Ellen DeGeneres and her sexist tweet?

[Anonymous]

So, Ellen D sends a happy birthday tweet to Katy Perry that includes a picture of her gawking at Perry's boobs with the caption "Happy Birthday, It's time to bring out the big balloons"

Everyone on twitter is calling it a double standard - especially at this time with Weinstein et.al. and everyone being blasted for the same thing. Some tweets are saying that if a man sent that, he'd be blasted and fired from the network and that it's a double standard.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ellen-degeneres-breast-katy-perry-photo-tweet_us_59f2fbd5e4b07fdc5fbd5a2f

I agree. Her timing is awful and if Hollywood is in an uproar (pun intended) about being treated as sex objects, they shouldn't have to put up with it from anyone - man or woman. but on the other hand, are we just getting overly sensitive over everything?

do you think Ellen will apologize or excuse her tweet?

[Anonymous]

I think it was tone deaf - and she should probably address it - but to equate it with the actions of Weinstein et al is a little much, IMO. We have all kinds of evidence that “if a man sent that” absolutely nothing would happen. (Grab em by the pussy...)

[Anonymous]

Very stupid sexist tweet. Unless it’s a private joke they have, in which case it’s stupid and tasteless.

[Anonymous]

I think this is one where context matters, and I don't have enough context for this tweet. If Ellen Degeneres tweeted that to someone she didn't know at all, it would be obviously inappropriate. On the other hand, if Ellen and Katy are friends and make those kinds of jokes to each other all the time and are both okay with it, then there's nothing wrong with the tweet. They do know each other but I don't know how well, so this incident falls somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

[Anonymous]

Hypocritical, and I'm an Ellen fan.

[Anonymous]

She is a comedian. If it was Will Farrell it would be funny. If it was Katy Perry's agent it would not be.

#commonsense

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is one where context matters, and I don't have enough context for this tweet. If Ellen Degeneres tweeted that to someone she didn't know at all, it would be obviously inappropriate. On the other hand, if Ellen and Katy are friends and make those kinds of jokes to each other all the time and are both okay with it, then there's nothing wrong with the tweet. They do know each other but I don't know how well, so this incident falls somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

The problem with the latter is that it is public, not private, and normalizes this behavior.

I’ve always hated jokes like this but got “lighten up.” It seemed we were finally moving away from sexist remarks being funny... but I guess not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is one where context matters, and I don't have enough context for this tweet. If Ellen Degeneres tweeted that to someone she didn't know at all, it would be obviously inappropriate. On the other hand, if Ellen and Katy are friends and make those kinds of jokes to each other all the time and are both okay with it, then there's nothing wrong with the tweet. They do know each other but I don't know how well, so this incident falls somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

I agree. My girlfriends can ogle at my breasts, but someone with a power of authority cannot. My breasts, my rules.

It completely depends on Katy's perspective.

[Anonymous]

Completely hypocritical

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is one where context matters, and I don't have enough context for this tweet. If Ellen Degeneres tweeted that to someone she didn't know at all, it would be obviously inappropriate. On the other hand, if Ellen and Katy are friends and make those kinds of jokes to each other all the time and are both okay with it, then there's nothing wrong with the tweet. They do know each other but I don't know how well, so this incident falls somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

The problem with the latter is that it is public, not private, and normalizes this behavior.

I’ve always hated jokes like this but got “lighten up.” It seemed we were finally moving away from sexist remarks being funny... but I guess not.

I completely disagree with you because I think your approach ultimately means inappropriate men still get to dictate the terms of discourse. They can't be expected to learn and follow rules of proper conduct, so now no one is allowed to make any comments even when they're not remotely inappropriate.

You hate jokes like this, so it's not appropriate for anyone to make those kinds of jokes to or about you. Not everyone shares you sensibilities on this, and shouldn't be restricted in how they interact with their friends by how you would feel if you were a part of it.

[Anonymous]

Is there a power imbalance between them? I don't think so. So tone deaf yes. But harassment? No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a power imbalance between them? I don't think so. So tone deaf yes. But harassment? No.

It can be harassment without a power imbalance.

[Anonymous]

Isn't that a lyric from a Katy perry song?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that a lyric from a Katy perry song?

It is a line from her song Birthday, about getting naked to celebrate the other person's birthday. That she put it in a song doesn't make it okay for someone to use it to make unwelcome sexual comments to her (although I stand by my previous posts that we don't know this was unwelcome, context matters).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is one where context matters, and I don't have enough context for this tweet. If Ellen Degeneres tweeted that to someone she didn't know at all, it would be obviously inappropriate. On the other hand, if Ellen and Katy are friends and make those kinds of jokes to each other all the time and are both okay with it, then there's nothing wrong with the tweet. They do know each other but I don't know how well, so this incident falls somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum.

The problem with the latter is that it is public, not private, and normalizes this behavior.

I’ve always hated jokes like this but got “lighten up.” It seemed we were finally moving away from sexist remarks being funny... but I guess not.

I completely disagree with you because I think your approach ultimately means inappropriate men still get to dictate the terms of discourse. They can't be expected to learn and follow rules of proper conduct, so now no one is allowed to make any comments even when they're not remotely inappropriate.

You hate jokes like this, so it's not appropriate for anyone to make those kinds of jokes to or about you. Not everyone shares you sensibilities on this, and shouldn't be restricted in how they interact with their friends by how you would feel if you were a part of it.

You’re not getting it. The vast majority of those seeing the image have no idea what their relationship is. If she made this private, no issue. Or if it was someone where it was clear there is a relationship. But to the average person she’s making a sexist statement to a peer.