What. The. Actual. Fuck. Is. Wrong. With. Texas?!?
Exhale.
There. I had to get that out the way.
Now, how to even begin to reasonably analyze and assess this newest dumbfuckery that a Texas teacher decided to roll out during Women’s History Month. The timing is such a “fortunate” co-inky-dink. It’s like the teacher was trying to make a point or something…
And get a load of this. The school district in Lubbock, Texas, where this all took place is named “Shallowater Independent School District.” Really. That’s the name. You can’t make this stuff up.
Assignment “Lowlights”
Anyhoo, here’s what we know about the high school English assignment from news reports and the Tweet storm on Twitter:
- The name given for the assignment is “Rules of Chivalry.” (The name the assignment deserved is “Dumb Shit that White People in Authority Do to Reinforce White Patriarchal Dominance.”)
- Girls were instructed to “dress in a feminine manner.” (What does this even mean???)
- Girls were told to “please men.” (So many thoughts on this one….just the language alone triggers gender-related trauma.)
- Girls were instructed to “not complain or whine.” (In other words, don’t speak up and advocate for themselves.)
- Girls must appear before males “with a lowered head and curtsy.” (Hmph. From this position, girls can still deliver a swift kick to male ASSpirations about dominance.)
- Girls must “walk behind” males. (See prior bullet point.)
- Girls were to be judged and deemed worthy by males. (This one is pretty standard issue. This is how it’s currently being “tried” in schools, at work, pretty much everywhere.)
The kicker is that females “had to” generally obey any request of a male that was “reasonable” but yet can’t be the final judge themselves of what is reasonable.
Ugh. I’ve heard enough. You?
Okay. So how does one unpack stupid?
You can’t.
We expose it, and then keep it moving.
The school district first went the route of ASKING the teacher to not give the assignment again in the future. Whaddaya think? Another “audible” eye-roll here or a hearty guffaw?
However…amidst the firestorm of the assignment going viral, school officials recalibrated the stupid and have assured everyone that the “matter has been addressed with the teacher, and the assignment was removed.”
I got 50 bucks riding on whether the teacher faces any REAL accountability.
And for the record, both the proponents of the assignment and supporters of the teacher want us to know that male students also were instructed to “suffer through” a chivalry assignment as well.
Keep in mind that this kind of both-side-ism is as dangerous as this kind when racism is outed:
- White people have a hard time, too.
Or this kind when misogynoir is raised:
- White women face gender discrimination, too.
Final thoughts
What in the hell must go on at this school during Black History Month every year? And what about what goes on all the rest of the time?
Whew chile…. Is Texas the new Alabama? Because…well. um….you know…Alabama. [Final “audible” eye-roll inserted.]
*Extended treatment of gender issues in Overcoming Gender Inequity: Real, Raw, Unapologetic Stories, Tips & Strategies and in The WarriHER’s Playbook on Well-Being and Self-Advocacy.
*Extended treatment of racism and misogynoir in Blaxhaustion, Karens & Other Threats to Black Lives and Well-Being
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