Calling a penis a symbol of being male is offensive

[artandtalk]

I was in a seminar today and the speaker was called out by a trans ally for being offensive to trans people.

Her offence? To show a picture of the Cerne Abbas giant (the big man with the willy on a hill wherever it is, but showing his willy) as a picture while she was talking about how the countryside can seem quite male to women.

Clearly the penis might have belonged to a woman.

This has so fried my brain that I can't even talk about it properly but how, then can we talk about male oppression / the patriarchy / whatever if every single thing we say is offensive to trans people. As you can tell, I am totally lost for words.

And yes, hello colleagues. (I'm guessing this probably only happened in one place today)

What did the speaker say in response to this?

She looked somewhat bemused and tbh I can't quite remember more than that because I was so boggled.

I think she moved on quite smartish to the second part of his question.

So now we have to deny the whole of history, and patriarchy. Phallic symbols don't represent male power anymore, and could easily represent how women were able to cause massive chalk figures of their anatomy to be carved into the countryside.

Well that's Sussex and Essex fucked, sorry Susgender and Esgender.

@tabbycatstripy

So now we have to deny the whole of history, and patriarchy. Phallic symbols don't represent male power anymore, and could easily represent how women were able to cause massive chalk figures of their anatomy to be carved into the countryside.

Thank you @tabbycatstripy that's a good part of what I was trying to say. How can we talk about male domination if we are not allowed to call a prick a prick? Or bollocks bollocks?

Cancels move to Susgender

Penistone...?

Fuck this shit. Fuck them. I'm so sick of this gas lighting shit.

It's nonsense OP. Would have driven me mad to have been there.

But if an answer to the observation/complaint were required, it would be fair to say that overwhelmingly MOST MALES have a penis. And overwhelmingly MOST PENISES have a male owner.

Pity everyone didn’t burst out laughing, as that would have been the appropriate response.

@ChurchlightJane

Fuck this shit. Fuck them. I'm so sick of this gas lighting shit.

Me too. Honestly it's become an absolute farce. Kids are not going to have a clue if this is the shit they're growing up with. In for a lot of very confused generations to come

Everytime one of them does something like this, it peaks someone else. Or at least moves them in the right direction. They're doing our work for us.

I have to believe that.

Oh and there's a place in Co. Donegal called Muff, cheered me right up.

Hello colleague! I was there too. The speaker's offence? Being an engaging, articulate woman expressing her own experiences of being a woman walking alone in the countryside and promoting better access to green spaces for girls. How dare she! Unfortunately it wasn't the only outburst of misogyny on that call. Two blokes telling a woman she's wrong and to shut up for daring to express a female point of view. By the way, this was a talk on inclusivity...

How did the audience not laugh? This is the only reaction now I think. Laugh.

@Hinny2. Hello! Did you see the later shitshow in the Teams chat too? It's embarrassing.

Oh FFS. It is literally the patriarchy, writ large, sprayed over acres of countryside, echoing down through the ages and as relevant now as it was when billy big bollocks scrawled it there. The message it sends is loud and clear.

But now, maybe it is a woman! Ahh, we don't have to worry our silly little heads.

PS dying to know who you work for.

Yup, Teams chat misogyny round 2. So much vehemence directed at a woman for expressing her own point of view and experiences. Totally out of proportion response. I don't agree with you so you shouldn't be allowed to speak. Sound familiar. Hope somone has taken him aside for a stern talking too.

There really is nothing they won't try to ruin with their batshittery is there?

Women talking about the countryside is a new one for the list.

how, then can we talk about male oppression / the patriarchy / whatever if every single thing we say is offensive to trans people

That's the idea. Clever, no?

Can't think of anything more male than a whacking great or tiny penis

A trans ally? Aye right. Mortifying.

Really loving that you have found each other on this thread in a Cerne Abbas happening. Maybe there is something in ley lines after all.

Bet you some TRA will pop up there with paint and give him tits.

This one doesn't even have a penis.

I suppose it's still transphobic to call it a male!