Bad sexism comebacks

Feminists and allies need to avoid bad sexism comebacks for a few reasons:

1. they may not work
2. they may further/buy into other oppressions
3. they might actually be sexist

So here's some things to avoid!

Appeals to feminist cookies

"Women won't have sex with you if you do sexist things!"

This isn't actually true: women sometimes have sex with sexists. And we don't want it to be true. There is no promise of having more sex associated with being feminist.

Plus you might be talking to someone who doesn't have sex with women.

Appeals to homophobia

Don't fight sexism by implying that being a sexist is like being queer! And don't fight sexism by implying that every man you've heard be sexist must be straight. He may not be.

"That sexist thing you said! That was gay!"

Don't.

"Imagine if we had booth hunks! Imagine how squicked you as a man would feel!"

Things that are wrong with this:

1. The objection to booth babes is not precisely that women are not attracted to booth babes (some women are!)
2. A straight man might feel squicked by booth hunks. And some of it might be due to his body shame or his feeling of being compared to them, thus analogous to women's experiences. But part of it is quite likely to be internalised homophobia.
3. A gay or bi man will feel invisible: you've just assumed he is straight and that men are of no sexual interest to him.

Appeals to the purity of women

"I wouldn't want my mother or sister to hear that kind of talk!"

Again, this might mean your mother or sister in the sense of a person you care for and don't want to experience sexism. OK. But what it sounds like you are saying is that you, a man, are keen to defend the purity and innocence of your mother or sister.