Significant Gesture Creation And Use by Dr. Subtle, Rorschach
January 9th, 2008 12:41 AM[Images and Captions Below]
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When we were but impressionable youth, we did gather around the TELEVISION and did watch the soon-to-be-canceled show Undeclared, on FOX.
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The first ruled agreed upon by the main character and his Casanovian roommate was that to tie a blue scrunchie securely to the outer doorknob of their shared room was the signal that shared space was being used by the tie-er an a significant other.
Door Sock
This rule was forever burned into our impressionable teenage brains, and upon becoming roommates we (Dr Subtle and Monseigneur Rorschach) immediately agreed upon it. Having had previous roommates our definitions had both loosened- the "blue scrunchie" had been generalized to "handy cloth thing"- socks, belts, ties, pants, tshirts. This gesture was not a new one- it was a lazy copy of a stolen one. Until Monseigneur Rorschach innovated not a week back.
Petite Amie's Top
Upon returning home one day Dr Subtle found not a gym sock or old tie around his and his roommate's doorknob, but indeed, did find instead a frilly woman's top. Rorschach's Petite Amie's top. On the outside of the door. The locked door. Ahh, the doctor thought. A practical man my roommate is.
Paramore's Top
Upon retiring some days later with his own paramour, the Doctor did borrow her top, and did exchange the favor. This significant gesture continues to see use.
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Well, it isn't exactly that misogynistic if their lady-friends agree and condone the practice. However, do these ladies know that their sex lives are being mocked online my their male partners in front of a large community of players? I see the act of placing their clothing on doorknobs to be extremely crude. It also screams domination and ownership:
"Hey dude, don't come in cause me and my lady-friend are getting it on. And look, here's the spoils!"
I pity the fool who dare dispute me.
I presume that you fine ladies are not suggesting that the act of effectively hanging a Do Not Disturb sign on the door is in any way misogynistic?
I presume the detail you take issue with is that the sign in question takes the form of a lady-friend's blouse?
A) I can't see how that would be achieved without the lady-friend's permission or at least knowledge, and therefore it does not seem to be your place to take such offence.
B) Even if it was done without permission, it is hardly mysogynistic. Crude, perhaps, or tactless - but hardly indicative of a hatred of women.
Whether their "sex lives are being mocked online my their male partners in front of a large community of players" is a completely different point, and moot. But I maintain that the pure act of hanging a lady-friend's top on a doorknob to act as a Do Not Disturb sign is funny, and not at all mysogynistic.
Would you react so sharply if the item of clothing in question had been a man's T-shirt? (Hell, you probably would have blamed the man anyway...)
Mind you, my arguments are pretty much invalid 'cos I have a penis. :) -
I really need to stop messing around on SF0 and get back to work...
Yes, our significant others are aware of the doorknob rules, and are in fact OK with it, enough that blouses have been proffered at appropriate times.
I should point out perhaps that should I bring a boy home (and save for being currently girl-friended, I would, 'cause I definitely play for both teams), his T-shirt would be similarly wrapped around the door (assuming he was OK with it0. That is to say, it is in my head a pretty gender neutral act, in my head anyway. No misogyny intended.
And if it screams domination and ownership, what does it say when I put a piece of my own clothing around the doorhandle? I've never put it in that mental box- for me its always been a matter of politeness to the rest of the apartment, and to my girlfriend in that now random people won't accidentally see her goodies should they, say, come home drunk and not knock. Something tied around the doorhandle is a pretty hard thing to miss.
About the seeming crudeness: I think when you live with another person you invariably learn way too much about their sex life, simply by sharing so much space/time. This practice is simply keeping that knowledge out in the open, and therefore to an abstract minimum. I think it's actually quite forward-thinking.
And why it is funny and different- well, mostly because of the logistics of the top being on the OUTSIDE of the door, and what that implies about the abstract timeline of the evening.
That is to say, I think it would be kind of an asshole thing to do, save that everyone involved (both roommates, both girlfriends) finds the practice totally hilarious, and employs it with gusto. We wouldn't do it if that wasn't the case
Maybe we all saw the same episode of Undeclared?
This space pirate can see the forest through the sleaze. 1 Vote!
(Hell, you probably would have blamed the man anyway...)
To Mr. Fish: What the hell is that supposed to mean? That, since I take issue with the fact that these men are displaying their sex play in the form of their partner's clothing, I would automatically "blame the man"?
News for you: yes, I would be pretty pissed if these men were in fact women and the situation was reversed. I definitely consider myself a feminist but not in the stereotypical way that flaunts "man-hating." Feminism and the study of Anthropology itself I find to be open and very gender-friendly and I'm often compelled to take sides with the man when it's apparent that he's being oppressed/wronged in some way.
I just find it unfortunate that you take issue with my reasoning.
Dr. Subtle:
That is to say, I think it would be kind of an asshole thing to do, save that everyone involved (both roommates, both girlfriends) finds the practice totally hilarious, and employs it with gusto. We wouldn't do it if that wasn't the case
Thanks for your clarification. Though I have a tendency to jump to political correctness, you've somewhat eased my mind. Check out the last five comments on the link.
Hot damn I'm moving to the Northern Mariana Islands!!!
I hope the 2 remaining guys in Pitcairns are gay.
Misogynistic may have been the wrong word, but there is something in that upgrade from sock to frilly top that I found slightly sinister. But that's just me. and Vixen.
HOWEVER,
Would you react so sharply if the item of clothing in question had been a man's T-shirt? (Hell, you probably would have blamed the man anyway...)
Excuse me?! Was that a sneery comment about women in general or a personal insult directly at me? Please do tell.
Funny...