If I hear one more talking head on television speak of Christine Blasey Ford as “the woman” or “that woman,” I will have to say something about it. And now I will. “The woman” or “that woman”— no longer anonymous — has a name, just as Brett Kavanaugh does. Her name is Christine Blasey Ford. Her university webpage identifies her as Christine Blasey. Thus, Dr. Blasey, or Ms. Blasey.
There is more than a touch of misogynist condescension in “the woman” and “that woman.” Remember Bill Clinton’s “I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky”?
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
The, that woman
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Hear, hear, Michael. Hear, hear!
ReplyDeleteSee something, say something. It’s for all of us to say something. :)
ReplyDeleteBecause "woman" is a symbolic figure, possibly from mythology, like a harpie, while Brett K. is a human with an identity. I know you know this... but just for the record.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding that. “The woman” also has a role in Genesis 3.
ReplyDelete