Wednesday for Women: Shame on you, News-Sentinel
August 06, 2008 By: almostgotit Category: Knoxville News-Sentinel, Uncategorized, University of Tennessee, college women, feminism, feminist, sexism, sororities
I’ve been defending the Knoxville News-Sentinel a lot lately. Some of my friends are on staff there, after all. But today I read a news article written by their reporter who regularly covers the University of Tennessee, in which he referred to “sorority girls.”
I beg your pardon?
When I went to college, I learned from both professors and peers that the proper term for myself was “woman.” Sure it felt funny at first, and a little thrilling too. The assumption, however, was that I was becoming an autonomous adult, thus making the term “woman” both formative and accurate.
After a little online research (Q: can things really have regressed this much?!?) I discovered that college women these days often do refer to themselves as “girls,” because the word “woman” feels too old. But they also assert that the male counterpart for “girl” is “guy, dude, boy – whatever.” Not “man.”
No one, still, claims that “girl” is the proper feminine equivalent of “man.”
I also doubt that any newspaper style sheet would condone the use of “Fraternity dudes” in a formal news story.
The story was written by a guy/dude/boy whose main beat is the university. Of all people, he should know better. Furthermore, the story itself is about campus security, and the current initiatives to protect female students, in particular.
The only conclusion I can draw from the News-Sentinel today is that women’s vulnerabilities turn women into impotent little girls — while also turning news writers into patronizing old farts.
Women, girls, “whatever.” What do you think, readers?
Update: I emailed the writer, and may not have been the only one. In any case, in the online version of the article, the term “sorority girls” – beginning of 3rd paragraph — now reads “sorority member (sic)” Should we be forgiving??
August 6th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hmm … I always did (and still do, not that I have much need for either term anymore) call them “frat boys” and “sorority girls”, but that’s because of my utter lack of respect for the whole Greek system.
I don’t think I would use either term in a piece of journalistic writing.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Patronizing certainly- and probably totally unaware of it as well. Good for you to email them. While on the subject, I also hate the title “Miss” and strongly prefer “Ms.” if the situation calls for a title. I also have to admit that my skin crawls much more when a man calls me “Miss.”
August 6th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
I agree that the journalist was off in his language. And although he clearly would not have written “fraternity dudes” I think he also would not have written “fraternity boys” or “fraternity guys” but much more likely “fraternity men,” which proves your point. On the other hand, I do hear a lot of the 18-25 year old crowd calling themselves boys and girls. My sense is that some (much?) of it is a kind of rejection of their perception of political correctness and/or of a 70s feminism vocabulary that feels dated. To some extent the recycling of terms (usually ironic when they come around again) is probably to be expected. On the other other hand, some good old-fashioned sexism will always come “shining” through, from both men and women.
August 7th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Way to speak up!
I worked for one university where the campus newspaper ran ads for nearby gentlemen’s club. It was harder than I thought to get the ladies on campus to find that objectionable.
Sometimes the people we defend don’t care enough to stand up for themselves.
Glad they changed the online version at least.