Comments on: How much is a woman worth?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 01:21:49 +0000

Did any of you see “A Life Less Ordinary”? Cameron Diaz’s character is kidnapped by Ewan McGregor’s. She screams at him that she would never be able to show her face in polite society again if it got out that she were “liberated by just half a million dollars!” She says “Half a million dollars is NOT a lot of money for a woman like me!”

I’m wondering what this woman had to say about $4,802. Is a human actually only worth that amount? And what is the $2 at the end?

Judges are required all the time to put dollar amounts on life. This is a particularly sickening case. Thank you (I think?) for sharing it. I’m going to go vomit now.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:35:45 +0000

Wow. That is insane. I’m moving to Europe.

By: Cara

Cara — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:40:35 +0000

Why, because we’re women, we’re here, and he has a penis. How could we NOT care what he thinks?

By: Lya Kahlo

Lya Kahlo — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 12:07:56 +0000

“The only thing that bothers me about this case is that SHE didn’t get sued, not the knucklehead she ran off with. Someone breaks a contract, she should be held liable.”

Ah, one more reason to never get married.

“It’s not my job to explain to every man who passes by my blog the entire history of female subjugation, ESPECIALLY when they don’t express any interest.”

Oh he’s interested. Interested in pretending it doesn’t exist and this bullshit case isn’t anything but some pig trying to profit from misogyny.

I’m confused. Exactly why does Dorion think we care what he thinks?

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:58:30 +0000

So you weren’t referring to my post then, when you stated that you don’t think the case is sexist? I’m quite sure that I’m the one who originally wrote about how sexist it was, here.

Also, it’s not my job to force knowledge upon you. You never asked for additional clarification of my or anyone else’s views about why this is a sexist decision. If you want clarification, you should ask for it and I would be happy to provide it. If you just want to express your opinion that this isn’t disturbing, don’t expect me to beg you to listen to why you should be disturbed. It’s not my job to explain to every man who passes by my blog the entire history of female subjugation, ESPECIALLY when they don’t express any interest.

By: Dorion

Dorion — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:44:29 +0000

Then perhaps I wasn’t referring specifically to you, Cara. Perhaps I was responding to someone in the comments, and asking how the woman in the article is a “poor woman” based on what we have here read. Putting words into MY mouth, though, isn’t going to do much to help me to understand — if that is at ALL what you’re after. If instead you’d like to just yell at me and accuse me of not thinking before I speak, evidently because I disagree with you, well, hooray for your right to do so. And for your podium from which to preach to the choir.

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:34:45 +0000

You have no idea whether she’s a victim or not. Neither do I. And I never said that she was. So only one of us is making an assumption, here.

I’d love it if you could actually relate your comments to the post and think about what I’ve written before you open your mouth. If you’re going to say that it’s not sexist, at least bother to refute my argument, rather than saying “it’s not sexist because I said so.” Or just not comment at all.

By: Dorion

Dorion — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:29:24 +0000

I’d love it if a conversation could take place that wasn’t just full of snark. But I guess that would put me in a vacuum, too. (She’s still not a victim.)

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:25:50 +0000

Well I’m thrilled to see that you’re not disturbed and that despite my arguments about the historical and social context of such a decision, you still think that it was made in a vacuum. Oh, and that you think it’s cool for women to be seen as property and don’t have any sympathy for women who are in relationships with men who see them that way. That’s just great for you.

By: Dorion

Dorion — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:18:17 +0000

“That poor woman”? How was she victimized exactly? The lawsuit only works if she screws someone else while under the marriage contract.

The only thing that bothers me about this case is that SHE didn’t get sued, not the knucklehead she ran off with. Someone breaks a contract, she should be held liable.

Aside from that, it doesn’t much bother me. Now, if/when an otherwise identical case comes up in the same jurisdiction but with reversed genders, THAT could be interesting. If it goes the same way, fine — argue about the validity of “alienation of affection.” If it doesn’t, THEN I’ll be willing to get my hackles rised. I don’t see it as de facto sexist. In civil litigation the only recourse is financial — he COULD only sue for money.