Column: Sexism on Facebook not funny

By Hannah Spaar

Published Feb. 5, 2010

I never thought I would have to actively address the issue of sexism.

Last year, a woman was a serious candidate for president, and another was a (though in my opinion less easy to take seriously) candidate for vice president. It has seemed for some time the equalization of women just can't be stopped.

So why, within a year of those clear signs of progress, has it become cool to make sexist remarks?

Those I have encountered come in two varieties. The first is "go make me a sandwich," and the other is "get back in the kitchen." They're used to stop women from speaking, to discredit whatever a woman posts and to make the (male) poster seem superior.

Honestly, I fail to see how any of these are accomplished by these comments.

If someone were to try and tell me to shut up in a sexist manner, I'd open my mouth and talk more. Whenever I see that used to try to discredit an argument, I take it as they have no better response. I also see the poster as more of a jackass than "superior." And yet there seem to be girls who find this funny.

I believe it's a step backward toward times when women not only didn't have suffrage, but also were not to speak unless spoken to according to etiquette rules.

Of course, this can all sound like a large exaggeration, an overreaction to a joke. That's what it is, right? A joke?

I don't think so.

When edited pictures start getting posted in Facebook groups that have to do with women saying, "Sandwich: She'll make one the first time you ask, next time," displaying an abused woman with two black eyes, you know it's become a problem. It's even worse when women post about how funny that picture is.

Of course, this touches on the debate of Facebook being real life. Of course it's not, but it's such an integral part of our daily lives now it can hardly be ignored when real people are posting images like this.

I'm asking you to look at the implications of this sort of sexism creeping back into our society. Even conceding a little can, in the long run, be conceding a lot. There are so many women who have fought so hard to gain the respect females have and to start throwing off traditional gender roles.

It's only right that we respect this work and adhere to it because if we give it up, where does that put us?

As for me, I'll keep fighting against these stereotypes.

I wouldn't easily fulfill them if they do exist, though.

I can't cook to save my life, and I'm proud to be able to say my life will not be defined by that disability. Put me in the kitchen? At your own peril. You wouldn't be able to get me there, though. When it comes to giving up my freedom of speech, independence and suffrage, I will not under any circumstances come quietly and I suggest that you, women of MU, don't either.