I usually like this comic but this one is even better than average. Every panel has at least one pretty good joke in it (usually better than pretty good). Nice.
Jenkins is the standard by which offensiveness is measured. When he's not hanging around with Scott, Jenkins can be found at the International Bureau for Weights and Measures, next to the kilogram.
it really doesn't matter who's using them or how benign the rest of their message is, casual terms for women are just, ...uncomfortable. whenever i hear one it makes me hesitate a little, they're all contaminated with ugly connotations of one kind or another. For example 'damsel' conjures up helplessness, while 'bitch' refers either to a male not suitably masculine or a female that refuses to be submissive.
I've been known to direct choirs, where the lack of a normal-sounding casual word for a group of women can be particularly felt. "Upper voices" generally works, though I'll occasionally throw out something like "double-x-chromosome folks," just to embrace the awkwardness.
The offensiveness of what you say is sometimes linked to who you are and how you say it. Sean Connery can get away with saying "Ladiesh", but if I say "And how are you beautiful women doing today?" they just produce the restraining order again.
For me, the biggest problem is the word "girl." I feel weird calling women my own age (I'm in my mid-twenties) "women," it just doesn't quite sound right. So I might say "that girl in my class," much like how I'd refer to a "guy." But sometimes it doesn't come as the female equivalent of "guy," but as the equivalent of "boy," and thus a bit patronizing. I honestly haven't found a word I'm wholly comfortable with, which is probably a big reason why I always opt for "guys" when describing mixed company.
Yep, it's a very good strip about a real problem. I know a young woman who now refers to all groups, single-sex and mixed, as "dudes." She decided the alternatives are worse. I don't really like her solution but don't have a better one.
If chicks want to be offended, they are going to be offended by whatever you say; especially when you notice the fact that they are, in fact, the female of the species and require different nouns and pronouns. Here in Jersey we use "You" for the singular, and "Youse" for the plural.
My guy friends used to use "dudettes" and it didn't offend me, as I understood what they were going for. It did, however, make me feel a little bit like Smurfette amongst the Smurfs.
But now I really want an mp3 of Jenkins saying "Ladies."
"If chicks want to be offended, they are going to be offended by whatever you say"
Aye, but only IF they want to be offended.
Is there any way of telling who wants to be offended and who is willing to see if there's a non-offensive side?
Because the problem is, with a fear of being censured for being an obnoxious oaf to the distaff side means that those of the distaff side who don't act like that are being excluded now not through myscogyny but through fear of the accusation of the same.
A bit like a while back, "That's Life" (a program with documentary pretentions) set up a situation with a small child pretending to be lost and crying in the middle of a shopping centre.
No male shoppers stopped.
This, to the presenter, was abhorrent. Men were completely heartless!
And very few women shoppers stopped too.
Apparently society is becoming more heartless!
Or they were afraid of being labelled paedo.
Which programmes like "That's life" do whenever some bloke walks in the local park that is near a schoolyard...
It's not right on anyone, except those who want the world to conform to their ephemerally sourced morality.
So, sexism is only offensive when men do it, not when women do it. As my wife, who grew up in South Texas, says of the play "Greater Tuna," that's not comedy. That's a documentary.
I stick with the old fashioned terms for the gals. Dishes and chippies all have a hard time getting offended when I call them tomatoes because they're too busy trying to figure out what type of idiot I am.
November 8, 2012
Reader Comments (53)
This is gold. All of it. I want to take this home with me and make it my wife.
I usually like this comic but this one is even better than average. Every panel has at least one pretty good joke in it (usually better than pretty good).
Nice.
Damsel?
I was half-expecting another "eeew" in the final panel, honestly, haha. Another great one, Scott.
Michelle calls all her female friends dudes, I think it can just mean 'Casual Human' now.
Jenkins is the standard by which offensiveness is measured. When he's not hanging around with Scott, Jenkins can be found at the International Bureau for Weights and Measures, next to the kilogram.
That chick's kind of a bitch.
LOL at using Jenkins to prove the point. Clever.
THIS. This comic is my life. I thought I was the only one who worried about this.
Dudette.
Also, I'm partial to "gal"
One of your best, Scott! (I have been the "lady" in this conversation more than once before...)
it really doesn't matter who's using them or how benign the rest of their message is, casual terms for women are just, ...uncomfortable. whenever i hear one it makes me hesitate a little, they're all contaminated with ugly connotations of one kind or another. For example 'damsel' conjures up helplessness, while 'bitch' refers either to a male not suitably masculine or a female that refuses to be submissive.
Go with "goddess" and you'll never lose.
I've been known to direct choirs, where the lack of a normal-sounding casual word for a group of women can be particularly felt. "Upper voices" generally works, though I'll occasionally throw out something like "double-x-chromosome folks," just to embrace the awkwardness.
The offensiveness of what you say is sometimes linked to who you are and how you say it. Sean Connery can get away with saying "Ladiesh", but if I say "And how are you beautiful women doing today?" they just produce the restraining order again.
My life would be sad and without any meaning, were it not for monday, wednesday and friday morning. Thanks Scott.
So much funniness... I... can't... stand it...
Where is the random article button! Every time a new one comes out I want to see some others at random.
@Nonsensicles @Eman
Methinks the wench could use a flagon of mead!
For me, the biggest problem is the word "girl." I feel weird calling women my own age (I'm in my mid-twenties) "women," it just doesn't quite sound right. So I might say "that girl in my class," much like how I'd refer to a "guy." But sometimes it doesn't come as the female equivalent of "guy," but as the equivalent of "boy," and thus a bit patronizing. I honestly haven't found a word I'm wholly comfortable with, which is probably a big reason why I always opt for "guys" when describing mixed company.
Yep, it's a very good strip about a real problem. I know a young woman who now refers to all groups, single-sex and mixed, as "dudes." She decided the alternatives are worse. I don't really like her solution but don't have a better one.
Dudette?
TWO new poses in pannel three? You obviously have been honing your art skills again. Keep up the good work!
I wonder if Scott and Missy have tags for the standard Scott poses...
Is panel 4 'Pat head, rub stomach Scott'?
It's a bit sad that this tale is fairly realistic, isn't it.
Though USA police officers think calling them "dude" is offensive and warrants assault and arrest, so it may be a US export to be so easily offended.
(so much for free speech: "I'll fight to the death to defend what you say, but as long as I can make you feel crappy about what you say"?)
I'm reminded of a "Top ten hints for women about men" that has:
If we say something and it can be taken two ways, and one way is offensive to you, we meant the other one.
Really, sometimes it doesn't mean something bad, it's just we're not looking to see if it could possibly be offensive.
Where are Jenkins's legs?
Breeders?
Distaff?
Offender-ee-esses?
Time to bring back "Dudettes."
If chicks want to be offended, they are going to be offended by whatever you say; especially when you notice the fact that they are, in fact, the female of the species and require different nouns and pronouns. Here in Jersey we use "You" for the singular, and "Youse" for the plural.
My guy friends used to use "dudettes" and it didn't offend me, as I understood what they were going for. It did, however, make me feel a little bit like Smurfette amongst the Smurfs.
But now I really want an mp3 of Jenkins saying "Ladies."
Truly one of your better comics.
And that's saying a lot, considering your ordinary comics.
I like feminitas, or phillies, but never use ho.
"If chicks want to be offended, they are going to be offended by whatever you say"
Aye, but only IF they want to be offended.
Is there any way of telling who wants to be offended and who is willing to see if there's a non-offensive side?
Because the problem is, with a fear of being censured for being an obnoxious oaf to the distaff side means that those of the distaff side who don't act like that are being excluded now not through myscogyny but through fear of the accusation of the same.
A bit like a while back, "That's Life" (a program with documentary pretentions) set up a situation with a small child pretending to be lost and crying in the middle of a shopping centre.
No male shoppers stopped.
This, to the presenter, was abhorrent. Men were completely heartless!
And very few women shoppers stopped too.
Apparently society is becoming more heartless!
Or they were afraid of being labelled paedo.
Which programmes like "That's life" do whenever some bloke walks in the local park that is near a schoolyard...
It's not right on anyone, except those who want the world to conform to their ephemerally sourced morality.
You may refer to me as a "Feminist Babe."
Lean-in Jenkins is amazing. Bring us more!
It's a shame when people object to the word "ladies". Of course, Jenkins can make anything sound offensive.
Are the scans in panels 1 and 3 taken from the same lady as the ones in 2 and 4?
One more voice to the chorus - I love this one.
I especially like how Jenkins leans into panel 3 to join the party. Allllllllllmost breaking the 4th wall, there...
So, sexism is only offensive when men do it, not when women do it. As my wife, who grew up in South Texas, says of the play "Greater Tuna," that's not comedy. That's a documentary.
I stick with the old fashioned terms for the gals. Dishes and chippies all have a hard time getting offended when I call them tomatoes because they're too busy trying to figure out what type of idiot I am.
I like how Jenkins is just sort of "leaning into" the panel, making him extra creepy.