You'd think that the title says it all succinctly, but apparently it goes beyond.
Without getting into the grisly and graphic details, apparently the above statement is a blanket that's too damn big. The author of the above statement was criticized and lambasted for simply stating his opinion. For updating his status. For just voicing a personal "like".
I won't go near the whole social networking issues (that's perhaps another entry), but the flame war that ensued after this post, even after attempting to make light of a light subject, was...well..frankly, awkward. To the point of "de-friending" the author. Wow.
So we've got a couple of point of views here that I'd like to explore and hopefully get the juices percolating and maybe even hit a few nerves and simply open eyes to things that that were previously simply viewed with a skewed prejudice.
First, let's explore the obvious reference:
Sir Mix-A-Lot's "Baby Got Back" could easily be credited with kick starting the whole derrière obsession for boys of age in the early 90's (that'd be me and the above quote's author). Knowing that, there are many of us with an appreciation for a lady with ample curves.
I just realized that as I am typing this, I can easily broach the whole "sexist, degrading, and simple disgusting" area. That's not the point, so please, continue with an open mind.
Why the big deal? Anyone with half a brain can realize that the media portrays women that are "sexy" as slender, skinny, perhaps athletic. Is that not sexy? We'll answer that later, but perhaps the better question is "Does that mean that the opposite of that (larger, curvaceous, etc.) is not sexy?" And there it is...
At this crux, we'll go to the next video exhibit...
An interesting thing here, if you were an Eastern or Midwestern girl, would you have been pissed off with the Beach Boys singing how they "wished they all could be California girls"? These guys simply preferred that attitude and mannerisms typical of girls from that area (at least that's what I'm getting from the song).
Personal preference. And that, my most kind and patient audience, is the answer. Silk or cotton. Ham and cheese or PB&J. Automatic or stick. What do you prefer? Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Some Like it Hot. What a Girl Wants. Okay maybe not the last one, but you should be getting the gist here. A huge hullabaloo over what? An over-reaction? Perhaps. A blanket statement? Doutbt it. A disagreement over someone's preference? Winner winner, chicken dinner.
Folks, it's not a difficult thing. Everyone has his/her preferences. Hot dog or hamburger? Vanilla or chocolate? You'll have an answer or at least most will; I've found some "weird" people who don't like ice cream.
So where ever you may be, think about what you do like and don't like, and how this may cause you to react if someone offers the opposite. Before you go there, I will though: I am not talking about going all racist or sexist or any other -ist that is simply wrong. We are talking about everyday little things that can easily be blown up into stupid arguments. C'mon people; we're losing friends on Facebook because of this!
Tongue-in-cheek aside, hopefully all this grief my friend went through will blow over and resolve itself. And for your patience and viewing/listening pleasure, I offer in closing this video by a great singer.
Shazam!
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