{"id":7245,"date":"2006-11-25T23:38:49","date_gmt":"2006-11-26T03:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/11\/25\/puritans-prudes-professional-pickl"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:53:53","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:53:53","slug":"puritans-prudes-professional-picklepusses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/11\/25\/puritans-prudes-professional-picklepusses\/","title":{"rendered":"puritans, prudes & professional picklepusses"},"content":{"rendered":"

H<\/strong><\/em>ave you seen this Jiwani<\/a> ad yet?\u00a0 \"MassWeeklySuit\" bigger<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

T<\/strong><\/em>he advertisement, which declares “a custom-tailored suit is a natural aphrodisiac<\/em>” caused a ruckus in the home of the Pilgrims, this Thanksgiving week, after appearing in the usually staid Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly<\/strong><\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 (see Boston Globe<\/em>, “Many fume over hot ad in lawyers newspaper<\/a>,” Nov. 22, 2006)\u00a0\u00a0 At the front of those attacking the ad\u00a0is the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association<\/a>, whose President, Kathleen M. O’Connor<\/a>, wrote to MLWeekly<\/em> that “As lawyers, we are obligated to fight against gender discrimination, in whatever form it may take,” and that “We expect more from this newspaper.”<\/p>\n

MWL<\/em>‘s Editor-in-Chief, David Yas<\/a>, first called the complainers a “bunch of self-important prudes,” but\u00a0later decided to pull the ads, explaining that\u00a0“in listening to our readers, we learned that the ad was offensive to many of them.”\u00a0 In a necessarily unscientific online poll, the Boston Globe<\/em> asked “Is this ad too risque?” and over 78% of the respondents said “no”<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During a slow-news holiday period, the story has rippled across the online lawyer community.\u00a0(See, e.g.<\/em>,\u00a0the WSJ Law Blog<\/a><\/em>)\u00a0The weblog and “legal tabloid”\u00a0Above the Law,<\/em><\/a> ran its own poll, asking if running the ad was “appropriate” or “inappropriate” in the newspaper for lawyers.\u00a0 77.5% of ATL<\/em>‘s respondents said “appropriate”<\/a>.\u00a0 On the other hand, the venerable weblogger and legal-website guru Robert Ambrogi, a former editor at Mass. Lawyers Weekly<\/em>, opined that “this dust-up has nothing to do with prudishness and has everything to do with knowing your readers.” (<\/span>LawSites<\/em>, “Call me a prude, but. .<\/a>“, Nov. 22, 2006)<\/p>\n

In a piece\u00a0titled “Jurisprudes<\/em>,” self-proclaimed feminist, Dahlia Lithwick at Slate<\/em><\/a>, couldn’t understand the fuss, and wouldn’t call the ad’s opponents prudes, but concluded:<\/p>\n

“Shouting about this ad reinforces the dangerous lesson that there is no place for sex or flirtation or anything naughty in the law and that all sex must be sexism, because when it happens to us, it’s rare and mysterious good fortune.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We’ve been waiting to see what Feminist Law Professors<\/a><\/em> might have to say about the controversy. \u00a0This evening (Nov. 25, 2006), Bridget Crawford wrote “Lawyers at their Desks<\/a>,” and (surprisingly) pointed\u00a0out that perhaps the Mass. WBA “shouldn\u2019t throw stones too quickly or too hard.\u00a0 Its website\u00a0features a slideshow of photos \u2014 many captioned ‘scent-sational women attorneys’\u00a0\u2013 from a\u00a0recent membership event held at a store that sells ‘natural perfume and cologne.’\u00a0 Seems to me that the Women\u2019s Bar Association relies on stereotypes, too.\u00a0”\u00a0 [We’d like to point out that the perfumist, Nawtucket Natural Oils<\/a>, brags at its website that “Some of the store’s most satisfied customers include Madonna and Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)”.]<\/p>\n

The entire affair is enough to\u00a0get Prof. Yabut<\/a> off his La-Z-Boy and to get dagosan<\/em> to\u00a0pull out\u00a0a little poetry:<\/p>\n

mid-argument –
\nopposing counsel crosses
\nher legs<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

sua sponte<\/a> —
\n<\/em>madame justice
\ncatches\u00a0me staring<\/p>\n

. . .\u00a0 by dagosan<\/em><\/a> \"embraceG\"<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you\u2019re a regular at f\/k\/a<\/em>, you know\u00a0The Gang doesn\u2019t believe that neo-puritanism is the answer to\u00a0the battle of the sexes.\u00a0 As we said in September<\/span><\/a>, differing with\u00a0the folk at Feminist Law\u00a0Professors<\/span><\/a><\/em> about\u00a0an Above the Law<\/em> \u201chottie\u201d contest<\/span><\/a>:<\/p>\n

We are tempted to point out, yet again, our belief, that the neo-feminist penchant for humorless, picky, puritanical censorship does far more harm to their cause than the materials and the\u00a0(atavistic, often purposely and obviously puerile) attitudes they are deriding. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are a few other points worth making, in response to those who rant that the advertisements are “insulting,” tasteless,” and “demeaning”:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A Jiwani FAQ<\/a> says: “Do you make women’s clothing?\u00a0Yes, we provide a full range of corporate suiting for women.” \u00a0\u00a0This makes me wonder just who<\/em> is doing the stereotyping when jumping to the conclusion that an ad for suits in a publication for lawyers\u00a0is selling its product only to men (especially when it is the women in the ad who is wearing\u00a0the suit).<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Like Dahlia<\/a> Lithwick, we have to wonder just how the President of the Mass. WBA concluded that the advertisement amounts to “gender discrimination<\/em>.”\u00a0 This calls into question the lawyering skills\u00a0and legal analysis of the complainants.\u00a0 Every mention of a sexual topic is not sexism, nor sexual discrimination.\u00a0\u00a0 For lawyers, making distinctions and seeing differences is rather important.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Those who worry about the continuation of old stereotypes need to pay very close attention to the new stereotypes<\/em> they may be creating by their actions and positions. \u00a0 Being seen as thin-skinned, humorless proponents of\u00a0iffy legal analysis and bad attitudes is scarcely the way to win over the hearts or the minds of those who might still want to perpetuate the unwarranted stereotypes.\u00a0 Indeed, it might just lose you a few allies or make them wary to come to your assistance\u00a0every time\u00a0you “cry wolf.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even the most open-minded and fair people\u00a0can find it rather difficult to think of whiners as equals.<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Bob Ambrogi may be right that a publication “has to respect its readers,” but the readers need to respect themselves enough to withhold their sense of insult and outrage for matters that really matter.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n
    \n
    \n
    one button undone
    \nin the clerk’s blouse\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I let her
    \nsteal my change <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . . by George Swede – from Almost Unseen<\/em> (2000) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Update<\/strong><\/em> (Dec. 30, 2008): See our posting “a sparkingly Savage year<\/a>,” which discusses the Boston Magazine<\/em> article \u201cCounsel Requests the Right to Appeal<\/a>: Smokin\u2019-hot lawyer Wendy Savage defends her buzzy turn as a pinup\u201d (by Alyssa Giacobbe, January 2009), and the issue of professional women posing in sexy pictures.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    In the community of haijin (haiku poets), there have also been many taboos and much tsk-tsking over the centuries.\u00a0 Last year, with the publication of\u00a0Taboo Haiku<\/strong><\/a>: An International Selection<\/em> (Richard Krawiec, ed., Avisson Press, Greensboro, 2005), a group of poets tried to overcome some of those inhibitions.\u00a0 Here are some examples of haiku and senryu by a few of f\/k\/a<\/em>‘s Honored Guests<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    from Taboo Haiku<\/em>: \"TabooHaikuCover\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    After the abortion\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 she weeds the garden
    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Clothesline
    \nthe widow\u2019s black lace panties
    \ncovered with frost<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    staring
    \nback up\u00a0\u00a0 the open eyes
    \nof the suicide<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


    \nWarm breeze
    \nthe colt\u2019s erection nuzzles
    \na daisy<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . . . . by George Swede \"embraceN\"<\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    me in one hand
    \na belt in the other
    \ndads sings a lullaby<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    punishment –
    \nsmell of old shoes
    \nin the locked closet<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . by\u00a0roberta beary<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    the most popular
    \nswim teacher at the Y
    \n– his tight speedo<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . .\u00a0 by\u00a0tom clausen \"embraceG\"<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    after dark
    \nthe shape her hands make
    \nof me<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    at the end of Lent the taste of you<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    . . . . by\u00a0jim kacian<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    figure drawing class —
    \nin the model’s deepest shadow
    \na thin white string<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


    \noyster omelet\u00a0 \"MassWeeklySuit\"
    \nmy tongue
    \nbetween the folds<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . . by lee gurga<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    lost love —
    \nI turn back from the tracks
    \ngoing up her arm<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . . by andrew riutta <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    by candlelight
    \nan entire generation
    \ndrips down her thigh<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    . . . by ed markowski <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n


    \n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Have you seen this Jiwani ad yet?\u00a0 bigger The advertisement, which declares “a custom-tailored suit is a natural aphrodisiac” caused a ruckus in the home of the Pilgrims, this Thanksgiving week, after appearing in the usually staid Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.\u00a0 (see Boston Globe, “Many fume over hot ad in lawyers newspaper,” Nov. 22, 2006)\u00a0\u00a0 At […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[555,900],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-haiku-or-senryu","category-viewpoint"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-1SR","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7245","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7245"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7245\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12612,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7245\/revisions\/12612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7245"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7245"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7245"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}