Elephant in the arena

[hoopoe]

I am finding this interesting and this is not to derail but to continue the conversation.

I had not seen the meme; I don’t rotate in the circles where the dressage community would have seen this. I was able to figure out what it would be, based on the narrative the OP and others posted. I too was not aware of the systemic self-view of our Black community women ( thanks for that knowledge). I am old enough to remember when female cleansing products were widely advertised in media.

Here is my tangent thought. This appears to have received prompt condemnation from some of the community( good).

I do agree that there are likely females in his circle who nod and say " some girls cant take a joke"

I contrast this rapid condemnation with the years worth of acknowledged abuse and misogynistic attitude by GM and the lack of outcry there.

Has the horse community changed for the better in this regard or is there something else in play. Is it a time and place situation?

[QovDressage]

If you didn’t see it, it does not bear reposting. It was vile.

I will NOT spend a penny with a racist, homophobe, misogynist, or cruel human. I’m so very glad that folks are outing themselves. Saves me a lot of trouble.

[skydy]

Has Lars Petersen made any attempt to address the issue and/or apologize?

Does anyone know who took down the offending page? Was it Facebook or Lars Petersen?

[Mondo]

Count me among those thankful for the sufficient descriptions of the meme so I don’t have to see it. I agree that Lars Petersen just crapped all over his business, but I am surprised at the abject stupidity of such a move. I am now compelled to wonder how many of his clients may be junior riders/young riders who are also FB friends? If I found out my child, daughter or son, had been exposed to such filth, I would be firing Petersen post haste. Loudly and publicly. I SMH at his wife defending that behavior. Maybe that’s why I’ve been single since my divorce 18 years ago? IDK, but I just don’t get women who endure/put up with/permit/defend misogyny of any kind.

[skydy]

I hope that someone with access to the meme will share it with USEF so, if he is up for team consideration, they will know what sort of person they are considering to represent the U.S.
Then again, USEF put a jumper rider who was kicked off the show grounds and suspended for horse abuse on a team, so I guess we can’t necessarily count on them to do the right thing.

[RaeHughes]

Now that was absolutely sick/misogynistic and I can see how it could be racist as well. Given the incel movement, they could refer to all women rather than just those of colour. (By the way, that is how I took it.) I appreciate sarcasm - I dont appreciate “sick”. I would not train with anyone who thought that meme was funny.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

I appreciate all of the responses and feel the same way as many of you. Lucassb outlined my thoughts exactly. mvp: thank you for having my back.

I think that it’s wonderful that people have spoken out against Lars Petersen’s decision to post the meme and then defend it, and I certainly hope that he gets some education and takes it to heart.

[mvp]

@sascha

Yes, but consider why and you’ll circle back to a society that demeans women, POC, and has traditionally done Jack about rampant abuse of women. Abuse or be abused is a somewhat almost nearly legitimate excuse, but we need to make a change away from that.

It’s all still misogyny, racism, and unfounded shit-flinging and sadly, there are still women that bolster their sense of strength and their position in society by going along with all or part of the plagues of patriarchy.

Oh, I understand why. I’m just sick of the girl-on-girl cannibalism, that’s all. Also, as I understand it, Feminism-- in the capitalized form to signify the movement run by white women-- has a long and poor track record with respect to racism. I believe this goes back to the Suffrage movement, so a century at least, if not further. So I know you’ll understand why my tolerance for one shat-upon group sending hate “downhill” to another is pretty low.

[Bogey2]

@mvp

Oh, I understand why. I’m just sick of the girl-on-girl cannibalism, that’s all. Also, as I understand it, Feminism-- in the capitalized form to signify the movement run by white women-- has a long and poor track record with respect to racism. I believe this goes back to the Suffrage movement, so a century at least, if not further. So I know you’ll understand why my tolerance for one shat-upon group sending hate “downhill” to another is pretty low.

This ^^^

[sascha]

@mvp

Oh, I understand why. I’m just sick of the girl-on-girl cannibalism, that’s all. Also, as I understand it, Feminism-- in the capitalized form to signify the movement run by white women-- has a long and poor track record with respect to racism. I believe this goes back to the Suffrage movement, so a century at least, if not further. So I know you’ll understand why my tolerance for one shat-upon group sending hate “downhill” to another is pretty low.

Absolutely! I hope my explanation didn’t come across as a general excuse to use to accept the cannibalistic behaviour as ok. It might be normal, but it is not ok. There are reasons, but they don’t make it ok.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹

”‹”‹”‹

[mvp]

@sascha

Absolutely! I hope my explanation didn’t come across as a general excuse to use to accept the cannibalistic behaviour as ok. It might be normal, but it is not ok. There are reasons, but they don’t make it ok.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹

”‹”‹”‹

I hear you. Sometimes I wonder, though, about how people think that being steeped in a system that identifies a person as the designated “less than” (be they gay or non-white or female or whatever) causes that person to internalize that point of view. I suppose I have my family and my particularly strong, smart mother to thank for not having “bought the hype” that women are, indeed, “less than.” So my perspective is limited and it boggles my mind that those who have experienced discrimination continue to spread it. I just don’t see how their experience doesn’t make that an ethically untenable proposition.

And privileged women? Those wealthy enough to be employing trainers to ride dressage horses? Please. Sending sh!t downhill is entirely optional.