Congressman Blackburn
Marsha Blackburn is ticking off some feminists for preferring the title "congressman." She signs her official correspondence that way, and it appears on her website. “I think that is significant,” Latifa Lyles of the National Organization for Women tells Politico. “We don’t have to pretend we’re not women in order to be leaders in this country."
Here's why Blackburn says she decided to use the title:
While out campaigning at a coffee shop in west Tennessee, a constituent asked Blackburn, “Little lady, what qualifies you to run for the United States House of Representatives?”She quickly ticked off her time as a choir director and Girl Scouts cookie mom. “I kind of teased with him for a couple of minutes but went ahead and had a friendly conversation,” said Blackburn.
As Blackburn worked her way around the room, the constituent motioned for her to come back: “Little lady, if you win this thing, what we gonna call you — congresslady? Congressgirl?”
“Sir, congressman will be just fine,” replied Blackburn. And the rest is, well, congressional record.
Comments
People call me a "girl" all the time. When a man does it, I just say in my most consoling voice, "I'm really sorry to hear about your penis." Maybe that doesn't work when you're in Congress, which is reason No. 4,327 why I'm not in Congress.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 12:28:41 PM(high five) You go, er...girl.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 12:32:19 PMYour comment fits, Liz, since U. S. Representatives are always referred to as a "Member".
Posted 04/16/2008 at 01:25:16 PMShe quickly ticked off her time as a choir director and Girl Scouts cookie mom.
Certainly the qualifications I look for in choosing a representative in Congress. That must explain how she last track of a half a million dollars in campaign contributions.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 01:54:49 PMProving once again that hyperbole is completely lost on SB.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 03:39:08 PMAt the Belle Meade Country Club, you get to be a lady and a member. We're recruiting. Preference given to hot, under-30, big-breasted broads who are widows.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 03:52:42 PMdoes this have anything to do with the weight she's put on?
Posted 04/16/2008 at 07:54:16 PMYou Scene folks can find some unflattering pictures. Is there a journalism contest for that?
Posted 04/16/2008 at 09:58:17 PMYou could get first place.
I always thought the intrinsic meaning of the word woman was "Man with womb."
Correct me if I am wrong.
Posted 04/16/2008 at 11:04:37 PMTwo things:
Posted 04/17/2008 at 09:25:21 AM* Southern Beale -- Actually, knowing that Blackburn has been the GS cookie mom means that I am now mystified as to how she could lose track of one cent. I have stayed far, far away from the cookie mom job -- it is [seriously] very hard.
* This story actually makes a lot of sense to me [Am a West TN girl myself. I know those guys in coffee shops.], and I am now fine w/ Blackburn's seemingly strange title. Personally, I'd rather we called all members of Congress MCs or something like that. This whole man/woman/person thing [obviously] can get ridiculous.
WDH: Actually, the basic anatomy of the zygote/fetus is female and to be male, you get add ons as dictated by genes, hormones, etc.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 09:46:56 AMAs a breasted being myself, I find Blackburn's insistence on being called a congressMAN a little absurd. At the Scene, we get around this awkwardness with the Metro Council, for example, by using "member"——as in Metro Council member Mike Jameson, Metro Council member Megan Barry——though it is quite common, in meetings and elsewhere, for women members to be recognized as "council lady Barry" and such.
It seems perfectly comfortable to use "man" in reference to a woman when it's being used colloquially——"Man, your pant suit looks groovy, Marsha"——but it just seems strange in a formal title. My opposition has nothing to do with feminism; it just seems incorrect.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 10:06:58 AMYes, address someone by the role they are fulfilling rather than their gender.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 10:10:20 AMSueyyy: 'Preciate the info. You've opened a whole new train of thought.
Actually, now then, to be semantically correct the term 'man' must be adjusted. Perhaps it should be 'penman'. Or maybe 'dicman'. Or how about 'cocman'?
And then we have the difficulty presented by the term 'mankind'. Should it be 'woman/penman-kind' -- 'woman/cocman-kind' -- etc.?
I could dig it. I'm proud of my whanger.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 10:51:38 AMMost guys are.
Have you ever thought of the word woman which includes man, of course. Or abdoperson. For people who love playing with words it can go on and on.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 12:16:44 PM"Have you ever thought of the word woman which includes man, of course."
Thought I covered that.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 12:31:01 PMI will fight every single one of you about this if I have to. Meet me on the playground after school and be prepared to get your butt handed to you.
Man is the generic for humans of both genders. It has been for most of the history of the word. Though it was sometimes used to mean male humans specifically, it wasn't until the thirteenth century that such a formation became widely accepted and the original meaning of the word was also retained and remains equally as popular.
Woman comes to us from the Old English--wifman--which meant the adult person who was a 'wif' or a 'wife' which, at the time was just any ordinary adult female. This was pared with the word for any ordinary adult male--wapman, which meant the adult person with a weapon. Sometimes this was rendered as "wer" instead of "wap" and so even though we've lost the eminently useful term 'wapman,' the formulation of "wer-"something is still familiar to us in such words as werewolf.
If Blackburn wants to call herself Congressman, it's stupid to not respect that. It's a legitimate use of the word and, I would argue, the more appropriate use of the word than just using "man" to mean adult male.
Y'all aren't the only men and we need to stop treating that word as if you have exclusive claim to it.
Liz, in honor of your birthday, I think you should reclaim man as the gender neutral term God (or the Old English) intended it to be.
Posted 04/17/2008 at 05:42:48 PMBless you, Aunt B!
How refreshing to, at long last, see a thoughtful, intelligent argument in our eternally tiresome gender struggle. 'Tis a shame indeed we don't seem able to resolve our war, because I truly do love females.
I'll risk a butt kicking and meet you on the playground. I'll bring the burgers and cold drinks. You bring the fixin's.
Love and kisses—WDH
Posted 04/18/2008 at 09:45:16 AMI'll meet you two, too, in about 20 years. It's been a fascinating time to grow up and grow old. Most history, whether linguistic or otherwise, has been written by men. Most religions are paternilistic as most governments and other major institutions. So, why is that an "intelligent" argument to stay the same? Marsha Blackburn and you, Aunt B, can call yourselves whatever you want but others chose to use language and actions to make a more equal and just society for all.
Posted 04/18/2008 at 10:09:43 AM