Sexist Men Can't Escape This Woman's Scathingly Brilliant Thread On Twitter About Misogyny In Humor

We can learn a lot about ourselves and our worldviews from the jokes we tell each other, even if we don't realize it. Relationship expert, Dr. Esther Perel, emphasized how certain men express and disseminate their misogyny through 'edgy' jokes, stating, "Humor can often disguise deeper issues, including misogyny, as it provides a socially acceptable outlet for harmful beliefs." Her exploration of why men find such sexist humor amusing was extensive. "I want to discuss the reasons behind men's amusement," she shared with her audience. In just a few days, her insights gained significant traction, making her a viral sensation. Dr. Perel further elaborated, noting, "When humor targets marginalized groups, it reveals the underlying attitudes of the person delivering the joke." We have compiled all of her insights on the topic for future reference, shedding light on why these jokes are so problematic.

Emrazz, aka the Feminist Next Door, started a viral discussion on Twitter about how men utilize "edgy" jokes to disseminate their misogynistic views.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz

She expresses disappointment at how several men, rather than calling out such behavior, are eager to participate in dehumanizing women.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz

Talking about, "king willing to say what we're all thinking."

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz

Emrazz turns her attention to men who, despite knowing that such dehumanizing comparisons are wrong, refuse to speak against them just so that they can feel included.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz

Apparently, misogyny isn't only found in the "old boys' club"; it is very much alive and well among younger men.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz emrazz emrazz

You can feel the anger in her words.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz

The original tweet from Emrazz is attracting more and more attention each day.

Twitter / @emrazz emrazz

Deep question...

emrazz

Ariane, a comedy writer, was asked to give her opinion on the boundaries of humor and when it's appropriate to consider censoring jokes.

From her point of view, we should be careful not to cross the line between humor and genuinely dangerous comments. However, we should not overly restrict our ability to have fun, so long as we aren't endangering anyone.

I don’t think we should censor jokes unless they incite violence against a minority. I’m very anti-censorship. But people have every right to push back when they hear a misogynistic joke and to comment, e.g., ‘Apologies, I thought this was 2021, but it’s clearly 1970!’ etc.

Another thing we were curious about was how someone should respond if their jokes offended another person, both online and offline. In her words:

I think apologies still work online if they’re clearly heartfelt. Something like, ‘I’m really sorry, I realized that joke was a mistake, so I’ve deleted it and won’t be posting anything like that again’ is honest and commendable, and I think people will respond in kind.

Since the spring of 2009, the New Yorker (the Feminist Next Door) has been tweeting about gender-related problems in society. Since then, she's grown her Twitter following to 228k and her Instagram following to 10.4k people, where she reposts her most noteworthy tweets.

Emrazz adds that her greatest adversary is misogyny, and her objective is to eliminate it in every form possible from society. Her Instagram bio reads:

I don’t hate men, but I do hate misogyny. Stop doing that.

Below are some of the comments made by Twitter users in response to the viral thread by Emrazz.

cosmyra64 skyblueeyes65 juliehampton20 LifesABeach6786 Mckenzi79691567

"Stopping misogyny has to start with young children..."

peacockblu

Australian medical scientist Hilda Bastian explains in an essay how comedy can either be harmful or a catalyst for positive change, depending on how it is used.

Humor can be used to create a quick bridge between people. But it can also reinforce outgroups’ otherness and relatively marginal social status, she says.

In a study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Review (PSPR) journal, researchers Thomas Ford and Mark Ferguson found that comedy does not engender hostility toward the group being ridiculed; rather, it reinforces already existing preconceptions.

In a nutshell, this means that when people make sexist jokes about women without facing consequences, those with misogynistic views may see it as a sign that their opinions are accepted by society.

The joke tellers don’t themselves have to be actively misogynist to end up encouraging others to be, Hilda explains.

While referencing another of Ford's studies, she argues that:

Sexist humor’s impact may also reduce people’s willingness to take action against discrimination. Men who were already high in hostile sexism were less likely to express support for actions that would improve gender equality after hearing sexist rather than neutral jokes. Even if that only meant they were more willing ‘to show their hand,’ it’s not reassuring.feminemi1y SeeMack_ie jmwaib

"Only broken people do this."

raddatz_mw

Comedy is a powerful and often underrated tool to express oneself. But as we've seen, it can also be used as a weapon to harm others.

When does humor cross the line? What are your thoughts on censoring jokes or comedians who use their platform to hurt people with what they say? Let us know in the comments!