Dropping the F-Bomb
Brittany Tiplady // Columnist
In attempting to write my Dropping the F-Bomb column for a while, I was met with my old friend writer’s block. There is so much talk about on this topic and yet, the words just wouldn’t flow. Alas, it came to me.
As the holiday season approaches, we are met with increasing amounts of anxiety, financial strain, expectations and stress. Many of us will be spending more time with family than usual, and that is always met with its fair share of frustration. Family time is awesome until it isn’t, and I think that all walks of life can agree on that. Spending time with family members who are still learning about the feminist movement, about equality, about privilege and about the tumultuous state of the world can be…insufferable.
We’ve all had to endure offside and slightly derogatory comments made towards women and the uncomfortable racial slurs by grandpa. In the moment, we often cringe and move on. Sometimes, we excuse the comment due to that person’s age and generation, sometimes we vent until our voices are hoarse in the car ride home. Sometimes, we play along to avoid confrontation at the dinner table.
All of that, in the name of 2017 (aka the year of turmoil and resistance), needs to stop.
I personally believe that the “you can’t change people” mentality is bullshit. I myself have been silent on many occasions when male family members have continuously made sexist and anti-feminist comments in my presence, and it’s the duty of my vocation that I step-the-fuck-up no matter how uncomfortable the conversation to follow may be.
Standing up for your beliefs is really hard when it’s not in the form of an Instagram post. So, ladies, with the help of some really great memes that are popping up my feed, I’ve curated some helpful statements to interject with when the men in your family (and life in general), flex their patriarchal privilege in your damn face.
Here are 10 helpful and holiday friendly statements for women to practice this year (and every year):
- You interrupted me, I’m not finished talking. As I was saying…
- No thank you.
- I really don’t find that kind of humour funny. Actually, it’s offensive.
- Hey, that’s really not appropriate.
- Yep, I already knew that.
- This conversation is uncomfortable. Why don’t we spend this valuable time together talking about something meaningful and smart?
- No, not all Millennials are lazy.
- I’ll decide when and if I want to procreate on my own terms, thank you.
- Yes, I’ll have another helping. Is that a problem?
- Can I educate you on what feminism is really about? You seem to have learned your facts from fake news.
You’re welcome. Good luck out there.