost track of what discussion this was. It has been a while.

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think most men get belittled for admitting to doing stereotypical women's tasks, and that your experience is atypical. Think about it: how would a typical 'football jock' respond to the idea that I knit? The likeliest knee-jerk response would be to assume that I'm gay "because the only guys who knit are all gay".

[pstscrpt.livejournal.com]

Perhaps, but that same person would assume a woman repairing her car was gay.

I agree with your list except for...

[magicmaiden.livejournal.com]

I agree with your list of female priviledges except for the "victim of a violent crime" one. I consider rape a violent crime, whether it be date rape, or gun at head rape, etc.

So, that one I disagree with.

The rest are very good. I may think of more...both lists.

Thank you.

Re: I agree with your list except for...

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

Well, statistically, adult women are more likely to be raped. But, even including rape, men are more likely to be victims of "violent crime" as a class of criminal acts.

Re: I agree with your list except for...

[magicmaiden.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Where did you get your stats?

Re: I agree with your list except for...

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

there's a link to Federal stats in the list I compiled.

Re: I agree with your list except for...

[pgdudda.livejournal.com]

addendum: The link I cited above (here again, for reference) includes "rape" as part of the category of "violent crime".