Pretty sure the intent was to patronize her. That he did it because he thought it was funny is not a mitigation.
Lindsey Graham also snuck a “got some ‘splainin’ to do” into his remarks to Sonia Sotomayor during her SCOTUS confirmation hearings, and I bet he thought that was pretty funny too. Doesn’t make it acceptable, even if she let it slide without comment.
I don’t either, and I certainly wasn’t asking anybody to do so.
I was merely pointing out that, if the shoe was on the other foot, the reaction from the right would have been loud and furious, even if it was only a clumsy attempt at humor.
We shouldn’t have clueless grandpas in high public office and chairing committees and blurting out every stupid thought in their heads. That is a lame, fucking, cop-out excuse. And tiresome, too.
The whole point is that it’s NOT consciously intentional-- it’s just part of the everyday fabric of discourse. Like back when Black men were called “boy” – it wasn’t intentionally demeaning each and every time. It was just the way people talked.
In this type of microaggression, it’s hard to come up with a counterexample, because the shoe doesn’t fit readily on the other foot. If someone made a remark to a guy about “checking with his Mama,” it wouldn’t have the same effect. The only comparable exchange I can think of would be if it were common to make “joking” remarks about a man’s penis size during a Congressional hearing.
“Hey, Senator, that bill was only five pages long – a bit too short, ya know? Size does matter. At least that’s what your wife told me last night!” Har-har-har! 
“Hey! Don’t overreact! Can’t you take a joke?”
Men would not tolerate their potency and masculinity being routinely joked about in a disparaging way in the same way that women’s authority is routinely joked about and disparaged. Black people are getting pretty goddammed tired of it, too.
Okay… getting ready for objections that the analogy doesn’t fit. That I’m comparing apples (balls) to oranges (cleavage). That I’m overreacting. Sigh. Incoming in…3…2…1…
Why wouldn’t it? You may not be attuned to notice certain microaggressions, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t happening, or don’t have an effect when they do.
^ 
get a grip, dude
Marjorie Wharrgarbl wharrgarbls loudly at Rep. Ocasio-Cortez in the halls of the Capitol, asking her why she supports BLM and antifa terrorists. The latter continues to walk away from the noises.
I agree, but if that were the case, then we also wouldn’t have Joe foot-in-mouth Biden as our goddamn President.
Fuck off with your self-pity party. You have a right to your opinions, but either own them, or don’t, and quit it with the “Woe is me, I’m going to get criticized” bullshit.
Remember that my main point, initially, was in response to this:
Whatever you think of what Inhofe said–and I’ve already said that I think it was inappropriate–@Rick_Kitchen’s characterization of the exchange is misguided at best, and disingenuous or dishonest at worst.
Except that the “clueless grandpa” is question is not a “clueless grandpa’, he’s a seasoned politician with a reputation for using performative antics to demean liberals and liberal ideas.
If he had threatened to spank her if she didn’t behave, would you still excuse him as a “clueless grandpa”?
Engaging with that person is a complete waste of time.
I’m not saying it wouldn’t be insulting, but it wouldn’t be insulting in the same way as telling a woman you have to check with her Daddy. Implying that a woman needs her Daddy’s permission to do something is saying she’s weak and has no authority in This Man’s World. Telling a guy he has to get his Mama’s permission is telling him he’s NOT a man, he’s weak, a wimp, a pussy, a Mama’s Boy. Both insulting in different ways. That’s why the shoe fits differently on a male foot from the way it fits on a female foot. Did you understand now, or do I need to get your Mama to explain it to you?
Holy hell, when you speak diminutives to an adult, especially those associated with childhood, it’s a generalized insult. I didn’t even think this needed explaining.
Noted.
Apparently it does.
Me, responding to a question from a member of the Board of Directors:
“Would you like to talk to your Daddy?”
… just gonna sit back and bask in the glory of my future career prospects after that.
[JohnT]
Holy hell, when you speak diminutives to an adult, especially those associated with childhood, it’s a generalized insult. I didn’t even think this needed explaining.
Seriously! Since when is it professional to tell someone who’s in a hearing for a position in government to “behave”
wtf?
Incredibly patronizing.
I see you’ve missed the nuance, too.
That’s uncalled for; I didn’t insult you. You owe me an apology.
Not called for? Hell, the situation virtually demanded it. Sauce for the goose, eh? I’ll apologize tomorrow.
Yes, this is correct on all counts.
\
And this, too.
“It was just a joke” is a sentence that is never spoken in good faith, I strongly suspect.
yeah, most likely the second letter in that statement is superfluous