TIME apologized for including “feminist” on its facetious poll of words to be banished from the empire.
Nancy Gibbs, the magazine’s managing editor, penned an apology that is included as an editor’s note above the article:
Time apologizes for the execution of this poll; the word ‘feminist’ should not have been included in a list of words to ban. While we meant to invite debate about some ways the word was used this year, that nuance was lost, and we regret that its inclusion has become a distraction from the important debate over equality and justice.
Why did that not occur to them as soon as someone suggested the word? It’s not a subtle or nuanced thought, is it.
In the Los Angeles Times, blogger Susan Rohwer opined it was “deeply troubling a news organization like Time would suggest banning a word that means something as basic and seemingly uncontroversial as ‘all humans deserve the same rights regardless of their gender.’ Apparently, we need yet another reminder of why anti-feminist rhetoric like this needs to end.”
The New York Review of Books, Planned Parenthood and others all weighed in on social media, generally panning the magazine’s decision to include the word on its banishment poll.
And TIME stared open-mouthed, and blinked, and moved its lips, and finally figured out that shitting on the idea of equal rights for all of humanity instead of just the male half of it might not be such a genius plan. Well done.
This clearly means that
a) they have been bullied into submission
b) they have been infiltrated by feminists
c) feminists are once again posting lies and propaganda, this time smearing the good people at TIME
It’s clearly all of the above. I’m tempted to pre-quote the disappointed backlash on the far side but, meh. I might as well predict six o’clock. At any rate, I think I’ve covered everything already.
I thought TIME was just running a social experiment to validate Lewis’ Law.
Success!
Kamarov, I haven’t been following your posts, so the intention of your comment above is not clear. I hope that you are being ironic/sarcastic.
Regarding Time’s “Bad”…. It’s really more than that. They can apologise, but it’s hard to see that those who posted the original list had any other conception of feminism than the one held by Rush Limbaugh, which says something about Time’s editorial system. Dr. Taylor, whose shirt with shapely women in bold décolletage was the subject of much just condemnation, has (it seems) genuinely apologised, apparently not being aware that this could be taken as not only sexist, but a form of sexual harassment in the work environment of CERN, and we should take his apology as genuine and let it go. Hopefully, he has learned something to his profit. It is absurd the Britain’s commentariat should have jumped to his defence, as several of today’s papers made it clear that they have. He made a poor decision, and should have been called to account, as, in this internet age of blogging and tweeting, he was. But Time’s mistake is more serious. The list Time compiled must have gone through several layers of editing, before it was published. Apology is a little harder to take seriously, when the original suggestion was that feminism may be taken as meaning something like Rush Limbaugh’s feminazism. Time really needs to look a little more closely at itself and its corporate values, and instead of just saying “our bad”, should publish something that shows that they have actually learned something in the process. Just saying sorry won’t cut it in this case.
Its initial inclusion was “Jeez, we’re all so tired of hearing about feminism. I mean, do those feminists have to be everywhere and expecting equality in everything?” Seriously. That was the initial premise, things that they are “over” because they are “too ubiquitous”. There is no “oops” about that, or easy apology.
Exactly so, Eric. This should have been obvious to them the instant some bozo suggested it.
It’s disgusting how socially acceptable anti-feminism has become.
Ya gotta wonder if something like “African-American” – you know, “PC/political correctness running amok” – could have made it onto their list.
It is sort of interesting to me that most of the other words on the list, that Time hasn’t said anything about, are AAVE in origin.
Oh, those tiresome women, especially young Black ones!
-In the Los Angeles Times, blogger Susan Rohwer opined it was “deeply troubling a news organization like Time would suggest banning a word that means something as basic and seemingly uncontroversial as ‘all humans deserve the same rights regardless of their gender.’ Apparently, we need yet another reminder of why anti-feminist rhetoric like this needs to end.”
I’ll be honest, I don’t find it troubling at all. Time is a pretty shitty publication, and them doing this is entirely predictable. I lost interest in what they were publishing when someone pointed out that one of their main shticks is blaming all of society’s current ills on the youngest generation and how awful young people are – and they’ve been doing this for decades.
Would I prefer they were less shitty and didn’t do this shitty poll with it’s shitty inclusion of ‘feminist’? Sure. Was I in the least bit surprised?
Nope.
Because people are frequently idiots?
I think part of it is the diffusion of responsibility. Any number of people might be working on a project, but responsibility doesn’t rest with any one individual, and criticism for any one thing will be directed at the organization, not the individual members. The intention “to invite debate about some ways the word was used this year” was agreed upon, execution was fluffed, and no one cared because no one was personally responsible.
Time thought they could run that because we live in a society where even people who want equality for all think “feminism” is some bad thing. Just yesterday my own wife proclaimed that she was not a feminist. Yet I can assure you she is. She’s just bought into the idea that “feminism” is something bad, while “equality” is something good.
I wish I knew how to talk to her about this, but I really don’t want to mansplain feminism to my wife. Irony-meters across the country would explode.
Eric,
Also, regarding the genuineness of the apology, the whole “we meant to invite debate about some ways the word was used this year, that nuance was lost” remark is one of those things on the “Don’t Do” list for apologies because it reeks of condescension. Like, “We were being clever, but you idiots were too stupid to get it!” And, as sathyalacey reminds me, condescension seems to be common with Time.
Ophelia Benson
People like to buy and sell complex bullshit, which is why it is easy and acceptable to hate a ridiculous strawman feminism on the surface while being truly antifeminist at heart.
“It’s disgusting how socially acceptable anti-feminism has become”
Next you’ll say you’re disgusted that people are anti-kkk or anti-nazi. Feminism is about female supremacy, NOT equal rights. Don’t be so naive. Feminism is the gender KKK. Feminism is the radical notion that women aren’t accountable for their actions. I say this as a stong and independent woman. I support women’s rights but I DO NOT support feminism!
Kudos to TIME for their original piece, shame on them for their retraction. Their cow-towing to the fascism of feminists only serves to stifle free speech. Honestly, THAT is disgusting. My daughter will be raised in a world where she doesn’t have to cry victim to get people to stop criticizing her, where she will be judged by her actions and held accountable for her decisions. She will grow up to be a strong woman who won’t need feminism telling her she’s a weak victim who’s unable to stand for herself. Feminists are the true misogynists.