The term boy is reserved for young males, bellhops, and car attendants, and as a putdown for those males judged inferior. Boy connotes immaturity and powerlessness. Only occasionally do males “have a night out with the boys.” They do not talk “boy talk” at the office. Rarely does our language legitimize carefreeness in males. Rather, they are expected, linguistically, to adopt the responsibilities of manhood.

On the other hand, women of all ages may be called girls. Grown females “play bridge with the girls” and indulge in “girl talk”. They are encouraged to remain childlike, and the implication is that they are basically immature and without power. Men can become men, linguistically, putting aside the immaturity of childhood; indeed, for them to retain the openness and playfulness of boyhood is linguistically difficult.

Further, the presumed incompetence and immaturity of women are evidenced by the linguistic company they keep. Women are catergorized with children (“women and children first”), the infirm (“the blind, the lame, the women”), and the incompetent (“women, convicts, and idiots”)…

A total language analysis of categorical groupings is not available, yet it seems likely that women tend to be included in groupings that designate incompleteness, ineptitude, and immaturity. On the other hand, it is difficult for us to conceive of the word man in any categorical grouping other than one that extends beyond humanity, such as “Man, apes, and angels” or “Man and Superman.” That is, men do exist as an independent category capable of autonomy;women are grouped with the stigmatized, the immature, and the foolish. Moreover, when men are in human groupings, they are invariably first on the list (“men and women”, “he and she”, “man and wife”). This order is not accidental but was prescribed in the sixteenth century to honor the worthier party.

-Laurel Richardson

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note: it should be noted that this quote contains ableist and ageist language. in fighting oppression, we cannot eliminate our own oppression by oppressing others. if we resort to oppressing others either through our language or through our actions, then this will make us no better than those whom have oppressed us.

Fighting ageism and ableism is just as much as a legitiment fight as fighting patriarchy.  

@1 year ago with 35 notes