A new "art" form

[awkward-yet-sweet]

Not exactly political, but it kind of illustrates our times.  I went out with my husband this evening to a spot in town that sometimes has comedy events.  Not a show, really, but sometimes a skit or some stand-up type stuff.  I like to get a decently-made cocktail occasionally as well, and get away from the kids for an hour.

 

Well, we didn't stay long.  The opener was a fellow wearing a mop on his head as a wig pretending to be trans.  Followed by a rather rude song.   I don't mind weirdness, but it was too much and we left....although the other people there seemed to be enjoying it. 🙄  My husband's comment - "75 years ago they did stuff like this about black people and called it a 'Minstrel' show." 

 

So I guess what was old is now new again, with a different target?  Anybody else seen something like this? (hopefully not) On the bright side, I suppose in the states that have anti-drag laws this sort of thing might fall under the ban?

[Mirrabooka]

Nothing to do with stand-up shows, but I recently saw an example of how hateful the general population still is.

 

Our 'Aussie Rules' football code has had a separate women's comp for several years now and it is slowly gaining traction. One of the sides recently made an announcement about appointing a new coach, a former star female player from another club. This is a big deal because most of the women's teams still have a male coach. Her main rival for the position was a former men's player and coach who has since transitioned. Following the announcement, there was an equal number of joyous comments from misogynists because the appointee would no longer be providing TV commentary on men's games, and hateful comments from transphobic people about her rival.

 

There are so many rednecks out there!  

[awkward-yet-sweet]

4 hours ago, Mirrabooka said:

There are so many rednecks out there!  

 

Interesting little example of how the English language it's not exactly the same everywhere. We use the word redneck in my area in a very different way. Actually, to a lot of people it is a compliment, describing a way of life and a type of work ethic. I guess in Australia the word means something similar to how we would use the word "trash"

[Ivy]

There's a lot of words used like slurs like this that are totally undeserved.

Some people just think they're better than other folks.

[Mirrabooka]

7 hours ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

Interesting little example of how the English language it's not exactly the same everywhere.

Yes, you are correct.

[Ivy]

41 minutes ago, Mirrabooka said:

English language it's not exactly the same everywhere.

The English Language is a bastard.   It takes whatever the hell it wants, from wherever the hell it wants, and then does whatever the hell it wants with it.

I don't have a drop of "English" blood in me, but I have to say I am impressed.  Face it.  It has escaped that island and become a thing in itself.

I love that it is largely gender neutral, as compared to many others.  And when you go into regional dialects…  I live in the American (US - But that's a whole other issue) South, and one time, I had no clue what a girl from Chicago was trying to tell me.  I had to get someone to translate.

I'd love to master other languages, but TBH, I still can't handle English, and that's supposedly, my "mother tongue."

[RaineOnYourParade]

12 hours ago, awkward-yet-sweet said:

 

Interesting little example of how the English language it's not exactly the same everywhere. We use the word redneck in my area in a very different way. Actually, to a lot of people it is a compliment, describing a way of life and a type of work ethic. I guess in Australia the word means something similar to how we would use the word "trash"

I'm American but I've never heard it used that way before, I've only heard it to refer to someone as trashy. 

[Ivy]

35 minutes ago, RaineOnYourParade said:

I've only heard it to refer to someone as trashy. 

Comes from someone who works outside in the weather, like a farmhand, or ditch digger, out in the sun.  It implies that they're stupid or something, which of course is not true.

[awkward-yet-sweet]

43 minutes ago, RaineOnYourParade said:

I'm American but I've never heard it used that way before, I've only heard it to refer to someone as trashy. 

 

I've heard it used that way in big cities.  People here will actually have the word as a large and elaborately decorated rear window sticker in cars or pickup trucks.  A badge of pride - I guess rural folks have reclaimed it from being an insult.  It refers to hard work (often outdoors getting a sunburn), long hours, and getting the job done right no matter what.  Its also become multicultural - we've got Native, Hispanic, Asian, and African-American folks who claim the term. 

 

Of course, there's also the "dumb hick" stereotype.  And folks who are rude and bigoted play into that, unfortunately.   

[Birdie]

5 hours ago, Mirrabooka said:

Yes, you are correct.

 

1 hour ago, RaineOnYourParade said:

Interesting little example of how the English language it's not exactly the same everywhere

That reminds me of

when my cousin where visiting from Wales. My cousins asked to be, "knocked up in the morning". 

 

Of course we were chuckling a bit because she had no idea that here in America that meant 'impregnated'. 

 

We did inform her of the difference in meaning here, and if she ever stayed in a hotel the correct American version would be, "can I be woken up in the morning". 

[Mirrabooka]

Knocked up, lol...

 

Although off topic now (sorry @awkward-yet-sweet!), this is a good discussion.

 

I made a poor choice of word yesterday. Maybe that was due to a different international comprehension of the word, or maybe it was just my unique understanding of it. That's not necessarily an apology; what I was trying to describe was an unrefined person of limited intellect, who is unskilled at critical thinking and unable to resist the dog-whistling from the far right whether it be in politics or media. Such people are more prevalent in the rural back blocks. Pictured in my mind when I think of rednecks, is someone who looks and sounds like Cletus from The Simpsons, complete with the implied inbreeding. 

 

The word I should have used instead, is bigot.