-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Sandra Pickering wrote:
> Thank you, Fay.
> I was almost speechless at the assumption that the gentleman must be
> unoffended. (Construct the reverse.)
> Not to mention the notion of 'wagering' on the gentleman's feelings.
> You expressed it much more politely than I would have done.
> There is an enormous body of research on the topic. An evidence-based
> discussion could be enlightening.
>
I do wonder whether this is just a gender matter.
As said before teenage boys, students and those of us who still feel
that way 20-30 years on will often happily use terms of endearment which
in any other society would be offensive, but among male friends of the
essentially same background are emphatically not.
These may include all kinds of sexually offensive, scatological or
indeed racist terms. Or refer to physical charactersistics
Those who can not cope with this are indeed offended by such terms but
the question remains whose fault this is.
Modern society has decided it is all bullying and horrible just because
sometimes it is. I would think this is stupid.
Fact is - and I as a foreigner can probably state this without raising
eyebrows - being called a bloody Kraut from my close friend is fine, but
hearing me described as a "that German doctor" by a nurse with a complex
is not. The former is _not_ racist, despite use of a potentially racist
term, the latter most certainly is verging that way.
Peter
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org
iEYEARECAAYFAkls/0MACgkQGZ/1MokWdcu+yACfYYgCwxNPgNVO5iiamwPjZjUq
ULYAnjTX5tddG/JHAi84Yg6FSWFPjkdH
=gafx
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
***********************************************************************
This message may contain confidential and privileged information.
If you are not the intended recipient you should not disclose, copy
or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in reliance
on its contents. To do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful.
Please inform the sender that this message has gone astray before
deleting it. Thank you.
2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the NHS. It's an opportunity to pay
tribute to the NHS staff and volunteers who help shape the service, and
celebrate their achievements.
If you work for the NHS and would like an NHSmail email account, go
to: www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/nhsmail
***********************************************************************
|