Objectify a Male Tech Writer Day (UPDATE: called off)

UPDATE: Having made such a positive splash already, organizer Leigh Alexander decided to nix the day itself lest it get out of hand:

#Objectify has gotten much bigger than I expected. At first I was excited, but now I see the scale of the discussion and coverage is creating a number of valid risks -- and as a result, I'd like to call off the event. ...
The dialogue's been great, but the end result -- a day of circulating a hashtag on Twitter -- runs the risk of catching fire with people who miss the point. #Objectify is not about celebrating objectification or about making people feel uncomfortable, but I'm increasingly worried that point will be lost and that harm can be done.

The first annual Objectify a Male Tech Writer Day brings attention to the ways, subtle and otherwise, in which female journalists are objectified and trivialized. Here's organizer (and BB contributor) Leigh Alexander, writing in The New Statesman:

The purpose of the exercise isn’t to “get revenge” or to make anyone uncomfortable: simply to help highlight by example what a gendered compliment looks like, and to get people talking in a funny and lighthearted way about how these kinds of comments distract from meaningful dialogues and make writers online feel like their point of view is only as relevant as how attractive they are.

Roll Up For The First Annual Objectify A Man in Tech Day [newstatesman.com]

⟿ Follow Rob Beschizza on Twitter.

MORE: rights • sexism

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bheater

As someone who appears regular on camera on a tech website, I can tell you that it’s not an entirely uncommon occurrence. At least we finally have a holiday, though.
greebo

May I be the first to say how cute your dimples are, Bob, in your BB avatar! Love that cheeky grin!
- http://vinnietesla.com/ Vinnie Tesla
  
  He’s not really cute–just “blog cute”
http://egalwaat.lu pa

Is it
Objectify a “Male Tech Writer Day” or
Objectify a Male “Tech Writer Day” or
Objectify a Male Tech “Writer Day” or
Objectify a Male “Tech Writer” Day or
Objectify a “Male Tech” Writer Day or
Objectify a “Male Tech Writer” Day?

I don’t know what to do!
- UnderachievingSheep
  
  Eh, I’d say it’s “Objectify a Male Tech Writer” Day.
  
  Incidentally, Rob, did I ever tell you that this font makes you look hot? I don’t know, it must be the way it makes you glow…
  
  (I’ll be in the corner awaiting punishment accordingly).
  - Jonathan Roberts
    
    I don’t know, I wouldn’t sleep with him. He’s not my type.
    - Chentzilla
      
      Not your type? You are quite a char!
      - Jonathan Roberts
        
        As an internet commenter with no original content to offer this site, I feel entitled to critique the relative charms of whoever happens to put any work into it.
      - Chentzilla
        
        Spent some time thinking if you talk about yourself or mock me.
      - spejic
        
        Ha ha! Programming joke.
      - Felton / Moderator
        
        I’ll bet Chentzilla has a whole string of ‘em.
      - s2redux
        
        I’ll bet Chentzilla has a whole string of ‘em.
        
        And if not, Felton, I’m sure you could offer up some pointers.
blueelm

Complimenting Rob just makes me feel dirty. Hey, did everyone get a look at Cory’s banana?
- http://vinnietesla.com/ Vinnie Tesla
  
  The first rule of Boing Boing: don’t talk about bananas.
  
  Just look at ‘em.
puppybeard

~~Rob is just writing this post to get attention, the big dirty whore.~~

Crumbs, I over-shot by a mile. Nice Rob. That’s better.
- UnderachievingSheep
  
  oooh this is NOT “slut shame a male tech writer” day, sir!
  - http://nelc.livejournal.com/ NelC
    
    But what if puppybeard really likes big dirty whores?
nixiebunny

My lovely wife thinks that the guy in the article’s illustrative photos needs to be dressed seductively rather than goofily to make the point.

Yes, I said “lovely wife”. See the double standard? See it? Goll darn it, it’s pervasive! Except that I wrote that because she told me that it’s a fine thing to say. See that? It’s even more pervasive than you thought!
- marilove
  
  She’s YOUR wife — I hope you find her lovely! And I hope she finds you lovely! At least most of the time, anyway!
http://maggiekb.com/ Maggie Koerth-Baker

Wow, Rob, I’m impressed that you’re so smart. Your wife is really lucky!
- greebo
  
  She should make him get a haircut.
  - IronEdithKidd
    
    I find it difficult to accept his opinions on fancy tech watches with that hot mess on his head.
  - rrh
    
    That’s kind of sexist. I prefer the long-haired unkempt look, which makes me non-sexist.
  - HeatherB
    
    I’ve tried.
Just_Ok

Every day is Male Tech Writer Day.
http://2012diaries.blogspot.com/ tristan eldritch

Me and my pals down the site always have a right old laugh whenever a male tech writer walks by, They love the attention.
http://celesteagnes.blogspot.com/ Sekino

Rob and Cory are cute and all but…

Team Mark ♥ DIY indeed ;) ;)
xzzy

I’d take this story more seriously if Rob would show us his rippling abs.
- Mark Dow
  
  Shopped. I can tell by the ripples.
http://boingboing.net/ Rob Beschizza

I would offer a coquettish butt nude in support of the cause, but really, that’s not helping.
- pizzicato
  
  wear some short shorts, so tight it hurts! no wait a lederhosen would be better!
- http://deansli.st/ Dean Putney
  
  When are we doing the Happy Mutants Nude Calendar, anyway?
http://twitter.com/frederikvdz Frederik

Pff, Rob probably just writes for tech blogs because he’s looking for attention, I doubt he really knows what he’s talking about.

(that’s right, I went there!)
ChickieD

How come I never see your beautiful smile, Rob? Come on, no need to look so glum.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1515015318 Missy Pants
  
  I want to laugh at this but I get SO ANGRY with the smile comments! And not just because my knee jerk reaction is to fraking SMILE! GRRR!
brandonmwest

tits or gtfo, Rob
- blueelm
  
  Please. Haven’t we all seen them now? Rob needs to have some dignity. Personally I’m sad to see tech writing have to sell to the lowest bidder. He should remember that he’s a role model to little boys when they think about technology.
http://twitter.com/LexInterior Alexis Peterka

“Wow, you’re too good-looking a man to be so well-informed!”

“You must get a LOT of attention at the cons! ;)”

“Let me introduce you to this other guy who does something vaguely related to what you do… no, no special reason, but you’re both, you know, GUYS.”

“Does your wife get jealous that you spend all this time surrounded by guys?”

“How does it feel to be the only hot guy here?”

Folks, I got a million of ‘em. Replace tech writer with tech entrepreneur (hell, tech *anything*) and it’s the same suggestive “compliments” and stereotype threat reinforcement.
duncancreamer

So my Mom was wrong: Two wrongs do make a right.
- Gilbert Wham
  
  The ends also justify the means.
- invictus
  
  So do three lefts.
- Guest
  
  However, I suspect more than a few males out there would like to be objectified.
  - bkad
    
    No, they want to be desired by sexual attractive and available women. That’s not quite the same thing.
    
    If literature and film is any guide (I will try not bring ‘personal research’ into this), the male fantasies in which the attractive, available women appear usually include the man having supernatural prowess in combat, athletics, business, vehicle operation, et cetera. The sexual attention is a reward for personal competence in a respected, skill-based activity. That’s quite a bit different from personal competence being ignored because of said sexual attention, as it is in objectification.
    - http://www.facebook.com/jorgen.fleisterman Jorgen Fleisterman
      
      It’s nice to get compliments, but not to get patronizing dismissals of your non-physical traits disguised as “compliments.”
      - novium
        
        besides, there’s a point where compliments…aren’t. A lot of it’s context, but a lot of unasked commentary from strangers (or even acquaintances) on your looks or sex appeal is not really complimentary, it’s harassing. And it’s definitely objectification- talking about people like they’re park statues, meant for public consumption and therefore open targets for commentary on their aesthetic appeal from every random passerby. That’s not really complimentary, it can’t be, because it’s not really meant for the statue. But since women are people, that’s where it gets creepy.
    - Guest
      
      No
      
      Why so absolutist and black & white? I said “more than few”, not all males.
      
      It’s a bit more grey than you presume… observe:
      
      http://mindhacks.com/2007/09/13/would-you-go-to-bed-with-me/
      
      https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Kqre0c62cYsJ:https://psy.psych.colostate.edu/Research/Fall/Article5.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiE3R7xkDKxIfBqdgnXw4wLqlkESktLv5xrFDztfdb15AFicnJoG1JSZAdjsMAiJPl_E3_KSkAR186jzokNq1OsOpumcS-4jy4jZzlWI86Gmtj9INRxDNvwWstvGHhJZTG3ZnIF&sig=AHIEtbTfSbRtS2BZi8nr7m_C7JE3COozyg
      
      Just something to chew on.
  - http://celesteagnes.blogspot.com/ Sekino
    
    True, but if it happened regularly, especially when they’re trying to make a point or conduct business, they would soon want to punch somebody.
    - Guest
      
      Well, that’s anybody… male or female. Do anything in the extreme to anyone and they’ll flip out. Offer me a piece of cake, I may like it. Shove it down my throat and I’ll call the cops.
      - novium
        
        Can you really say something is extreme if it informs the daily lives of half the population? I think that’s kind of the point of this sort of thing: to get maybe a few people who have haven’t experienced a toxic gender environment to realize how pervasive it is, and their own complicity in that culture?
      - NI MEN HAO-DY TRAMPOLINA
        
        You’re cool.
      - Cowicide
        
        Can you really say something is extreme if it informs the daily lives of half the population? I think that’s kind of the point of this sort of thing
        
        There must be a misunderstanding. I’m not saying anything is wrong with “Objectify a Male Tech Writer Day”. I was responding to the post I was replying to (click the “Context” button of my previous post).
        
        From what I understand “Objectify a Male Tech Writer Day” doesn’t involve badgering a male until he punches you in the face. ^_^
      - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1515015318 Missy Pants
        
        But you like cake. You just had cake yesterday. They totally saw you looking at the cake. But I made this cake for you. Are you on a diet? Are you diabetic? Why don’t you like dessert? What kind of weirdo doesn’t like cake? C’mon, just a bite, just a taste, don’t be such a spoilsport.
      - Cowicide
        
        The cake is a lie.
      - http://celesteagnes.blogspot.com/ Sekino
        
        Well, that’s anybody… male or female. Do anything in the extreme to anyone and they’ll flip out.
        
        That’s what I meant (perhaps I wasn’t clear?)
        
        Most men don’t usually find that kind of response offensive because it hasn’t been dished out to the extreme to them. If they’d get it every day or week, systematically, they would want it to stop, just like women.
        
        ETA: Maybe you meant that this effort is a bit pointless because, since it is only one day, it’s just going to seem like cute/funny jokes to most men*. A single day can’t replicate the way the pernicious behaviour REALLY feels to women because it is, as usual, a novelty and not something they’ll suddenly have to deal with every day, good or bad.
        
        If so, I did have the exact same thought.
        
        *To clarify: Most men who think that this kind of remarks are totally harmless. Men who don’t engage in this don’t really need this kind of ‘reminder’: It’s like preaching to the choir.
      - IronEdithKidd
        
        In response to your edit, let’s bump this one day event up to at least a week, if not an entire month. Maybe then a decent percentage of men will have a chance at being judged on their appearance rather than their abilities just once in their lives.
      - novium
        
        Darn disqus and its nested comment limits and etc etc. I wasn’t trying to say you had a problem with the day, though I can totally see how it came across that way (I’m blaming the jetlag for everything today(. hmm. Okay, so you said you thought most guys would like to objectified, and somebody said that if it happened regularly to them, they’d want to punch someone, to which you said anything taken to extremes will elicit that reaction. And my point to that was that women being objectified to that extent and that constantly isn’t the extreme, it’s the norm. Which then I meant to tie back into the original post by mentioning that raising awareness of the way this is something women must navigate all the time is surely the point of the “objectify men in tech day” thing.
      - http://celesteagnes.blogspot.com/ Sekino
        
        You’re talking about taking things to extremes
        
        If regularly getting comments and remarks about one’s degree of ornamental value, even when it has nothing to do ones’ profession and current discourse, is what you refer to as ‘extreme’, then yes. That’s exactly what I thought this post was talking about.
        
        ETA (because reply won’t work): Wow, Cow. I gotta say, I see you around a lot here and never realized you would think I was yelling at you or ‘having management issues’. My ‘punch in the face’ was a bit tongue-in-cheek BTW, which I thought wasn’t really at odds with the rest of the thread’s tone (and the fact that it is a common metaphor for people in really annoying situations).
        
        I honestly thought we were just discussing about the topic at hand. I even thought we agreed on some level (obviously *I* was misreading you as much as you did me). Really dismayed that you read ‘vicious anger issues’ out of this conversation.
        
        EDIT 2: Look man, can you turn off the fuck-you snark for 2 seconds? Since my ‘punch’ hyperbole was obviously offensive, I APOLOGIZE. I earnestly didn’t mean to freak out people, it was snark.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  So my Mom was wrong
  
  But is she hot?
Velocirapt42

“I’m sorry, I just can’t take tech advice from a guy who can’t even push away from the table and keep himself at a decent weight.”

“It’s kind of brave of you to wear that as the only man in a roomful of women, not that you don’t look amazing!!”

“So, do you find that as a young, quite attractive man it’s hard for women to take you seriously? Or are they just looking at your body?”

“So are you going to stop doing this when you become a father? Oh, who am I kidding, what father has the time to do anything except be a father?”

“Are the women you date intimidated by how smart of a man you are? I bet they are.”

“It’s interesting to meet men doing this… I mean, most men’s brains aren’t cut out for this sort of thing.”

“If he didn’t want people thinking about his looks, he wouldn’t have posted that picture. He would have posted an uglier one or something.”

“I’m so glad you men are breaking into this field. I could certainly use some colleagues who are a pleasure to look at as well as talk to!”

“Seriously? He says he’s being sexually harassed?…. That must be a REALLY bad picture. Or he’s got a killer body.”
DewiMorgan

You’re pretty smart. Are you gay?