At dVerse Peter is hosting Poetics and has invited us write a poem as witness (to a news event or an event).
dVerse Poets – Poetics – Poetry as Witness
“Misogyny is hostility toward the women who threaten to remove the male status as superior to women.” Jill A. Stoddard
Just Let Her Speak She appeared dressed for the microphone, I even saw her lips move in pantomime, but you voiced her down, wrapping her in shrouds of misogyny, swaddled her in your patriarchal goitre, and gave your words to her lips as you pigeon-chested the throng with your smirk faced denouement, a coda of lament for the poor boys whose groins yearned for possession of skirted public property, how could you possibly listen let alone reflect, you members of parliament erect, she appeared dressed for the microphone, just let her speak. ©Paul Vincent Cannon Note: Misogyny: from the Greek misein (μισειν) hate + gyne (γυνε) woman.
Well said, Paul!
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Thank you so much VJ, I wonder how this can be changed, the world is still in this patriarchal grip.
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It is and has been forever so. We keep writing, sharing, shifting the consciousness.
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Yes, hoping to make some headway though.
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I agree with VJ
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Thank you Cheryl, I wish it were not so.
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My daughter and granddaughter were here today and we all are mystified at the power these type of men hold in high offices.
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Yes, same for me, it beggars belief, it is obvious yet people think they’re wonderful.
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I think I’ve many if those men. I wouldn’t call them gentlemen.
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No there are other words for them, awful behaviour which indicates other behaviours too. Can’t wait for their exit from parliament. Thank so much Pat.
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Or the White House and the Congress on this side of the ocean (no one calls the Pacific the Pond.)
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Ha, yes, crazy, our leaders are not doing right by us.
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The big test is this: has your PM called Biden? 😉
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He actually did, though he is a trumper type. 🙂
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No pride right?
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None whatsoever, he just served up a whole la k of integrity on screen and smirked.
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He is a perfect example of a great puzzlement of mine. How have we generated, as a planet, such a vast quantity of cynical hoodlums in office? I can’t understand where it comes from.
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I think it’s throwback, regression, this lot have idolised the 70s thugs in business and government – pure power lust, but without the finesse.
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Yes. I studied power, authority, illusion, cognitive dissonance in Grad school… Perfect tools to understand what is going on. But still leaves me helpless… A nasty feeling, TBH.
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Same here, I too struggle, even though we quote all the greats, frustrated.
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Yet the intelligence is still there. I read one or the other editorial in the French press. Good, structured thinking. But it seems no politician anywhere reads anymore… One day.
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I think the current crop are over managed, and want to be managed on intelligence, that way they escape blame (bush and Blair – sounds like an American brewery), plus the fact that none of our lot are bright enough anyway.
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Another sad example that education and intelligence are not highly correlated… 🤣
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Lol, so true.
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Agreed, Paul!
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How to change the culture.
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Thats it, Paul!
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😉
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I just went out and watched the video of the exchange. I watched a few of them. Interestingly, some of them cut off what the female minister actually said after she was so rudely interrupted and was allowed to continue speaking. This is a compounded misogyny because first the PM interrupted her and then the news source did not allow her to be fully heard when they cut off the end of her statement, which said she has been treated very well by the PM. It seems like the PM was offended by the term “bonk ban.” To give it an endearing term like “bonk ban” minimized the egregious nature of the offense. It’s misogyny all across the board.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/australian-pm-interrupts-female-minister-speaking-about-chauvinism-and-parliament-bonk-ban/ar-BB1aUv7e?li=BBoPRmx
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Yes, it’s been going on for three years, including three ministers, one who resigned, one is still the attorney general who has a record of misogyny, and another minister who is his friend were the reason for the sex ban. But it is an attitude that comes with two conservative parties. Anne Ruston also defended the PMs actions which tells me it is also a power relationship like domestic violence (also, not a good term). I still have steam coming out of my ears. The Murdoch media are complicit in this behaviour, we currently have the largest e-petition ever presented to federal parliament – over 500,000 people signed to invoke a Royal Commission into the Murdoch media. It’s like the whole enterprise is just hanging on from a Neanderthal time. Sickening. I’m in awe that you followed on Lisa, and thank you for adding to the discussion, and the link too, I really would like to end this, I thought we had at one point but we had, but I was young and unaware. Thank you so much Lisa.
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Disgusting behavior! Leaders should be held to higher standard of character.
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Agree Lynn, this should never happen anywhere, not only sickening behaviour, bad modelling for kids too. The PM has placed himself above standards though, equally wrong. Thank you Lynn.
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+1 Paul – it’s so bad it almost speaks for itself, except it doesn’t – (I remember when Tony Abbott appointed himself as Minister for Women in 2013). Well done and thanks for calling this one out.
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I had other thoughts, but best left private 🙂 Abbott made laugh out loud, the irony. Thank you Peter.
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Poignant and powerfully narrated Paul… a brilliant observation…
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I still have steam coming out of my ears, I’m sure it annoyed you too, I wish I could flick a switch and change the behaviour. Many thanks Ivor.
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Male attitudes have a long way to go Paul….
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O they sure do, it’s almost like we’re back in the 70s pub culture again.
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Yes, I think so too
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Shame on them!! greatly dilvered! ❤️ cindy
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Yes, shame on them, thank you Cindy 🙂
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Exactly!!! 🤗🤗🤗
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Strong piece Paul, Misogyny is the product of a shallow frightened mind.
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Yes, which makes me wonder that we’ll never be rid of it. Many thanks Rob.
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Yes. Fear is a root cause.
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Thank you! I love it, Paul!
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O to have it otherwise, I still have steam coming out of my ears, Many thanks Janet.
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Your words, Paul, express a inner rage I experienced that eclipses the irony that I was witnessing as the PM interrupted. On behalf of all the women (and men) that I know, thank you!
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Thank you so much Denis, so galling and frustrating, gah!
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Wow great powerful poem
>
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Thank you so much, if only it were not so.
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Uff. Sadly this is happening in so many countries.
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Yes, and why now after so many gains against such behaviour? So frustrating.
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Yes it is.
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Boom! Direct hit!!
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This was a more measured version 🙂 the other was a reactive version, arrgh! So frustrated with them. Thank you Liz.
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You’re welcome, Paul. It’s hard to fathom how wrongs that have been identified for years can still remain unrectified. Is it that difficult to treat another human being with respect?
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I think this generation of politicians a throwback to an earlier experience they have learned as children with a dash of James Bond swagger thrown in. It would seem it is that difficult.
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Perfect Paul- a righteous poem!
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great write, I’ve never had time for scomo after having to deal with him during my days with dva … orange man is deranged, scomo is calculating, rude, ignorant, corrupt egomaniac +++!
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Yes, perfectly described, but much of his team are of the same ilk. I’ve taken to calling him scump because he is a version of trump.
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ooh I prefer that name, far more apt description, thanks!
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🙂 anytime we can add some fun and pressure to the process 😉
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always in every way …. 🙂
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🙂
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I know many “evolved” men. Why do we continue to elect these Neanderthals?
Your beautiful and enlightened poem is very much appreciated, Paul. ❤
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As is your response Cheryl. Indeed, a good question, a deep sorrow for me that we do.
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Wow! Really spot on.
And this . . .
“wrapping her in shrouds of misogyny,
swaddled her in your patriarchal goitre”
I feel a sense of being choked. A really visceral poem!
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O how I wished it were otherwise, I thought we’d made some progress, but then apparently not. Thank you so much for your response Holly.
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me, too. but/and-art does have a way of creating change on a deep level. sometimes it takes time to surface in the collective
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Yes, I agree with you, and my hope is for true deep change.
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