Don’t Man Up, Grow Up

[babylonsister]

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/dont_man_up_grow_up_20101019/


Don’t Man Up, Grow Up
Posted on Oct 19, 2010
By Ruth Marcus


In this, the year of the Mama Grizzly, let’s stop stirring the moose chili for a moment to ponder three words—man up and whore—and what they have to tell us about the muddled state of gender politics.

Man up as in “man up, Harry Reid,” from Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle on Reid’s downplaying of Social Security financial woes. And, though it got less attention, from Missouri Democrat Robin Carnahan to Republican Roy Blunt at a Senate debate the very same night, on health care: If Blunt wants to do away with health care for others, Carnahan told him, “then you ought to repeal your own first. And man up.”

Whore as in the accidentally recorded suggestion by an unidentified aide to California Democrat Jerry Brown about a potential line of attack against Meg Whitman, his GOP rival for governor.

snip//


Don’t equate typically female characteristics or activities (baking, wearing high heels) with weakness.

Don’t—even, or maybe especially, if you’re a woman—equate toughness with manliness. At least not unless you think it’s acceptable for your opponent to tell you to behave like a lady.

Don’t use terms with sexist or racist overtones. If you, or someone in your campaign does, groveling works better than quibbling.

Politicians of both genders don’t need to man up—they need to grow up. Judging by the campaign so far, that might be harder to pull off.

[political_Dem]

1. K&R to the nth degree.

It's a pity that not a lot of politicians (let alone folks in general) take this valuable advice.

[mrs_p]

2. this is exactly what i think about it too. k/r

[whyverne]

3. How many movies or TV shows do you see where problems are

solved by figuring out what would work best in a given situation? We are conditioned to believe that all problems are solved by getting tough.

[Fly by night]

4. How about "cowboy up" -- is that sexist too?

I have heard that phrase more often than its derivative "man up".

How about "be a man" when directed to males? Is that inappropriate?

In my opinion, "man up" does not mean the same as "grow up". But I appreciate your concerns and don't want to disagree with you.

I just do.

Have a beautiful autumn day, wherever you are.

[babylonsister]

5. It doesn't and is not supposed to mean the same thing,

and you have a great day, too.