• Zagorath
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    1 year ago

    when your language switched from describing “a woman” to “female”

    Sorry, did I do that? I thought I (certainly, it was my intent to) only used female in the sense of as an adjective. Describing “female privilege” as a counterpart to the “male privilege” which is much more talked about (and far, far more prevalent).

    I think you’re wrong to claim that the word female can only be used as an “attribute”. But I would say that one should only use it that way, because it’s kinda gross and reductive to use it as a noun. Which is why I tried to avoid doing that.

    • spmatich :blobcoffee:@ioc.exchange
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      1 year ago

      @Zagorath it’s a fairly common usage. Though ‘male privilege’ has the same problem. Referring to a category of privilege as if maleness is it’s only attribute, is generalised and problematic. It’s quite different from saying “privilege that men tend to have”. Calling it male privilege, has an implicit catch-all. The term is describing social categories, as if they are discrete groups, where as in reality what each person is aware of forms more of a spectrum. I think it’s problematic because it diverts from the intent of the distinction, which is to highlight the privilege, rather than who necessarily has it. Anyway, like I say it’s a fairly common usage, I’m not singling you out. I just reacted to that form of language.