More than a Tempest

Posted on December 3, 2003 in Blogging Crosstalk Pointers

I jumped into the controversy over the proposed Best Female-Authored Blog award proposed at Wizbangblog. The first sign of distress I saw was at Misbehaving.net and later at feministe: the Girl Pirate.

In sum, I agree with the critics of Wizbangblog who say that the award as constructed is sexist and degrading to women. (I also have to ask what is the point of having awards at all other than trying to promote one’s site as some kind of final taste arbiter?) For more insight into my point of view, check the comments at Misbehaving.net.

To say something that I have not said elsewhere: it is precisely because Wizbangblogs is attempting to position itself as an authority on what is good and what is bad that challenging the award category is important. The authors are seeking to influence other bloggers with their tastes and points of view. To separate women out as a “special category” without making a similar one for the men is to set an example of sexism. “Hey,” we’re telling the young people who actually think these awards mean anything, “it’s all right to think of women as second class citizens”.

Perhaps the sponsors did not intend this: perhaps they merely wished to recognize the special accomplishments of women as a class, but seeing it presented without a class for men suggests that women can’t compete with the “big league male all-stars”. Sexism of this kind also hurts men: it can breed resentment against female bloggers as a class and convey the erroneous impression that men as a class have nothing special to offer.

Either way, it’s a bad idea. I join with those who call on Wizbangblog to either delete the “women only category” or add a “men only category”.