No Room For Humor At The Inn
There's a funny photo of a family of five that of course the Internet burst its spleen over, and it's this:
To me, this is a joke that reflects that the women in the family have all the power, and the only way for the guys to get ahead was to bind and gag them.
It also makes fun of how women tend to be the chatter-y sex. (It's certainly how I am compared to Gregg or any guy I know who isn't flamingly gay.)
Humor no longer being allowed on the Internet, and everything being taken VERRRRY SERIOUSLY, this caused an uproar, leading to Facebook removing the photo.
From the Daily Dot's Carrie Nelson:
Though the photo perpetuates the adage of "Women should be seen and not heard"--a notion that some may find amusing to parody ironically--an image of girls and women silenced and restrained by men also suggests far darker connotations. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates that one in three women in the United States will be victims of intimate partner violence over the course of their lives, and that a woman is physically abused every nine seconds.Given these staggering facts, it is not difficult to see why, by Tuesday morning, the Facebook fan page for Hannah Hawkes Photography had been deleted, along with the hundreds of shares that spread the photo virally. Some people, though, are continuing to post their concerns about the photograph and its photographer, indicating that they will not patron[ize] Hawkes' business should she relaunch her page.
Hawkes' reply:
After being silent, now isn't that ironic, I would like to speak! I have been called every name in the book, and have received some very hateful and vulgar comments and messages. I would like to say that as a female I do NOT and have never promoted violence to women! I do not support abuse, or the degradation of women. My controversial photo was taken by request by the family, and was in no way meant to promote abuse. This photo was taken with humor in mind, and was meant as a comical Christmas photo. I personally know this family, and have known them for many years. They are not abusive to their children in any shape or form. Also, I would like to add that no one was harmed during the process! So everyone have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and MAY GOD BLESS you and yours!
My reply: Chill the fuck out, grievance hunters!
If you go through life looking to interpret everything as an attack, well, you will go through life as a victim.
If you need a hobby, take up knitting. Or extreme knitting, whatever that might be.
And while we're on victims, as Cathy Young tweeted, some victims get different treatment than others:
@CathyYoung63
FB removes humorous family photo - mom & daughters w/mouths taped shut ... Any examples of male-bashing humor tolerated?
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates that one in three women in the United States will be victims of intimate partner violence
Hmmm...did they mention that one in three women in the US will initiate intimate partner violence? also, did they mention that surveys of lesbian couples show a rate of such violence that is statistically the same as heterosexual couples?
Such violence isn't a "men's problem", it's a people problem. As a wise man said, there's exactly one way to fight a woman. It is with your hat: grab it and run.
I R A Darth Aggie at December 16, 2015 7:09 AM
"Political correctness is fascism disguised as manners." (George Carlin, I think)
@"The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates that one in three women in the United States will be victims of intimate partner violence over the course of their lives"
I'm sick of the hypocrisy of how we constantly hear this, but never hear of how often men are the victims of partner abuse.
@"Any examples of male-bashing humor tolerated?"
Just the other day on Facebook a female friend shared a 'funny' video showing a woman physically attacking her boyfriend over something petty - she labeled it 'hilarious' and got multiple likes. It didn't seem to occur to anyone that if the genders were reversed in the video it would have been an obviously repulsive example of partner abuse.
Lobster at December 16, 2015 7:19 AM
Exactly IRA. "Given these staggering facts ..." These aren't facts but opinions. And substantially false ones.
Ben at December 16, 2015 7:39 AM
Great point on domestic violence on men. I've written about this in my column. There's immense pressure for men to "laugh off" domestic violence on them, whereas nobody would ever dream of saying that to a woman.
Amy Alkon at December 16, 2015 8:30 AM
had it been the boys with taped mouths... you woulda heard not one word.
:shrug: on the other hand, it's hard to muster much caring...
POLONIUS SJW
Do you know me, my lord?
HAMLET
Excellent well. You are a grievance-monger.
- after all, grievance-mongers are gonna monger.
SwissArmyD at December 16, 2015 8:31 AM
The photo looks like kind of a fun and healthy way to acknowledge the realities of family life.
OTOH my sister-in-law wore long gloves to our wedding to cover up the bruises she got on her arms from beating her husband after the rehearsal dinner.
Canvasback at December 16, 2015 8:57 AM
Personally, I think it's, unfunny, stupid and gross and, yes, I'd think it was unfunny, stupid and gross if the genders were reversed. And I'm sure that, if only the kids' (boys and girls) mouths were taped shut, the sanctimommies would have caused an uproar (remember the hand-wringing that happened when the parody children's book "Go the f*** to sleep" was published?)
While stupid and unfunny, this card is harmless enough to fall into the "ignore it" category.
sofar at December 16, 2015 9:09 AM
Even with the tape, Mr. Hawkes and his son are outnumbered 12 to one.
Jeff Guinn at December 16, 2015 11:02 AM
I think the people complaining are racists to attack this Muslim family and their culture.
Bill O Rights at December 16, 2015 11:47 AM
I agree with sofar, across the board.
kf at December 16, 2015 11:55 AM
Not only would joking violence against men be found funny; but, if it were real violence it would be seen as "he must have done something to deserve it."
charles at December 16, 2015 11:57 AM
One of America's Funniest Home Videos' most popular categories is Crotch Shots. Facebook doesn't delete them.
Ken R at December 16, 2015 1:16 PM
I thought it was funny...Is there something wrong with me?
Jim Wood at December 16, 2015 1:28 PM
So I wonder how long it will be before the guy in the photo is arrested and charged with domestic violence.
Cousin Dave at December 16, 2015 2:07 PM
Good one Bill O.
If these people ever watched "Fiddler on the Roof" they would call for a boycott [is that misogynist?] of United Artists.
Canvasback at December 16, 2015 3:09 PM
I didn't think it was horrible and abusive, but I didn't think it was particularly funny either. I do think they intended it to be funny. The stereotype (pretty much true too) is that females are super chatty and never shut up. A few months ago I saw a wedding announcement photo of a man strung up and hanging upside down like a deer while the woman stood next to him gloating and holding a hunting rifle and there was wording along the lines of she finally bagged a man. Everyone thought it was hilarious. I doubt these same people would think it was hilarious if it were the woman strung up instead.
BunnyGirl at December 16, 2015 5:40 PM
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