Comments on: New York Times Clueless About Lesbians

By: TCS

TCS — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:13:30 +0000

On the up side, for me anyway, it was strangely refreshing to read in the mass media about a lesbian on the butchy side of the spectrum.

As Uncle Roger says, Solomon might have taken up Nixon’s remark and extended it to say something about flexible gender roles in all couples. Instead she went for the cheap, “who’s the man” laugh. But still, I’m sure Nixon’s answers enlightened some people because the ignorance is pretty thick out there.

I didn’t think people thought about lesbians that way anymore, when my eldest niece (when she was 8) asked my partner and me which one of us was “the man”. I said, well, neither of us is the man, and we both do things that moms and dads usually do. Aunt L. likes soccer, but I like to fix things around the house, I said. Well, my sister-in-law had just renovated their entire house and yard, doing all the work herself. So to my niece, using power tools made me the woman.

By: Miss Vicki

Miss Vicki — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:05:29 +0000

Well, you were being kind to Deborah Solomon.

She wasn’t clueless – either she put no preparation or thought into this interview

OR Simply….

She was being condescending, it was as a reminder of when a powerful woman sits before Pat Buchanon, Matthews, O’Riley or one of those other idiots.

The objective is what – often to be condescending in a catty innocent I will make people giggle and laugh – as if powerful woman is a comedy show.

Solomon knew — she oughta feel stupid though, what a waste of an interview and the amount of words she was given for this print.

By: Uncle Roger

Uncle Roger — Fri, 23 May 2008 06:29:56 +0000

It’s not just lesbians (or gay men) where the gender stereotypes don’t work. My wife likes sports; I couldn’t be less interested. She can’t cook; I’m a decent cook. I have way better taste in women’s clothes; she’s pretty fashion clueless (but that’s to be expected — I’ve got half a century of experience looking at women). On the other hand, she likes lifetime movies and all those baby shows on discovery health while I like action and sci fi. I’m very into weapons but she’s painful to watch with a butter knife.

So basically, gender stereotypes really don’t work for anyone.

By: tubesteak

tubesteak — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:46:38 +0000

Dude – talk about butches….

http://decentcommunity.org/2008/05/20/identifying-a-butch/

By: mamcwifey

mamcwifey — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:06:38 +0000

wow- i didn’t know being able to use the same bathroom was such a huge gain homo couples have over hetero couples!
the clueless interviewer missed an opportunity to insert a joke about not having to nag anyone to put the seat down. *rolls eyes

By: Ben Finzel

Ben Finzel — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:42:14 +0000

Dana, you make several good points. I read this interview and immediately thought back to the one with Suze Orman that appeared in a similar column a few years ago (the one where she came out). In both cases, the NYT reporter/interviewer comes across as a kind of well-meaning, but clueless, straight person. To me, the rather crude questioning style of this interview came off as simplistic and verging on stupid – not of the quality you’d expect of such an august publication. I guess this is just one more example of the need for media to understand how to report on our lives honestly without resorting to stereotypes.