'Witch' tweets reflect society's fear of older women

[Cow Poke]

I think it unnecessary to engage in aggressive sexual and violently abusive language.

When you say something like this, it quite often leads to a really really stupid question....

Or would you not agree?

Bingo!

[rogue06]

Interesting although this undoubtedly is, I am not sure I see its relevance to the abusive term 'witch' when applied to older women nor the online abuse via social media to which many women in general are subjected

See post #7, and I suppose that's because of a quirk in the English language.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

See post #7, and I suppose that's because of a quirk in the English language.

I cannot see the connection between the fact that the English word witch rhymes with the English for a female canine and the usage of the word "witch" as a term of abuse towards older women.

[rogue06]

I cannot see the connection between the fact that the English word witch rhymes with the English for a female canine and the usage of the word "witch" as a term of abuse towards older women.

Most of the time when a woman gets called a witch, regardless of age, it is just a polite way of calling her the word for a female dog. And, at least in my experience, is used by other women more than men.

[mossrose]

I am highly offended that HA suggests that older women are disrespected by “mostly men”. I, for one, get more disrespect from her than the rest of the world combined.

Just another whinge from her hateful misandry.

[Cow Poke]

Most of the time when a woman gets called a witch, regardless of age, it is just a polite way of calling her the word for a female dog. And, at least in my experience, is used by other women more than men.

Yeah, when a woman gets nasty, it's not unusual to say something like, "wow, she can be a real witch!" (Or, as my sister used to say "she can be a real witch with a 'b'")

Don't know where that originated, but it's pretty much universal in The States.

[Cow Poke]

I am highly offended that HA suggests that older women are disrespected by “mostly men”. I, for one, get more disrespect from her than the rest of the world combined.

Just another whinge from her hateful misandry.

You're saying she can be a real witch at times?

[mossrose]

You're saying she can be a real witch at times?

At times, yes.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

Most of the time when a woman gets called a witch, regardless of age, it is just a polite way of calling her the word for a female dog.

You have an unusual take on what is deemed "polite".

And, at least in my experience, is used by other women more than men.

In your experience.

However, the abuse to which some women are subjected online suggests that much of it comes from men and Prof. Beard posed the question "Why?" What is it about women and older women in particular that causes some people [generally men] to react in such a manner?

Is it simply the anonymity of social media which gives the individual a freedom to write what in a face-to-face many of them might not actually say?

Or does this hint at something deeper in the male psyche?

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

I am highly offended that HA suggests that older women are disrespected by “mostly men”. I, for one, get more disrespect from her than the rest of the world combined.

Just another whinge from her hateful misandry.

It appears that you equate disagreement with disrespect. The two are in no way comparable.

[mossrose]

It appears that you equate disagreement with disrespect. The two are in no way comparable.

They certainly are, with you.

[Cow Poke]

It appears that you equate disagreement with disrespect. The two are in no way comparable.

Honey, darlin, sweetiepie... you suffer from the delusion that when YOU are being a witch, it's "disagreement", but when others do it, it's "disrepsect".

That often happens when somebody like you thinks way too highly of themeselves.

[Hypatia_Alexandria]

They certainly are, with you.

Insisting they are comparable does not alter the fact that they are not.

[Cow Poke]

Insisting they are comparable does not alter the fact that they are not.

Declaring that they are not comparable does not make the declaration a fact.

[Esther]

Bullying and abuse is wrong. However, she doesn't appear to have considered the possibility that she was wrong about her comments on Question Time. Just as being abusive is not an argument against a position, neither is the fact of being abused proof that one is right.

Clever!