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were you offended by the "binders full of women" comment?

Luna Tick

Luna Tick

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I'm not voting for any Republicans in this upcoming election, and plenty that that party has done has offended me. However, I honestly wasn't offended by Romney's "binders full of women" phrase. I honestly didn't even notice the ridiculous phrase. My brain just automatically filtered it into what he meant which was, "binders full of women's resumes." Don't get me wrong. I can't stand Romney. I think his a slick and slimy snake oil salesman. However, I thought that phrase was just an off the cuff somewhat awkward one. I didn't feel it was any kind of attempt to degrade women. I did feel like in his tone he sounded at times to be condescending toward women, but I didn't have a problem with that particular phrase. I totally rolled my eyes at the part where he said she wants to get home and cook. But the binders thing didn't bug me.

I'm wondering what others thought, especially if you're a woman.
 
Luna Tick said:
I'm not voting for any Republicans in this upcoming election, and plenty that that party has done has offended me. However, I honestly wasn't offended by Romney's "binders full of women" phrase. I honestly didn't even notice the ridiculous phrase. My brain just automatically filtered it into what he meant which was, "binders full of women's resumes." Don't get me wrong. I can't stand Romney. I think his a slick and slimy snake oil salesman. However, I thought that phrase was just an off the cuff somewhat awkward one. I didn't feel it was any kind of attempt to degrade women. I did feel like in his tone he sounded at times to be condescending toward women, but I didn't have a problem with that particular phrase. I totally rolled my eyes at the part where he said she wants to get home and cook. But the binders thing didn't bug me.

I'm wondering what others thought, especially if you're a woman.
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I noticed it and knew he'd misphrased, but it didn't make any difference to me at all. I'm so sick of "the other side" (and both sides are guilty) of playing NIGYYSOB* I could scream.

*From Games People Play, NIGYYSOB = now-i've-got-you-you-son-of-a-bitch. "Gotcha Games" would be a lot easier to type, but I love that book. ;)
 
I didn't find it offensive at all since it was pretty obvious what he meant by it. I was really surprised when I saw it as the top story on Google News today.
 
Anagram said:
I didn't find it offensive at all since it was pretty obvious what he meant by it. I was really surprised when I saw it as the top story on Google News today.
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I'm not a woman, but I do not find things like this to be offensive. I knew what he meant. Much of this gotcha stuff I do find to be offensive, and both sides do it.

A lot of what is said and taken out of context is simply differences in age, cultures, and geographical locations.
 
Anagram said:
I didn't find it offensive at all since it was pretty obvious what he meant by it. I was really surprised when I saw it as the top story on Google News today.
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meh, mock outrage seems to define most election coverage
 
If someone had said, I had binders full of men's resumes, I would not think twice about it(what makes binders full of women any different?). Then again I don't go into debates just looking for things to be offended by.
 
I was more confused than anything. Once I read the full story about what that was referencing it seemed rather mundane. I still don't understand why it was supposed to be offensive.
 
Paratrooper said:
If someone had said, I had binders full of men's resumes, I would not think twice about it(what makes binders full of women any different?). Then again I don't go into debates just looking for things to be offended by.
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1. I havent seen any media be "outraged" by this.
2. Damn, I hate this pretense that males are equally subject to sexism as women after tens of thousands of years of patriarchy as much as I hate whites pretending that theyre equal victims of racism as blacks. A jew has more to complain about concerning racism from germans than germans have about jews, like it or not, thats the fact, thats not bleeding heart liberalism.
 
A lot of my liberal fb friends have been going crazy, posting memes about it all day. For the life of me, I still can't figure out what is supposedly offensive about it. Everybody just keeps repeating it as if the offensiveness is self-evident or something, but I'm a fairly sharp guy, and I honestly can't figure out what they think he might have been saying. I mean, even if you ignore the actual context of what he was saying, what other context/meaning could you conjure up for it that would even make sense, let alone be offensive? welshbikers_scratch.gif

I don't get it.
tom_hanks_big__1_-1.jpg
 
Can anyone explain a non American what it means? To me it just sounds like he is saying some incoherent words that mean nothing.
 
For the life of me, I still can't figure out what is supposedly offensive about it.
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He generally revealed an old fashioned (discriminatory) view of women. If you have similar traditional, patriarchal beliefs, you wont notice it

Binder, I have been supposing, means a file or folder of women.
 
NitroHangover said:
A lot of my liberal fb friends have been going crazy, posting memes about it all day. For the life of me, I still can't figure out what is supposedly offensive about it. Everybody just keeps repeating it as if the offensiveness is self-evident or something, but I'm a fairly sharp guy, and I honestly can't figure out what they think he might have been saying. I mean, even if you ignore the actual context of what he was saying, what other context/meaning could you conjure up for it that would even make sense, let alone be offensive? View attachment 67136260

I don't get it.
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Were the memes at least funny? It is like Obama’s “You didn’t build that line”. Everyone knows that was taken WAY out of context and that the outrage over it was manufactured, but at least the memes that came out of it were funny. :)
 
Panopticon said:
1. I havent seen any media be "outraged" by this.
2. Damn, I hate this pretense that males are equally subject to sexism as women after tens of thousands of years of patriarchy as much as I hate whites pretending that theyre equal victims of racism as blacks. A jew has more to complain about concerning racism from germans than germans have about jews, like it or not, thats the fact, thats not bleeding heart liberalism.
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what does that have to do with the binder full of women?
 
Panopticon said:
He generally revealed an old fashioned (discriminatory) view of women. If you have similar traditional, patriarchal beliefs, you wont notice it

Binder, I have been supposing, means a file or folder of women.
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ok, I'm a white male and guilty of all the crimes that come with that designation. Can you explain to me why it makes sense for people to be offended by the comment?
 
I probably cant. Had you been a woman, it might have been possible. Just walk a mile in their shoes, would be my recommendation, as the scientific way of researchi8ng an issue from both perspectives. Neither have I said it was offensive.
what does that have to do with the binder full of women?
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Lots of people here are saying the media is "outraged", thus, it is perfectly on topic to address that. Lots of people (mostly males, but also some women - predominantly conservative women who have been brought up to believe women should have "women" roles, just like Saudi Arabian women can be brought up to believe they should follow the female roles in their country) dont see misogynism because its institutionalized since thousands of years back. Having that blindness makes people blind to their own racism and sexism and romney looked like he was revealing a patronizing sexist belief.
 
Panopticon said:
Having that blindness makes people blind to their own racism and sexism and romney looked like he was revealing a patronizing sexist belief.
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HOW, though? I still have not heard one person, anywhere, explain why they perceive the phrase "binders full of women" as old-fashioned, misogynistic, or sexist. If you know the context of what he was saying, it's not offensive at all. But even if you ignore the context... then what? Then it just doesn't make any sense, lol. What is it that you think "binders full of women" could be saying about women?

I'm really asking, because it's been driving me nuts all day.
 
Sarcogito said:
Were the memes at least funny? It is like Obama’s “You didn’t build that line”. Everyone knows that was taken WAY out of context and that the outrage over it was manufactured, but at least the memes that came out of it were funny. :)
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I guess some of them were funny, yeah. Somebody posted a couple I saw today a few posts up. But still... I don't get the underlying point behind it being a meme, so it's harder to appreciate the humor.
 
explain why they perceive the phrase "binders full of women" as old-fashioned
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God, I havent said that EITHER. Also, I completely agree that its a soundbite.
 
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Panopticon said:
I probably cant. Had you been a woman, it might have been possible.
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well, instead of assuming that I can't understand it, why not just try to explain it

Panopticon said:
Just walk a mile in their shoes, would be my recommendation, as the scientific way of researchi8ng an issue from both perspectives. Neither have I said it was offensive.
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then what are you saying? Because it seems clear that you find it sexist and offensive on some level that you seem unwilling to explain.


Panopticon said:
Lots of people here are saying the media is "outraged", thus, it is perfectly on topic to address that. Lots of people (mostly males, but also some women - predominantly conservative women who have been brought up to believe women should have "women" roles, just like Saudi Arabian women can be brought up to believe they should follow the female roles in their country) dont see misogynism because its institutionalized since thousands of years back. Having that blindness makes people blind to their own racism and sexism and romney looked like he was revealing a patronizing sexist belief.
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I think what you are doing is commonly refered to as "poisoning the well"
 
Panopticon said:
God, I havent said that EITHER. Also, I completely agree that its a soundbite.
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Mmmmkay. You're right. You said it was patronizing and sexist. So my question is: In what way is "binders full of women" patronizing and sexist? I'm not trying to start an argument about it, I honestly just want someone to explain it because I don't get it.
 
sigh...I found his comments to reveal an outdated patronizing view of women. This is generally what one expects from conservatism, anyway, even from a scientific perspective. During his rather iffy speech, which sounded like he was veering close to dangerously sexist claims and vaguely just staying on track, he used the Binders expression, which, for anyone looking for a soundbite to represent what many would perceive as a closet-sexist perspective, is apt for them.
 
Yes, I would say that. And "binders" being a little like a fairly inoffensive, understandable and slightly comical Biden gaffe suits those who want a soundbite very well. Both sides are competing, of course, for those soundbites
 
Sorry, I deleted my question. ^ This person is not crazy and talking to him/herself, everyone.
 
Panopticon said:
sigh...I found his comments to reveal an outdated patronizing view of women. This is generally what one expects from conservatism, anyway, even from a scientific perspective. During his rather iffy speech, which sounded like he was veering close to dangerously sexist claims and vaguely just staying on track, he used the Binders expression, which, for anyone looking for a soundbite to represent what many would perceive as a closet-sexist perspective, is apt for them.
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If he had meant some kind of catalog of women that men can thumb through to find a sex object, then I would think the comment was sexist. However, I think it's clear that he meant "binders full of women's resumes." I don't find that notion sexist at all. I did find sexist his comment about the job being flexible so that she could go home to cook.
 
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