Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Cavemen Walking Among Us

This morning, I had the misfortune of going head to head with a living, breathing Neanderthal. I posted a comment on a prominent Philippine journalist's Facebook site about the web entities that i like to call "blaggers". These are bloggers who use the newfound new media popularity among the PR people in order to score free meals, lootbags, and trips, and in return write atrocious entries in their websites, composed mostly of photos of themselves and their group with celebrities and a few sentences in poor grammar to explain what the hell it was they were doing there.

Anyway, Caveman comments that i and those who agreed with me in the post were "crucifying them", and called trivialized our opinions by calling us "li'l girls". I explained my side, saying that i am not the only one complaining, that i have been on the receiving end of gripes and horror stories from PR practitioners, my colleagues and bosses in media, and even from my blogger-friends. I also replied that i did not appreciate being called a "li'l girl". But to no avail, Caveman goes on to say that we "li'l girls" should leave the matter to the experts and simply concentrate on our New Year's resolutions. When he did acknowledge us as "young women", it was with a very annoying j3j3j3 or what is known as jejemon laughter in local parlance.

Why was i so angry, my friend asked. Well, simply put, it is because i am a woman who has paid my dues in order to get to wherever i am now. My voice is heard through my writing, i have readers who value this voice. Then, to be put in my place as a "li'l girl who should leave matters to the experts" really gets my goat.

My Caveman's online posturings has shown me that no matter how many women leaders there are in Philippine society, however many women have reaped awards for sheer determination and hard work, there will always be the Caveman who will heckle from the sidelines and ask these "li'l girls" to "leave it to the experts" -- experts, who to him are probably chauvinist pigs who champion the cause of manliness and male domination above all else.

I pray Mr.Caveman, that you don't have any daughters. I can only imagine what kind of ego-centric chauvinistic household they could grow up in. I also pray Mr.Caveman, that you do not have any sons. Your small-minded opinions about the "weaker sex" may rub off on them.

As for me, i will strive every day, with every fiber of my being, to raise four boys who know how to respect other people, and believe in the equality of the sexes.

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