Misogyny as Male Bonding

[Morgana LaFey]

Men use the objectification and denigration of women as a way to "bond." That undercuts any and all efforts by women to achieve "equality" in profound ways that literally NO amount of lobbying or working or wishing and hoping can ever, ever overcome. That makes us "things" whose primary purpose is to serve as a way for men to get closer to one another, having something to share (their hatred -- or at least disrespect -- of women).

I've never this objectification-as-group-bonding so blatantly expressed and demonstrated (yet, it drew no remarks or criticism that I know of) than I did in a clip I saw on Letterman last night of a movie called Deck the Halls. Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito were in a scene in which they were in the audience watching some sexily-dressed women on an outdoor stage, and shouting sexist insults as a way to impress one another, share something in common (their superiority over women, their inherent "right" as men to shout such remarks at the women), get to know one another better, and, well, bond.

What I found even more alarming and disheartening was that that is exactly how Danny DeVito actualy set up the clip: here are these two wildly different characters in a scene of "male bonding."

I felt like I needed a shower after seeing this, and esp. after hearing DeVito's set-up for the clip.

I see this "male bonding" and plenty of other sexism here at DU too, of course, as I know all of you do. Is there some reason more women don't challenge the rather rampant sexism here?

Oh -- one request. As the male naysayers who simply can't leave this forum alone come in, please just totally, TOTALLY ignore them. It'll drive them so crazy they'll have to leave the forum out of frustration! IOW: don't feed the trolls. Not even one tiny crumb. PLEASE.