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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Help me to frame my responses to Male White Privilege

30 replies

JeNeSuisPasVotreMiel · 31/05/2018 23:41

Help me find the words to frame a retort when these things happen:

  1. Working as a manager on an event. A photographer has used the limited disabled car parking to broadside his Merc across several spaces and unpack his tripods. When asked to move he stated his intention to stay, quoting a connection with the landowner (who is not involved with the event). On further insistence from myself that it's disabled parking only in this area, he tells me that he has far more experience in events than I do (mine is 20 years), so that justifies his actions. I explain our duty to the law and he decides to pack up and leave without carrying out his work (which had been offered voluntarily).
  1. Teaching a beginners dance class. I offer some advice to one of the male participants on the basic couples hold. He tells me he won't do it like I describe, as he is too tall and it would injure me. I explain that I have danced (12 years experience) with plenty of partners his height and they all manage to do the basic hold in the way we are teaching it (which is the right way). His expresses disbelief and tells me that I don't understand that it wouldn't work and that he won't do it. He clearly believes that his height is unique and means he doesn't have to play by the rules.

Both of these men were white and in their early sixties. They were both clearly affronted at my actions and were keen to discredit my experience and authority.
I am left with a tacit understanding that they disregarded my instructions/requests on the ground of my being female, and younger (a bit) than them.

The older I get the more I understand why men act like they do. They have never been challenged. I'm so angry. They will continue to go about patronising women and quashing their opinions purely on the basis of their perceived superiority.

I would love just one retort to show that I KNOW where they are coming from and that I don't respect it.
Any thoughts?

OP posts:
mancheeze · 03/06/2018 01:46

I wasn't there but I'm pretty blunt as I get older and my hair turns silver. I've dealt with white male supremacy for almost 50 yrs.

I would've had the guys car towed or cited for breaking the law. I'm a disabled woman so you can kinda see I'd be extra angry at some dude taking up space, like many white men do because they think they're entitled to it.

In the second example I would've told the guy he's an idiot and dismiss him, which is exactly what he did to you and you were the instructor!

GardenGeek · 03/06/2018 01:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Summerhillsquare · 03/06/2018 12:16

My tips, FWIW.

  1. Stay calm, re-iterate your point ("we do it this way because..."), use the active tense.
  2. Get support from passing colleague or friend if possible
  3. End the discussion assertively, "I am going to leave it there, I have explained, now I must go and do x"
  4. For the battery example, just get on and do what you know you are capable of.

It stinks. I am so sick of it, of having to be the adult in the room on every bloody occasion.

speakingwoman · 03/06/2018 15:01

I like summers’ ideas. I have a lot to learn but I did recently manage my first
“I am not going to answer that question”
and a
“That is the choice I have made”

Summers, do you have any resources y ou can point me to? I didn’t get great models from my parents and definitely feel held back.
In all seriousness the nearest I have to a mentor is Lizzie Bennett from Prode and Prejudice.

Mumminmum · 08/06/2018 19:42

@Lichtie You are either very very young or a man if you don't understand this. Please stop belittling women's experiences. Please stop excusing the arseholes and claiming that their victims just "misunderstood". Or do you prefer the term "banter"?

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