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Jen at [http://freethoughtblogs.com/blaghag BlagHag] [http://freethoughtblogs.com/blaghag/2012/08/how-i-unwittingly-infiltrated-the-boys-club-why-its-time-for-a-new-wave-of-atheism/ describes] her experience in the [[atheism/skepticism]] community:
 
Jen at [http://freethoughtblogs.com/blaghag BlagHag] [http://freethoughtblogs.com/blaghag/2012/08/how-i-unwittingly-infiltrated-the-boys-club-why-its-time-for-a-new-wave-of-atheism/ describes] her experience in the [[atheism/skepticism]] community:
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
<blockquote>I was exactly what a Boy's Club wanted. I was a young, not-hideous woman who passionately supported their cause. I made them look diverse without them having to address their minority-repelling privilege. They liked that I joked about sex and boobs not because it was empowering for me, but because they saw it as a pass to oggle and objectify. But the Boy’s Club rescinds its invitation once they realize you're a rabble-rousing feminist. I was welcome at [the conference] TAM when I was talking about a boob joke, but now I’m persona non grata for caring about sexual harassment. I used to receive numerous comments about how hot and attractive I was, but when I politely asked for people to keep the discussion professional, the comments morphed into how I was an ugly cunt. I was once considered an up-and-coming student leader, but now I’m accused of destroying the movement.</blockquote>
 
<blockquote>I was exactly what a Boy's Club wanted. I was a young, not-hideous woman who passionately supported their cause. I made them look diverse without them having to address their minority-repelling privilege. They liked that I joked about sex and boobs not because it was empowering for me, but because they saw it as a pass to oggle and objectify. But the Boy’s Club rescinds its invitation once they realize you're a rabble-rousing feminist. I was welcome at [the conference] TAM when I was talking about a boob joke, but now I’m persona non grata for caring about sexual harassment. I used to receive numerous comments about how hot and attractive I was, but when I politely asked for people to keep the discussion professional, the comments morphed into how I was an ugly cunt. I was once considered an up-and-coming student leader, but now I’m accused of destroying the movement.</blockquote>
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 
* [[Rebellion]]
 
* [[Rebellion]]
 
* GF.org post - [http://geekfeminism.org/2009/08/23/invisibility-or-the-spotlight/ Invisibility or the spotlight?]
 
* GF.org post - [http://geekfeminism.org/2009/08/23/invisibility-or-the-spotlight/ Invisibility or the spotlight?]
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* [http://thisrecording.com/today/2011/2/22/in-which-we-teach-you-how-to-be-a-woman-in-any-boys-club.html In which we teach you how to be a woman in any boys' club]
 
[[Category:Issues]]
 
[[Category:Issues]]

Revision as of 09:20, 18 September 2012

A woman who works in a minority women environment might find herself with the status of honorary guy (or "one of the boys"), either from others or self-designated. The term is an example of androcentrism: an honour or reward for eschewing the feminine.

Being an honourary guy involves:

  • being accorded the respect due to a guy
  • not drawing attention to one's female gender with, eg, feminine dress, mannerisms or interests
  • allying oneself with men rather than women when there's a conflict of interest (eg laughing at sexist jokes rather than complaining about them, allowing or encouraging men to complain about their female partners)
  • sometimes, being "more guy than the guys": drinking the most, making the lewdest jokes

It is not always an advantage for a woman to be an honourary guy because:

  • she may feel she is unable to express aspects of herself including opinions and tastes without jeopardising her status
  • she may feel the conditional nature of her acceptance constantly
  • she may feel that she is compromising feminist principles, see Patriarchal bargain
  • her guy status may be suddenly taken away from her for, for example, getting into a sexual relationship with a man in the circle, or for stating feminist opinions

In Delusions of Gender, Cordelia Fine discusses how working in a male-dominated domain can encourage "antifemale attitudes": "The easiest solution to the problem of being female in a setting in which women are made to feel that they are inferior and do not belong is to become as unfeminine as possible." (p52)

Further reading

Jen at BlagHag describes her experience in the atheism/skepticism community:

I was exactly what a Boy's Club wanted. I was a young, not-hideous woman who passionately supported their cause. I made them look diverse without them having to address their minority-repelling privilege. They liked that I joked about sex and boobs not because it was empowering for me, but because they saw it as a pass to oggle and objectify. But the Boy’s Club rescinds its invitation once they realize you're a rabble-rousing feminist. I was welcome at [the conference] TAM when I was talking about a boob joke, but now I’m persona non grata for caring about sexual harassment. I used to receive numerous comments about how hot and attractive I was, but when I politely asked for people to keep the discussion professional, the comments morphed into how I was an ugly cunt. I was once considered an up-and-coming student leader, but now I’m accused of destroying the movement.

See also