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Aurora
Lv 4
Aurora asked in Social ScienceGender Studies · 1 decade ago

What is the point of putting labels on women?

Update:

Tanks, you are wrong. Your answer is a defence, but my question is not an attack. Sorry.

Update 2:

Jet Girl, no thumbs down from me :)

39 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    putting labels on women (or anyone) allows the abuser to dehumanize that person. therfore, they can use that person w/o feeling guilty or subject that person to an array of horrors w/o remorse.

    EXAMPLES: "yeah, i slept w/her and never called her, she's a sl*t, who cares?" OR the atrocities Hitler subjected people to b/c he didn't view his victims as human. (he's not a person, he's a Jew, or a Muslim, or a black person, etc.)

  • 1 decade ago

    For the same reason we put labels on anything. Labels create identity (a stereotypical identity, but there is a measure of truth to every stereotype.) Everyone regardless of race, religion, or sex places labels upon other human beings. Not all labels are bad. Without labels, we would not have the capacity to deal with everyone we come in contact with -- can you imagine trying to judge each and every person you come across as an individual? (The sheer magnitude of data would make your head pop!) It is far easier to deal with people if you are able to put them into categories of "yes, no and maybe." Sometimes a person will surprise you and not fit the label you gave them, but that is a rare instance (and people who don't fit the mold you make for them will quickly show you that the label placed upon them is inaccurate.)

    Your question presents a sexist view of labels (even though this is considered "women's studies," the issue of labeling is not gender specific.)

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Like it already had been said, people put labels on everything.

    It's normal, and people don't mind as long the labels are nice.

    I mean a woman like to be labeled as pretty, right?

    And a woman labeled as 'hot' by a man means the man is interested on her.

    However, the ones who usually put the most vile labels of them all are women, or men who have feminine characteristics.

    If you doubt this, try hanging around with women more.

    And beautiful women usually get the worst labels by other women. The prettier they look, the nastier the labels they gonna get.

  • 1 decade ago

    The point? I was thinking of saying something like, "Because men can't identify us otherwise" or something, but that in itself is just wrong. Instead, I have to say that maybe the reason people put labels on women is the same as why they put them on men. Whatever that may be, I don't know for sure.

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  • 1 decade ago

    Society feels safer if they can identify an object or a person. Thus the need for labels. This enables others to identify if there is any hidden threat that may be anticipated and this goes back to early survival skills. The problem with labels especially with women is that they are often incorrect and the person "stuck" with this label often starts appropriating and internalizing the aspects of the label however unintentionally. A label allows people to view a person as a "other" and when a person is not considered part of the group it is easier to treat them with indifference, oppression, or hate.

  • 1 decade ago

    Well like putting labels on anybody there really isn't any reason its just an natural instinct to label someone out of your experiences with other people like them or the things that person has done.

  • 4 years ago

    in my view, i'm like you. maximum folk imagine i'm immediately yet i have not in any respect declare'd to be easily one of the different, particularly if i don't know myself. in case you at the prompt are not into labels, then that's superb to assert. you imagine that's a cop out, yet some human beings basically truly are not, & then there are others like us who are not completely particular yet. both that, or be honest & basically say you're nevertheless attempting to figure that out. I also imagine labels count number decrease than following your heart. see you later as you at the prompt are not letting the shortcoming of a label save you from attempting new issues or entering into relationships with someone you're activity'd in then you definately're superb. see you later as you're chuffed on the accurate of the day.

  • 1 decade ago

    Labeling makes it easier for people to come to terms with their treatment of some women, using it as justification for their behaviour. This can mean even "chivalrous" men who try to save every woman, as they're "weak" and the "fairer sex". It's a two-sided coin.

    However, labels have always existed - we're just far more sensitive to them in this day and age. Men and women alike are labeled. However, women seem to be embracing their labels now (Princess on the butt of pants? ***** written all over their shirt?) which worsens it.

  • 1 decade ago

    1 point for skank, 1 point for fat, 2 points for silly, attention-starved fool?

    WRT the comment about judging. Well there is nothing wrong with judging, it is an innate psychological function. Everyone has the capacity to make decisions. Granted, some people have a stronger judging function, they need to make decisions or have closure more than other people. The PROBLEM arises when the decisions or judgments are wrong.

    *UPDATE* Judging is not based on opinion --it IS opinion. And judgments/opinions are based on the psychological functions of THINKING or FEELING. You can't have a "bad" opinion that is based on thinking. You can have a WRONG or FALSE opinion that is based on thinking, but not a bad one. Good/bad has to do with feelings, not thinking.

    Thinking has to do with intellectual evaluation, truth or falsity. Feeling is an affective function and is based on one's likes/dislikes -- therefore experiences are evaluated as good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, etc.

    And if I want to say something that is true, I will surely do it, whether or not you FEEL it is bad.

  • 1 decade ago

    I looked up what "label" means, and it's a way to identify an object. I think people like to quickly identify others, so stereotyping is an easy a way to do it, since not much thought is involved. I think we all put labels on women and men, as well as people of different races, religions, sexual orientations. It takes time, energy, and thought to get to know people individually, versus just stereotyping them.

  • 1 decade ago

    i think that everyone just wants to label and stereotype everyone because they don't want to actually take the time and get to know them. i mean of course its wrong but people often base their views of people on who they have already met. so if a man thinks that all women are sluts and their only purpose in life is to make babies then he's probably met a few women that are like this. everyone faces stereotypes and they're not going to stop. i think the best thing for us to do is disprove them all.

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