# Feminism, Emma Watson, and . . . er. . . tits **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 6, 2017, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544 "2017-03-06T14:56:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/101 "2017-03-08T04:39:24Z")
It’s funny to see so many leftists concerned over what’s “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in this thread. That’s a line of argumentation I usually see from conservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/102 "2017-03-08T06:47:49Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s funny to see so many leftists concerned over what’s “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in this thread. That’s a line of argumentation I usually see from conservatives. I’m a “leftist” and a woman and I think y’all are missing the point which is… … what the HELL happened to Emma Watson’s left arm?! :eek::dubious::smack: ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/103 "2017-03-08T08:28:10Z")
> [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](#): > > I’m a “leftist” and a woman and I think y’all are missing the point which is… > > … what the HELL happened to Emma Watson’s left arm?! :eek::dubious::smack: Why were you looking at her arm? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/104 "2017-03-08T10:11:15Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s funny to see so many leftists concerned over what’s “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in this thread. That’s a line of argumentation I usually see from conservatives. But I think we’re just talking about decency and courtesy, which isn’t unique to any side. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/105 "2017-03-08T12:33:50Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > The problem isn’t that some other guy out there may be having sexy thoughts when a woman dresses sexy. […] > > **Keep your sexy thoughts to yourself where they belong, and no woman is going to try to get you to “refrain from having them”.** You’re wrong. People do have a problem with my thoughts. That’s what the complaints about “objectification” are about. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/106 "2017-03-08T15:50:37Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > You’re wrong. People do have a problem with my thoughts. That’s what the complaints about “objectification” are about. Objectification concerns are about words and actions, not thoughts. No one cares what you think, only how you act. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/107 "2017-03-08T15:55:54Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > perhaps I am missing key insights Hokay, here’s your key insight for the day: “Julia Hartley-Brewer is a nitwit.” Anything else I can do for you? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/108 "2017-03-08T16:16:45Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > You’re wrong. People do have a problem with my thoughts. That’s what the complaints about “objectification” are about. Are you really going to waste your time arguing with the Junior Anti-Sex league? ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/109 "2017-03-08T16:19:53Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Why were you looking at her arm? 🆒 Because I’ve seen tits before, but that arm looks like it’s been wasting and you don’t see that very often. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![dirty\_hippie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@dirty\_hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirty_hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/110 "2017-03-08T17:15:33Z")
A little bit of boobage never hurt anyone. Sent from my C6916 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/111 "2017-03-08T17:40:39Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I think you exaggerate somewhat. The problem isn’t that some other guy out there may be having sexy thoughts when a woman dresses sexy. The (extremely common) problem is when those other guys **demand or feel entitled to a woman’s attention in response to their sexy thoughts because of her sexy appearance**. > > Because a woman’s sexy appearance gives you sexy thoughts doesn’t give you any right to catcall her, or send her dick pics, or comment on her appearance, or try to let her know about your appreciation of her sexiness in any way. **Keep your sexy thoughts to yourself where they belong, and no woman is going to try to get you to “refrain from having them”.** Especially since she won’t even **know** you’re having them. > > A woman is not trying to “have her cake and eat it” if she’s encouraging sexual attention from a **specific** man such as her husband, while at the same time not wanting other men to creep on her with unsolicited advertisements of their sexual reactions to her sexy appearance. She’s just adopting the reasonable position that men in general should mind their damn manners and their own business. Be that as it may: 1. There are a lot of feminists today who aren’t just trying to change the way men speak to women; they are trying to change the way men think about women, or perceive women. They are trying to stop objectification of women, not only in word, but in thought or attitude as well. 2. While something may be meant for a particular person, when you go out in public, it necessarily is viewed and judged by the public as well. Suppose that I have a bumper sticker on my car with a message that’s meant only for my family to read. But when I drive on the highway, everyone in the public can read it, too, and perhaps they will give me their feedback. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/112 "2017-03-08T17:56:39Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > It’s funny to see so many leftists concerned over what’s “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in this thread. That’s a line of argumentation I usually see from conservatives. Really? In my experience, liberals tend to value **both** protection of civil liberties **and** avoiding sexist/racist/other bigoted denigration of historically disadvantaged groups. So it makes perfect sense to me that we see so many liberals in this thread agreeing that unsolicited comments from strangers (and in many cases, non-strangers as well) on a woman’s appearance are rude and inappropriate, while still recognizing that such behavior isn’t and should not be actually illegal. Conservatives, IME, are the ones more likely to conflate “stuff we disagree with” and “stuff that should be illegal”. > [@clairobscur](#): > > People do have a problem with my thoughts. That’s what the complaints about “objectification” are about. :dubious: Gee, you should have encouraged those people to apply for the [million-dollar Paranormal Challenge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Million_Dollar_Paranormal_Challenge), back when it was still in existence. Such a demonstration of genuine mental telepathy would have been an astounding and world-altering feat. In fact, of course, what you really mean (as **iiandyiiii** noted) is that people have a problem with your **words and actions** when you consider yourself entitled to demand that women pay attention to your sexy thoughts inspired by their sexy appearance. If you just kept your sexy thoughts to yourself like a civilized person, nobody would know or care in the least whom you were “objectifying”. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544/113 "2017-03-08T18:07:54Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > 1. There are a lot of feminists today who aren’t just trying to change the way men speak to women; they are trying to change the way men think about women, or perceive women. They are trying to stop objectification of women, not only in word, but in thought or attitude as well. As I just said to **clairobscur** , nobody is complaining specifically about your private thoughts if you’re keeping your private thoughts private. Some people express general opinions about what sorts of thoughts it’s good or bad to have, according to their own personal religious/spiritual/ethical beliefs. If you happen to disagree with those general opinions, you are free to ignore or dispute them, just as you are free to ignore or dispute advocacy of any other personal religious/spiritual/ethical beliefs that you happen to disagree with. But none of that means that you get to ignore the difference between criticism of words/actions and criticism of thoughts. [QUOTE=Velocity] While something may be meant for a particular person, when you go out in public, it necessarily is viewed and judged by the public as well. [/quote] Sure, nobody’s denying that. The point is that your freedom to view and form a judgement about something that’s publicly visible does not automatically make it appropriate for you to communicate your judgement to the person involved. In general (and I’m surprised that so many people presumably **not** brought up in barns seem to be unaware of this), **it is rude to make unsolicited comments on other people’s appearance**. The fact that your judgement of somebody else’s appearance may seem very important or attention-worthy **to _you_** does not necessarily override that general principle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/feminism-emma-watson-and-er-tits/781544.md?page=5)