President Zuma, Donald Trump’s sister and those irascible feminists
By Bishop Dave Chikosi
Last week, while registering to vote in KwaZulu Natal, President Jacob Zuma incurred the wrath of South African feminists when he chastised today’s women for being too quick to cry “sexual harassment” when complimented by men.
“When men compliment you innocently, you say it’s harassment. You will miss out on good men and marriage,” he told female members of the media.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s official opposition party quickly responded through its spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme:
“It is precisely this patriarchal attitude that allows for women to remain the subjects of high levels of violence and sexual abuse throughout our country. It is also this sort of thinking that keeps women locked out of the economy, and out of jobs that could bring a much needed income to their family,” Van Damme said.
The DA would report these comments to the SA Human Rights Commission.
A hot senator and a sweet reporter
This whole episode reminds me of the instance in 2010 when US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid referred to New York’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, as “the hottest member” of the Senate.
The comment prompted Gillibrand, who was seated just a few feet from Reid, to turn red, according to the sources. Reid was excoriated in feminist circles for being sexist and politically incorrect.
And then there was the time in 2008 when President Obama had to apologize for calling a female reporter “sweetie” during a campaign stop in Detroit.
Peggy Agar, a local TV reporter, had asked Mr Obama exactly how he intended to help American autoworkers avoid an industry collapse.
Obama’s response was: “Hold on a second, sweetie. We’ll hold a press avail.”
The Politically Correct (PC) police went into overdrive. No, this was not a spontaneous gush of affection. On the contrary kit was a sexist gaffe that revealed a POTUS seriously in need of sensitivity training – after the woman has sued for sexual harassment.
Feminists argue that when a man focuses on the physical endowments of a woman, as Harry Reid did or Mr Zuma advocates, as opposed to her mental or professional attributes, it is nothing but a clever male attempt to exercise power or dominanceover her.
It is what 18th century St Augustine termed libido dominandi or lust for dominance.
And to call a woman sweetie or honey is a male attempt to put her in her place.
Sexist vs stupid
I understand the objection by women to being objectified by sexist males. I totally get it.
But to call every innocent and spontaneous interaction between men and women sexist or sexual harassment is absurd.
It has, in fact, become so ridiculous that we are now at the point where men are now reluctant to stop and help a stranded female motorist with changing a flat tire for fear that their act of kindness will be interpreted as an insinuation that women can’t take care of their own business.
But there is a difference between what is sexist and what is just plain stupid. To tell a woman that she is fat is not sexist. It’s stupid, especially if you are married to her. It simply means you may have to spend a few nights sleeping on the couch – or something worse.
Its in these kind of situations that you really find out the truth of the amended Biblical axiom that says: “The husband is the head and the wife is the neck that turns it around.”
Which reminds me of the story about three guys in a pub who were taking turns to brag about how much control they had over their wives. When they asked the last guy what sort of control he had over his wife, he explained how the other night his wife had come to him on her hands and knees.
His two friends were amazed. “What happened then?” they asked.
“Well, she said to me, ‘Get out from under the bed and fight like a man!’”
You are a victim because a man called you hot?
I think that today’s PC police has gone mad. The idea that you become a victim of sexual harassment the minute a man calls you hot or sweetie or beautiful is insane.
A lot of the feminists who push these ideas do so because they themselves aren’t getting the male attention they so desperately seek. They therefore want to make sure no one else does.
Which brings me to Donald Trump’s 78 year old sister with whom I totally agree on the issue of sexism. Her name is Maryanne Trump Barry, and she is a judge on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.
In a 1992 speech Judge Maryanne Trump Barry decried the excessively delicate sensibilities of those who would have us men verbally walk on eggshells around women just so we don’t say something offensive.
“I stand second to none in condemning sexual harassment of women,” she said in her speech.
“But what is happening is that every sexy joke of long ago, every flirtation, is being re-called by some women and revised and re-evaluated as sexual harassment. Many of these accusations are, in anybody’s book, frivolous. … Frivolous accusations reduce, if not eliminate, not only communication between men and women but any kind of playfulness and banter. Where has the laughter gone?”
Good question. Where indeed has the laughter gone? Where has the spontaneity gone?
Conclusion: if you are beautiful you should stop whining
There is a published research study by Professors Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle that postulates that women who are perceived as beautiful, earn about 5 percent more income than their ordinary-looking counterparts. (I’m sure the reason is because bosses find beautiful employees more fun to look at).
So if you are beautiful please stop whining about men paying you compliments. You already have an socio-economic advantage over Plain Jane and so you should be able to handle a little “sexism” every now and then.
Bishop Dave Chikosi can be reached by email at [email protected]. You can watch his YouTube videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/faithcoach4u. He also blogs at http://davechikosi.blogspot.com
