This is a follow-up to yesterday's post. I got feedback here and on facebook that women are more often called "bitch" than "disrespectful."
Being talked down to and told you are disrespectful is different than blatantly being called a bitch. When someone stoops to name-calling and vulgarity, I automatically see their lack of control and it's not as likely to make me doubt myself. I see it as a reflection of their nature more than mine!
Being called disrespectful makes me question my place in the system. Whoa, was I disrespectful? Am I getting too big for my breeches? Was I inappropriate? I turn it over and over in my mind and try to see it from their side, see myself as wrong. But I know myself and my motivations. I value kindness. And although I joke all the time, I am very conscious of appropriate behavior. Gosh, am I polite!
Therefore, when a manager or teacher (etc) calls me (or implies that I've been) disrespectful, I can't help but see it as an appeal to the deeply-rooted idea in our society that some people are superior to others, due to sex, race, opportunity, privilege, etc.
But do the credentials of our elitist-run system relate to an inherent hierarchy that justly demands my respect or are we all equals here?
Is there ever an occasion in which I ought to suck up to a man or anyone else? No. Sucking up is disrespectful in my book. It is flattering someone's ego and I'm not into that. I believe that all God's children should be treated with respect and dignity, which I can show by meeting on a level.
