~ On Gender and Beauty Contest
Day 2,108, 18:46
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Published in Germany 
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by
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by Konrad Neumann
I do not feel the urge to write anything in eRep until now. This is one of the extreme few times that I really feel I want to express my mind on an issue that is really important to me. As many of you know, there is an eRep beauty contest. After reading Butjam's Article and Iain Keers article in regards to a women only beauty contest, the issue of gender is floating in my mind.
Gender is an issue that is important to me. All of my life, I struggled with the issue of gender. I am a gay man from a traditional family with a real traditional gender role. It was extremely difficult to live a life that was not really me. Even coming out, my domestic life was far from smooth. Like my previous article dealing with this topic, eRep and the online IRC community is a place where I can be myself more. The eNL, eBE, eUS, eUK, ePH, and eGerman communities are tolerant and accepting. I am truly astonished and overjoyed that the eUK have a whole section of their forums that deals with LGBT section. While I do not talk too much in it, it was always run and heartwarming to read. All in all, it is one of the few places where I feel comfortable in being myself.
So fashionable....
So to be honest, learning about the disqualification of Butjam since the contest is for girls only is a bit disappointing. You may call me naive, but I really thought that gender on an online RPG game is a non-issue. I was hoping that while most boys do prefer girls, but they would not be so blatant on their bias. While I cannot say they are bigots, but it seems to me this case is discriminatory in nature. For he thought it was a joke. I refer to the pics in Butjam's article, he never consider his candidacy from the start. In his PM, one of his worries are "I'm sure [Butjam] win because you represent, to many liberals players, and various sexual orientations." He goes on about fairness and other stuff which really does not make sense to me, but overall I do not think he has any real good ethical reason to block Butjam from partaking this contest. It all comes to the personal bias and preferences of the contest organizers.
No matter what, I believe this contest is already tarnished. No matter what happens, there will always be a negative context. Regardless of the contest, I am relieved that many people shares my concerns about this issue. For the community is not just straight men but of many people of many different gender, ideology, preference, creed, age, etc. For this is all fun and game. It hurts no one if Butjam wears a dress and wants to be in a contest. It matters not that I am eMarried to another RL straight guy. It matters not that my eFamily tree is more complicated and most soap operas and that my gay eMarriage produced many eSons and daughters. This is a game where the community is vital. I think the community overall embrace tolerance and equality. It might take more time for such contest to catch up with the zeitgeist of the community but I do have faith in the community. It might take time and more controversy, but I will refuse to accept that the community is not for tolerance and equality. The support and outrage of Butjam supporters is evident of that. The boycott of eUK and eBE proves that. While I am disappointed with the contest, I am proud of the community.
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voted o7
I am proud to be part of the same complicated eFamily tree! It is always disappointing for me that many players still feel a need to sexualize others. I don't hide the fact that I am a woman, but I don't want to have others perceptions of me as a player filtered through that lens, and I certainly don't want to be evaluated on whether I am young enough (I'm not), hot enough (also not), or willing to spend my life in the kitchen for the benefit of guys who haven't half my intelligence or experience (also not).
For me, the butjam issue isin't about homophobia, it is about making a woman's body the measure of her value. It's really disappointing to see how many players are still so unenlightened as to do that.
well said
Big vote! Hope eSwitzerland can be counted among the accepting crowd, we're like 75% gay anyway lol
Voted and supported !!!!
`°ºø•❤•.¸✿¸.•❤•.Yippies .•❤•.¸✿¸.•❤•øº°‘
This +1
+1
If they want to have a female-only contest, that's fine by me. Someone else should organize a male-only contest.
On top of that, it would be neat if the voters identify their sex and orientation to see if different groups generally find different people attractive.
The contest is for women only, but who are we to decide for someone else which gender (s)he is? Someone's gender identity and their physical appearance do not always match.
Well, Chelsea Manning is a woman, so a pic of her would qualify for the contest, right. RIGHT?
A body is a body, whether one feels at home within it or not. Given that these contests are designed to pander to people on a physical level, sex selection seems perfectly appropriate.
v.
Well said, proud on the community!
I haven't read all the stuff you refer to, but I do feel that you overcomplicate the matter and make it to harsh on yourself by doing so. To me it seems quite simple; If there is a beauty contest for which only females can apply you'll attract most male players and the female players that feel attracted to females or that simply have an opinion about the beauty of the contender. Nothing wrong with that.
If you want men having equal possibilities on that just organise a contest for male's on which no doubt mostly female's will be attracted plus the males that feel attracted to males or the males that simply have an opinion about the beauty of the contender. Nothing wrong with that either.
If the latter would be forbidden in some way you would have a point. In this case you simple seem to make a problem that ain't there. Something like finding it strange that in a weightlifting contest you differentiate on the weight of the contender. Or is a minimum age also not wanted? Do you want a male contest in which male babies can apply as well? Simply make 2 or more contests/classes (if you want to make a different one for transgenders for example or the most beautiful baby).
My thoughts exactly. What I find more interesting is how all of the UKers push IRL issues (homophobia, etc) to this and yet they refuse to acknowledge the simple fact that IRL a transgender was disqualified from the very same competition due to not being a born female.
Wow, Konrad, I suspected, but never asked, because I always thought that eRep is rather homophobic. Not in eGermany, necessary, but in certain other countries with strong traditional role models. Anyway, you get my support.
Speaking as a cis male, and confronted with the three pics of the model in your article, I must say that the very right pic is most attractive. The left dress makes him look skinny, and the middle one resembles a nightgown.
well said o7
I have to agree with Woldy, it's very well written and brings up a very important issue, not only in eRepublik but also in real life.
Thanks for writing this.
Well, I am afraid that by mixing up this matter of crossdressing / transsexuality with simple homophobia you are weakening your own argument (as can be seen by all this "It's a contest for women after all" talk). And while I do support you on both issues, be it the acceptance of homosexuals and bisexuals as well as of crossdressing and transsexual people, please do not continue mixing those two up. Being disqualified from this contest as a male (concerning sex as well as gender) can be easily justified as we've seen now - and no, I do not find that troubling as there are beauty contests for men AND women. Being disqualified as a born male who identifies and dresses as a female is a completely different thing which can and should lead to a discussion about gender equality as you demand.
in a contest were a picture is voted i think the appearance does matter because it is what is being rated - regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the person. so i would also have taken it as joke if a clearly as (biological) male identifiable person applies. like i wrote in the comments below Butjam's article:
"if someone like this would apply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKMWC9ow22U
and win then it would even be a nice surprise if he makes public after the contest(!) that he is not female by birth. but like it was done here it was more a "oh wow look i will vote for the guy with lipstick - i am so 21th not sexist like all the normal guys who only want to see big boobies + it's so funny". that would not be a contest on female beauty anymore... "
with someone i meant either a really female looking man who is just crossdressing (for the lulz) or a transsexual who was operated (but here in light of the advanced plastic surgery and stuff we have a issue of fairness if we take just normal women and let them compete against the best stuff south korean surgery can accomplish).
and i think it's not fair to brand the arguments of K v Lautaro (the guy who organizes the competition) as weak or dumb. his english is not good enough for a discussion of this caliber so he can't express what he means 100% and is easily missunderstood and his arguments seem weak by default
*contest where
[removed]
btw if you have a boxing match then it is not fair if one of the contestants starts to make kicks to the head of his opponent just because he feels more like an all rounder - but the bigger problem is you can't rate such a fight with boxing rules.
if a person applies for a beauty contest for females (=female beauty is rated😉 who is cleary looking not very female but like Arnold Schwarzenegger with a skirt and socks - how would you want to vote Arnolds female beauty?
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* may it be a girl in a dress on a flower field or a woman working as construction worker drinking coffe in her break
Concerning the point you make about boxing: Yes, you wouldn't change the rules of the contest just because someone feels 'more like an all rounder' - and guess why: Because he COULD just stop it and start boxing according to the rules. A person born as a male but who sees himself as a female does not have that option, he can't just change his 'unfair' behaviour and stick to the rules. Or to put it in other words: Being transgender is not a kick in the head. It is a fact the you cannot do much about so the question is how we as a 'society' deal with it.
And in my opinion, allowing people whose sex and gender do not match into a contest like this does not hurt anyone but to some might be a chance to express themselves the way they wish and feel just a little bit more respected and accepted as who they are.
I'll never get tired of the inane analogies people create when confronted with genderqueer issues. This is a new fav of mine.
well a woman born in a male body could easily participate in a contest for males (even though she probably would hate that). as her body is rated and not her mind it would not violate any rules.
born as a male i can not become prima ballerina but just the male dancer and a transgenderwoman will (unfortunally) never be the real thing bodily but a highly artificially altered* male - even if she is the femalest woman on the inside. and they themselfes know that only too well
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*and yes many "real" woman are also much artificial... the question is in a contest which will "rate the body" how much of artificial extras will you allow because (i guess) surgery and hormone therapy in beauty contests is what doping is in sports
*femalest = wrong english for most female of all women
and in a bodybuilder-contest you also can't participate (as a serious contester) if you look like a matchstick - even if you have the strongest will... because it is not your will that will be rated but the body. and i know that that can be changed unlike being born in the wrong body. but i can also not change that i am old as sh.t so i will probably never again participate in a math-contest for grade-schoolers as a serious contestant.
i know that problem is quite ridiculous and on a whole other scale but being unable to comply to the rules of a game doesn't automatical make it OK for you to not even bother with the rules and the aim of the contest. the "beauty" of a male looking male body cannot be compared to that of a female body because it is a different form of beauty. and with a (male to) female body made by the best surgeons you don't show female beauty like the contest intents to but you show the skills of the surgeons
Swedish feminists would love this! 😛
I'm MC Ho0mophobic fking a$$hole: Being gay is evil and unnatural! Penises go inside vaginas anywhere else it's just insane! 😎
I believe there is nothing wrong with being gay, transgendered, or what ever. You can say and do what you want. I am not here to judge nor do I believe others should judge you for your lifestyle and way of life. That being said-if someone wants to have a female only beauty contest, then fine. If you want to have a male only beauty contest, fine. I do not find men attractive and my opinion about a "beautiful" man would be...needless to say useless. Opinions are like assholes-everyone has one; but not every asshole is equal. My gay friends have been trying for years to get to me to understand what a "beautiful" man is, I still do not get it and they dont understand why I think vagina is so awesome. You dont have to beat yourself up because of anything someone says. Some people you should fuck while others you shouldnt give a fuck. I respect you opinions and I did enjoy reading what you have written. I will always have your back when needed!
@Alex Dekov-Dont like your own post! You wouldnt have posted it unless you liked it.
Is this contest human-only? Are n0s3 and myself disqualified? No ladybugs or eagles?
very good stuff equality for everyone