Sandra and Woo

More along "Let's mock the Strawman Political"

Fixed it for you.

(never heard anyone call a penis a "social construct")

Strawman, extremists.

edited 10th Jul '14 9:18:43 PM by God_of_Awesome

OK never mind, I like how this is being handled. Even Tats never thought of calling a penis a social construct.

Actually, defining biological sex as a social construct is pretty common lately in transgender-advocacy. Here is an example.

This reminds me of that awful Slate article from a few weeks ago that basically said we shouldn't let doctors determine a newborn's sex for basically the same reason.

You are bound to find it out in most cases, as soon as you have to change the diapers anyway.

We've been discussing the "gender as social construct" thing in the El Goonish Shive thread here. I've learned some things. I've also had reinforced for me the idea that half the terminology is specific to some small group or another and is more or less made up on a whim. CAMAB (Coercively Assigned Male At Birth) as a replacement for "biologically male" really flips my wig. That's like the kids who picket the college campuses claiming that the patriarchy forced their stomachs to have compounds capable of digesting animal protein.

<Shrug> The argument is not without merit, but you could make it for pretty much every classification we use in daily life. For most practical concerns they are handy.

It is really more a political thing in the argument about gendered spaces.

edited 11th Jul '14 6:01:28 AM by blauregen

There is biological sex, and then there is sexual identity.

Biological sex is determined on birth (except when it isn't). Sexual identity is created by person themselves.

Penis is part of biological sex. You either have it, or don't. You are either male or female. It's simple as that. Sure, your sexual identity might not match your biological sex, but these days we can correct that(By making biological sex match the sexual identity, not the other way around).

However, whenever or not you have a penis is not a fucking social construct and any amount of bullshit conspiracy theory will never convince me of anything else, except that anyone trying to claim such has lost his or her grip of reality.

EDIT

In unrelated, I like authors comment in the comment section:

edited 11th Jul '14 6:40:07 AM by Mandemo

Actually, no, it isn't as simple as that. There are people who are neither biological male nor female, biologically speaking. Intersex people do exist, and this is a biological condition, not a mental one.

Anyway, yeah, biological sex is a thing, and ignoring it is probably really stupid, for medical reasons. It is just someones biological sex is not anyone's business but the own person, their family and their doctors.

edited 11th Jul '14 7:04:42 AM by Heatth

I think the idea is that if you can label the biological sex-binary as artificial, as opposed to natural, you can suggest that it is somehow an invalid distinction. But as I said, pretty much all classifications we use are artificial and based on generalizations.

But I think that's a discussion for another board.

edited 11th Jul '14 7:18:41 AM by blauregen

"The penis is a social construct" is just a really funny phrase to me.

http://www.sandraandwoo.com/2014/07/14/0598-toilet-humor/

Yes Cambridge, shutting down male toilets makes sure that males won't expose their genitalia in presence of women when there is only one toilet.

Okaaaaayyy. You know, I love me a good strawman every now and then when I feel like making fun at complicated issues, but this kind of went over the top.

I am eager for this arc to be over soon, for the very same reason Kayeka gives.

So, if she is an Umbridge-expy, Larisa or Cloud get detention next for telling lies about the differences between boys and girls.

Bonus points for the poster promoting "real men", an expression which is itself a sexist stereotype.

Question 3

Dat smug face.

Dat annoyance.

Love that Cloud face in panel three.

I'm very much hoping that whatever punchline this arc will end with, it will involve a line of people punching Cambridge in the face.

I'm also hoping it will end soon. This is very easy pickings.

edited 17th Jul '14 2:01:27 PM by Kayeka

No, I'll bet Sandra will come home and complain about her to Woo, who will proceed to get all his racoon friends together and wreck her house.

At least I'd like that for starters.

The text underneath indicates that Cloud's mom is going to get involved. I actually really want to see that.

Ooh, I didn't see that. But I'm looking forward to it.

It's in her schedule

Now that I think about it, Ye Thuza is actually a really good example of a strong female character (done well). Her childhood had major problems, but she grew up, got married and had a family because that's what she wanted and it didn't make her weak or anything. And she certainly isn't the stereotypical wife.

edited 20th Jul '14 4:47:58 PM by Zendervai