Comments on: Alisa Camplin as a Role Model for Boys?

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 02 May 2006 12:52:56 +0000

Well, I’m not quite sure what you were trying to say, Andjam. It seemed to me that your comment could belittle her contribution. But I apologise if that’s not what you intended, and I misread you.

By: Andjam

Andjam — Tue, 02 May 2006 10:03:21 +0000

I wasn’t having a go at Kirstie.

Sheesh. To quote her, ‘Gosh you’ve only been there two days and you’ve changed a law; what’s up next week?’.

Would a hack have achieved such a change? Of course not.

I wonder why you’re not having a go at the Victorian Minister who was parachuted straight from the AFL to the Cabinet? Because he’s a bloke?

I hadn’t even heard of him.

At the rate at which you’re jumping to conclusions, you ought to try out for the track and field team.

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:15:54 +0000

Thanks, Liam, that’s who I meant. I wasn’t having a go at his competence or otherwise (about which I know nothing) - just that Andjam had a go at Kirstie Marshall on the grounds that she was a former athlete. Presumably if she’d been an anonymous former Labor staffer, she’d have flown under his radar.

How many backbenchers get big headlines in the press?

Of course, the papers are going to focus on her BECAUSE SHE DARED TO BREASTFEED IN PARLIAMENT!

Women are people too, Andjam. And they often breastfeed. But that shouldn’t stop them being MPs.

In case you hadn’t noticed.

By: Liam (Ministry of Lying Communist Puppetmastery)

Liam (Ministry of Lying Communist Puppetmastery) — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:12:26 +0000

Justin Madden is the ruckman skydiver you’re thinking of, Kim.
I understand he’s made a fair to good Minister for Sport and Commonwealth Games—though with Ministers for Sport and their ilk, that’s a category defined by the failure to entirely fuck up and have to be sacked in disgrace. Vale Ros Kelly of the Glorious Whiteboard!
Oh, and Andjam, unlike the shiny-bum upper house denizen Madden, Kirstie Marshall actually stood for a lower house seat and won it. Anyone who can do that with infants deserves respect, if not outright awe.

By: Kim

Kim — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 15:00:52 +0000

So you say, Andjam, but have you read all the debates in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since she was elected? Have you followed her press releases and what she’s done for her constituents?

I wonder why you’re not having a go at the Victorian Minister who was parachuted straight from the AFL to the Cabinet? Because he’s a bloke?

Try not to be so condescending to women.

By: Andjam

Andjam — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 13:17:25 +0000

“After Alisa Camplin won her gold medal in aerial skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics, I somewhat flippantly wrote that her skills in intricate twists, turns and backflips qualified her for a career in politics.”

You may have meant it as a joke, but another Aussie aerial skier, Kirstie Marshall, went on to be a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Her main claim to fame so far is being ejected from parliament for bringing her newborn child (whom she was breastfeeding) with her into parliament.

By: Tiny Tyrant

Tiny Tyrant — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 12:24:12 +0000

Where I come from its called being an obsessive, over-achieving fanatic.

But, hey, what can I say? They have medals and toileterie/underwear sponsorship.

By: Anna Winter

Anna Winter — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:48:21 +0000

Yeah, thanks for that Judoka. That would be what the word “proportional” means.

By: Judoka

Judoka — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 10:05:52 +0000

“Any implicit assumptions that women lack ‘male’ attributes of tenacity, stamina and (proportional) physical strength are falsified in every judo training session I go to.”

WTF? DK, your dojo must have some particularly soft blokes. It’s not Sydney Uni, is it?

I’ve got no problem with women doing martial arts, but let’s be realistic: men are physically stronger and more aggressive than women.

By: anthony

anthony — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 07:35:02 +0000

It’s like some kind of self-exemplifying and self-contradicting moebius loop, I’m in awe.

By: Pavlov's Cat

Pavlov's Cat — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 07:07:57 +0000

Oh I dunno, I think “cute’n'cuddly … with a big smile”, especially in the context of the whole post, could be translated as “socially submissive”. That, or “Pass the bucket.”

As for “these people’s sins” — nobody said anything about sins, Yobbo. That was you. You’re projecting.

By: Yobbo

Yobbo — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 06:41:59 +0000

“what really matters is whether they are pretty, blond, smiley, and socially submissive. Charming.”

Nobody said submissive. That was you. You are projecting…

By: Yobbo

Yobbo — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 06:41:12 +0000

“and that one can be and do these things without being a Wayne Carey, a Kerry Packer, a Bill Heffernan, a Craig Gower, an Andrew Bolt, a Sam Newman, a certain type of faux-macho Labor factional thug, or a George W. Bush.”

I hate to ask, but would you care to point out what exactly these people’s sins are? (Apart from being successful in their fields, of course, but this being a lefty site that sin is assumed).

By: Yobbo

Yobbo — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 06:38:10 +0000

what really matters is whether they are pretty, blond, smiley, and socially submissive. Charming.

Nobody mentioned submissive. That was you. Projecting much?

By: anthony

anthony — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 03:41:24 +0000

Where I come from it’s called bloody georgeous!

Live from Gibbo’s head!

By: dk.au

dk.au — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 03:25:43 +0000

Excellent post, Paul.
re: the martial arts, I think they provide a very positive space for kids to be ‘educated’ about gender. Any implicit assumptions that women lack ‘male’ attributes of tenacity, stamina and (proportional) physical strength are falsified in every judo training session I go to. I think that the gender balance - mostly boys - reflects the discourses Paul mentioned, rather than any (imagined) biological limitations - which were actually around during the 1970s. Women had a smaller official competition repertoire than men.

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:43:04 +0000

Hmmn. I’ll think about this and get back to you shortly.

By: Cristy

Cristy — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:25:47 +0000

She’s bloody successful, good looking, cute n’ cuddly, with a big smile and she’s blonde to boot! So? What’s not to like boys?

Yep, and Observa comes out with the qualities that so many Australians still demand of women. Bugger whether or not they are tough, determined, brave or talented - what really matters is whether they are pretty, blond, smiley, and socially submissive. Charming.

Paul, I get see what you are getting at re: new expectations of boys, but like Anna I think that there is more going on there than feminism (which I just don’t think is all that influential, unfortunately). It is certainly something to keep in mind though when interacting with young boys (and girls) - not that my young male (or female) family members seem to have any trouble expressing their boisterous sides.

By: Steve Edney

Steve Edney — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:16:37 +0000

Good to see Observa back. How’s the smoko room?

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 24 Feb 2006 02:11:26 +0000

Anyone remember Gillian Rolton in the 1996 Atlanta olympics?

Rolton was a member of the winning three-day equestrian event team, along with Andrew Hoy, Phillip Dutton and Wendy Schaeffer. She suffered her injuries when her beloved mount Peppermint Grove fell and skidded during the endurance phase of the event. She remounted, unaware that she had suffered the fractures, and rode on, now unable to use her left arm. She and the horse came down again at the next obstacle, a water jump, and she somersaulted into the water. She then waded out, boarded the horse again, and galloped for another three kilometres, clearing 15 more fences, to finish the course. An ambulance took her to hospital, where she refused pain-killing drugs because she felt she might be needed for the final team jumping round the next day. She wasn’t, but Rolton’s gallantry served as an inspiration to her fellow riders, and the entire Australian team.

Camplinesque in spades. the participation of women in cross country jumping through the 20th century (and foxhunting before that) amply demonstrates camplinesquerie. If you don’t take much interest in horse events, take a look next time you pass a cross country event in progress. check out the size of the things they jump, and the beasts they have to do it on. *Shudders*
My son goes to Taekwondo, which is perfect for the boof combined with respeck for others (and teachers.)