The debate about ads in the UCC student cafe got a bit heated on the Opinion Line last week. While nobody thought they were funny, the spectrum of opinions ranged from mildly disinterested to downright disgusted.

For once, I wasn’t outraged about it. It was stupid, sexist and generally unintelligent. As a couple of our callers pointed out, there are far worse things going on in the world – even in Cork – such as the story we’d discussed the previous day, of the women’s photos being stolen and used on an absolutely disgusting pornographic website. But I was annoyed. I rolled my eyes, and the familiar feeling of general exhaustion at this relentless level of sexualisation and sexism took over.

Introducing a ‘scale of offendedness’ and condemning those who object to things on the lower end, doesn’t make something offensive go away.

And (mansplaining alert) men telling feminists they have other things to worry about is, to put it politely, absolute bullshit.

Here’s me, ably abetted by caller Fiona, telling PJ and caller John that they are talking absolute hogwash.

Also, a poll! Listen first, then do the poll. Ah go on.

[polldaddy poll=9279809]

*Warning to feminists who are easily enraged*
This discussion contains straw (wo)men of angry lesbian manhaters; it contains the argument that feminists are something other than supporters of women’s equality; it includes the utterly rubbish ‘example’ of mythical facebook pages where ‘manhaters’ get together and abuse men.