theosbo:

break it down, why don’t you (on the right blog)…

nhaler:

gamejournos:

Jim Sterling of (but presumably not representing) Destructoid, on Twitter, in response to a feminist he has a rather childish argument with.

Let’s just make this clear: It is NEVER okay to use sexist language in a conversation. Ever. “Feminazi slut” is just one of the terms Jim used to describe daphaknee.

I don’t care how edgy Jim thinks he’s being, you don’t use sexist language like this.

This sort of shit is inexcusable.

Jim,

Before I say anything about your conduct - which is inexcusable - I’d like you to understand that the terms you’re throwing around, a portmanteau of “feminist” and “Nazi”, and of course, slut and cunt, are not within the standard lexicon of a person who claims to be a feminist or sympathizer with the cause.

I’m sure you know this, which is why it baffles me that you continue to posture yourself in such a fashion. When you so shamelessly and unapologetically betray the people you claim to be sympathizing with and supporting, you not only throw away your own support and credibility, you actively retard any potential social progress that was to be advanced.

Your oppressive language - that’s what it is, oppressive - is also a ruthless, shrewd jab at actual Nazi victims: not only were Jews imprisoned in camps, but feminist ‘agitators’ and political activists likewise. With your expulsions of socially-retrograde epithets, you somehow manage to disparage entire generations of victims by using language which turns their own suffering against them, as though it were somehow their own defect.

In effect, you are blaming feminists for feminism-persecution, by persecuting feminism. Ironically, that is akin to the rhetoric of the actual Nazi regime.

Your use of the term ‘slut’ is a secondary rejection of feminism, which is not constrained to the follies of those [within places of habitual human rights violations] who commit various physical abuses against women. The greatest threat to female equality in the West is not, as you might believe, habitual physical harm - though that, too, is still a present issue. The sexual rights of women is a worldwide problem—and one which your quasi-Christo-puritan, pre-rationalist brain can’t seem to grasp, at that.

Now that you understand what connotations “slut” and “feminazi” carry, perhaps it’s time to also point out that women are not another species. I’m not sure you knew that, but we reproduce with them, even though you may not. But they are in fact essential to the continuation of our species which they, believe or not, are the other half of. Accordingly, I would expect that basically anyone of this sentient species should be able to view them as equals. As they are. (In hindsight, I can’t blame them if they’re not compelled to reproduce with you.)

So Jim, now that you’re educated in everything that’s wrong with this kind of behavior, someone can begin to administer the discipline. (A dog that doesn’t know not to shit on the rug, can’t be punished for shitting on the rug, can it? Luckily this rug is salvageable, but the shit was so immense as to render the rest of the house uninhabitable; you should probably be put down, though, as your services required in guarding the house are no longer needed.)

A glance over at The NY Times, or Washington Post, or any other respectable outlet of journalistic merit, would reveal a very obvious difference in their operations. They would never, ever tolerate the kind of behavior you’ve exhibited here. The offender would be summarily dismissed, with all contracts voided. I cannot think of a time in history when such a disgusting, unprofessional, and personal attack was ever ushered in public (!) to someone, ultimately on the basis of their beliefs.

You claim to be a writer. A journalist. A blogger. A voice of the people, representing their interests. You’ve simultaneously betrayed and offended every one of those principles; if that is Destructoid, “for gamers—by gamers”—you are painting a very clear and grim portrait of an entire industry which has long struggled to earn any kind of respect.

Your compatriots in not just the gaming-journalism industry, but within the realm of journalism altogether, would be shocked and dismayed by this kind of behavior. I’m glad I’m not yet in that industry, because I would be personally ashamed to be associated with the likes of you. Your vitriolic, distasteful, inelegant, cheap attacks are inexcusable as defenses of an opinion; they’re valid only as reasons to cite why women may entirely avoid the gaming industry in general.

You embarrass men and gamers worldwide, but perhaps the most striking embarrassment is the one to your own legacy: not only is your personal and professional reputation at stake, but as a representative (whether you like it or not) of Destructoid, you can’t even abide by its own guidelines yourself!

The real, great tragedy of all this is that despite how obviously inept Jim sterling is at being a man, nobody will ever know or care. But then, maybe that’s a good thing. Rush Limbaugh’s use of the term “feminazi” has dogged him for nearly 20 years now; Jim Sterling’s use of all of the above will probably blow over in a week.

Why? Well because, frankly, people just do not care about Jim Sterling. It’s a shame, but I bet that when gaming has a journalist it can respect, Jim’s time will be short.

Break it down.

Word.