This is my friend and former colleague Paul, who left the paper I worked for about four years ago, and is now the Undergratuate Director of a new School of Journalism here on Long Island. Paul and I worked together on stories for more than 30 years. I stopped by to visit him in his new job today, and was taken by these wonderful posters, showing the classic cartoon images of an old time newspaperman and woman. And he seems happy, doesn't he? It was wonderful to see the school, which will be one of the best in the country before long.
i may be the first to comment, but i won't be the only one to wonder why you put "and women" in parentheses. for me, that undercuts your otherwise joyful photograph and message.
ReplyDeleteI disapree with Ginger's comment - I think she may actual be the only one who will wonder why you put "and women" in parentheses. You were simply, and respectively, pointing out the term "newspaperman" also includes women.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ginger. I think the parentheses makes women less important, almost an afterthought. It contributes to and promotes women as second class citizens type of thinking.
ReplyDeleteKen - lets see you get out of this one ha ha. The good news is it looks like Gloria Steinem reads your blog. Go Hillary.
ReplyDeleteNewspapermen. Newspaperwomen. Newspaper Persons. I think that "Newspaper Persons" is now the preferred description, as "Fishermen" are now called "fishers." There is a poster of a newspaperman on one side and a photograph of a woman "reporter" on the other side, and I guess I didn't do this right. I apologize for that. I am not sure, at this point, what the correct way to do this is, so please help me here. Thanks.
ReplyDeletethe parentheses are the problem. take them out and your wording will reflect the way you treated your colleagues, back when you were a newspaperman, and i was a newsie.
ReplyDeleteYes, again Ginger is absolutely right. Just edit your post to remove the parentheses and all will be equal and all will be well. The parentheses denote inequality.
ReplyDeleteOK, it's done. Thank you both.
ReplyDeleteSo, the blog is called "A Picture Each Day" and what do we discuss? Why the words, of course. Anyone who knows Ken Spencer would find it hard to believe he would think of women as an afterthought. He's always most respectful and appreciative of the skill, talent or vision of the people he meets, regardless of their sex. He's been a cheerleader for his own two daughters, teaching them and encouraging them to do whatever they wanted to do. Enough with the feminist sensitivity that makes most of us groan and wonder why women haven't learned to cope better and move forward. Yes, there's still a ways to go before we're equal, but Spencer's reference in parens or not isn't what's keeping women from getting equal pay for equal work or any of the other slights that involve women in a men's world. Let's get off this tired old subject already. And by the way, Ken, it's a nicely framed photo of someone with a great smile.
ReplyDelete