Sex and clubs

Good lord, the Belizean Grove stuff has made the hairs on my neck stand up.

You don't have to Google much more than "single-sex organizations" to find a plethora of rants, scholarly articles and research projects on whether they are good or bad. There are more single-gender groups than Britney Spears cover shots. Let's see: the Alibi Club, the Alfalfa Club, the Bohemian Club and Skull and Bones. Fraternities. Sororities. Women's auxiliaries. Girl Scouts. Boy Scouts. Golf clubs. Sex clubs. Book clubs. There's even scholarly debate now about whether single-sex classrooms are better for actually educating children.

I don't care to argue about that at all. I'm no expert on social ramifications and psychological dynamics of groups. I do find the hypocrisy ludicrous.

We keep bringing up these proxy issues and pontificating on the symptoms whilst completely ignoring core issues such as pay disparity, promotion discrimination, domestic violence, social stigma on sexual activity, and other inequities that actually matter. The real argument about mono-gender clubs is whether the included get disproportionate access to power and information.

I haven't been able to find substantive explorations of why the GOP watchdogs who have seized on this issue think it's so important. What's motivating their concern? How insightful is this? Or this? It's sexist to belong to an all-female group, but it's funny to snark about women, ironing boards and vacuum cleaners? How intellectually daring! Such bold creativity!

These knee-jerk reactions are expected and almost, frankly, kind of boring and irrelevant. But shouldn't we getting more from our journalists? Where are the probing questions? How about asking: Why do you think this is such a key issue in Sotomayor's nomination? What is your stance on single-gender clubs? DO you think the provision as it relates to Supreme Court justices is essential? Why? Should the provision be extended to other high-level positions such as that of the president? Would you describe sex discrimination and gender equality as key issues in your platform?

But no. We just get the rote, usual response: The GOP brought this up so we should cover the hell out of it, but only on their terms ... See?! Women are sexists, too! ... Boys versus girls! ... Funny jokes about women and housework.

With coverage like this, it's just hard to understand why the MSM is faltering.

Comments

[bd]

I loved this post--and I'm sorry it took me so long to read it. Right on.

[KT]

As usual, we must throw anything out there to disguise the fact that men are uncomfortable with yet another woman taking one of their coveted "top" positions in our patriarchal society...insert small penis joke here.

[performance bonding]

What's been said is definitely true. A nature's way of humanity.

[sex clubs madrid]

You are supposed to go very late as last resort once all the clubs and bars close down... kinda of after hours mentality applies at sex clubs spain