Punching Paglia

[LBernier at tribune.com]

     Camille herself says she is not a feminist, but I think what she has 
     to say does apply to feminism as practiced in the 90's, which IMHO 
     says we should all shut ourselves up in the tower, chastity belt 
     firmly in place, and run screaming in horror at the first sign of any 
     male with lust in his groin.
     
     When she says things like (paraphrasing) you go to a fraternity party, 
     you have 12 tequilas, you pass out, WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS GOING TO 
     HAPPEN, she's making a valid point.  Yeah, I get pissed off sometimes 
     that I'm less safe than a man would be in certain situations, because 
     of the ever present threat of rape, but I don't think that making a 
     victim out of myself by running to some authority figure every time a 
     man makes a lewd comment to me is the answer.  Paglia is not spouting 
     "the male party line" (geez, talk about generalization) she is 
     recommending that women build for themselves a position of strength, 
     based on a refusal to be intimidated, and stop acting like some 
     half-baked victorian heroine who needs protecting.
     
     The UW at Madison has a policy that women can complain of harassment 
     if men STARE at them in the library, and they ACTUALLY will pursue 
     some course of correction for this poor slob.  This a) serves to 
     cheapen people's perceptions of harassment, at the expense of victims 
     of REAL harassment, and b) only further alienates men and women.  
     
     
     Crabby Jean
     
     


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Punching Paglia
Author:  Diana York Blaine <dyb0001 at jove.acs.unt.edu> at Internet_tco
Date:    11/27/96 10:34 PM


I certainly cannot speak for all feminists, but I know much of the 
frustration about Camille Paglia comes from the assumption that she is a 
feminist because she is a woman.  This is untrue.  Many women
spout the male party line and get mondo approval for it.  She is one of 
them.  That is her right.  But don't confuse it in any way with "the 
radical notion that women are people."  Happy Gluttony, All!  Dian_A_