Oh, great. Breitbart has created a new “Tech” section, to be run by non-techie, non-gamer, non-competent poser, Milo Yiannopoulos. The only thing I can imagine even close to that miscasting was the Discovery Institute’s appointment of the young gerbil, Casey Luskin, to write science articles.
Well, I’ll give ’em a chance. I took a look at Breitbart Tech. First article that caught my eye: APOSEMATISM MAY EXPLAIN WHY SO MANY ANGRY WOMEN HAVE BLUE HAIR. Oooh! Science!
Actually, the whole article uses the conceit that dying your hair blue is an example of aposematism — the use of warning coloration to discourage predators — and that is sufficient excuse to list the usual roster of feminists who have dyed their hair different colors with sneering, nasty descriptions. No evidence is given for anything, let alone the thesis of the title, it’s all nothing but a boring attempt to slime a group of women.
And as for that thesis — have they considered that maybe it isn’t about warning people away, as much as it is about being free from the idea of having to please men’s desires and being able to be adventurous in their styles? If they really want to push this idea, maybe they should try applying it to Milo’s own habit of coloring his hair.
I just checked again, and the prominent lead article to the section is now “MEET THE SHE-E-OS: WHY DO SO MANY FEMALE TECH CEOS TURN OUT TO BE DISAPPOINTMENTS OR FRAUDS?” I’m sensing a theme.
Having Milo as the editor of a tech section just means it’s going to be more of a misogyny section.
Sometime in recent years I came across the statement that companies in crisis are more likely to hire a woman as a CEO. Whether because they first hired all the men they could and only when those ran out they finally consider hiring a woman or because they expect hiring a woman to create some kind of positive response? If this trend is true then women CEOs are likely to be in a worse place from the start.
Ah-DORE-able!
It’s a two-fer, as “blue hair” is also a dog-whistle-ish shorthand for *OLD* lady. Though in fairness (not that Milo has earned any) it’s entirely possible that Milo is completely ignorant of that particular usage (as he is of so much else about life, the universe and everything…).
Well isn’t this pathetic. I saw a meme on twitter from asshole misogynist’s feed. It circulated in gamergate circles. Depicted one of the women that gamergate abuses, dyed blue hair. Part of online misogynists’ new narrative in linking colorful dyed hair with Filthy SJWs. The pic juxtaposed the woman with a poisonous frog. Caption: “Remember gentlemen, bright colors means poison.”
The article, then, is based on the hack writer seeing this person’s awful joke, and deciding to make a “serious” full-scale article about that one joke. Brilliant work. No one can accuse these people of creativity.
It’s funny, but every time I see one of these kinds of articles, I’m reminded of Skeptics With A K’s Marsh’s journalism segments. Except, instead of using sciency sounding things to promote NEW! Jamberwell’s Fish Ointment for Aching Nostrils and Bumf, it’s using sciency sounding things to reach, “therefore women with opinions of their own suck.”
It’s actually kind of amazing how much crossover there is in barely concealed adverts and barely concealed misogynarglebargle.
@anteprepro
Or the laureate-worthy rhyme, “around blue hair, beware!”
It’s almost hilarious. For all they accuse us of being dogmatic, they do have an awfully large selection of slogans and posters based around what makes a wrongthinker, which tend to have a surprising lack of anything to do with the actual thoughts of the person.
I have purple hair because it gives me so much joy, I barely have words. If a side-effect is that gamergaters and MRAs and the like will stay away, well, so much the better.
Athywren:
Shit, how common is that one? It is worse than you are even saying. Considering the 4chan origins of gamergate, I think that is a reference to a profoundly racist A. Wyatt Mann cartoon that has been a meme there for a while: “Around blacks, never relax”.
About those cartoons: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/people/a-wyatt-mann
An article about early gamergate antisemitism, featuring a cartoon of Sarkeesian based on one of those other cartoons: http://wehuntedthemammoth.com/2014/11/02/why-are-gamergaters-so-quick-to-excuse-an-anti-semitic-caricature-of-anita-sarkeesian-thats-literally-derived-from-nazi-propaganda/comment-page-4/
I kinda hope I am wrong in seeing the connection here, because Jesus Christ.
Zoologically, it seems like selective bright colors are more often used for attracting mates. From an anthropological perspective, the human race has a long history of altering their appearance primarily to indicate their social group. I think if you’d ask most people why they’d dyed their hair, they’d usually fall into one of the above categories; either they wanted to look hot or they wanted to look cool.
It seems like there are much clearer examples of aposematism in humans – tattoos, biker jackets, confederate flags, guns… who in 2015 finds blue hair threatening? If you wanted an example of someone doing something to their hair to make themselves more threatening, I’d picture a shaved head before a dyed one.
going off the rails: just want to remind everyone of Trump’s faint-orange comb-forward, to give him the appearance of a toupee shaped like a driving cap, which he can easily deny being a toupee, and use as a warning: that it takes so much time everyday to take care of, that it might (might, maybe, perhaps, sorta, *shrug*) affect his daily presidential performance:[now in booming voice…] When He Becomes President.
ugh
excuse me. “hair” trigger, I guess.
seriously (sorta) does he having opines about deliberately false coloring ones hair in bright primary colors? Can’t wait…
Someone who could overcome the technical obstacles to making head hair actually float, cartoon-style, would certainly threaten me. (If they could make their pubic hair do it, well, Rule 34.)
Why do so many more male tech CEO’s turn out to be disappointments, frauds, and generally shit heads? Probably because they use too much Grecian Formula.
I am now very, VERY tempted to dye the ends of my hair some bright color. Many of my coworkers have dyed hair. I’d just need to find a color that complements my surprisingly picky skin tone + odd ‘Hair of Many Colors’ thing that I’m sporting (am I blonde? Am I light/med brown? Why does my hair get this weird copper shimmer? Why do I have strands ranging from thin and whispy, so pale it’s almost white to super thick dark brown/black? Why can’t my hair make up its mind?)
I’m happy to flash my SJW warning colors if it means men leave me the fuck alone.
Oh, silly PZ – why on earth would Breitbart appoint someone with expertise in the field to run its technology section? That would be entirely counter-productive. Expertise would just get in the way of packing everything full of regressive far-right ideology – someone who knew the first thing about technology and gaming might be tempted to let articles slip through that aren’t vehicles for eye-watering bigotry!
Many men go bald in places.
Some women find their hair turning yellow in places.
Blue is the “opposite” color from yellow.
Since before the days of “bluing” as an additive to the “washer-woman’s” tub, people have known that adding blue can counteract some yellowing.
The above explanation fits the observations without having to hypothesize deeper reasons on no basis at all.
My beard is becoming a perfect silver-gray base for any color I might want to dye it…maybe I should. Especially as the Xmas season is coming up, since I don’t want to be mistaken for Santa Claus.
PZ – die it blue … you could be the reverse Poppa Smurf.
On topic, I’d be steamed if my hair turned blue.
I got as far as him describing feminist specatacles, whatever they are, as being accompanied by, “an affected pseudo-intellectual, smarmy, shit-eating grin.” That is a perfect description of literally the only expression I have ever seen on Milo’s mug. The irony caused my brain to shut down for a while and now I can’t be bothered to read the rest. I’m guessing it’s no great loss.
Has there ever been any section of Breitbart’s festering cesspool that ISN’T the misogyny section?
The fact that this guy thinks of male-female relations in terms of predator and prey says a lot about him.
PZ has a few years on me, but I’m a cis-male white guy in his 40s that dyes my hair for no other reason than I think it looks cooler – a hypothesis that, to me, is completely sufficient to explain any women making a similar choice. Sometimes I go blonde, sometimes I go black, sometimes I go red; I did try dying the beard once but I couldn’t stand the fumes that close to my nose.
Breitbart is as accurate as the Onion, just not as funny.
Ahhh, it’s the good old “men threatening to go their ownw ay but unfortunately never actually leaving” thing.
MRA: If you do this, we will not want to fuck you !
Woman: Cool! Is that a promise?
MRA: Didn’t you hear, we will not fuck you!
Woman: I heard you the first time. I consider it a big boon. I wouldn’t want to fuck you if you were the last person on planet earth, all vibrators had vanished and my hands had fallen off-
MRA: We will no longer want to fuck you!!!!
Woman: *googles “blue hair dye, professional size packages*
Though I have to say that Milo is the straightest gay guy I ever heard of. I mean, look at These suggestions on how to be a complete asshole to women and clearly most of them are about heterosexual men. I mean, Milo can leave the seat up all he wants to. No women will notice. And really, those sandwich ingredients will grow hair because he isn’t interested in women as sexual and romantic partners. It makes no fucking sense. Though thatis to be expected with Milo…
Milo is a psychologist’s wet dream…
Oh dear! What would he say about Rebecca Watson’s hair color choices?
Cannot wait. NOT!
Is this Milo guy for real? He seems like a big joke and I am somehow missing the punchline. I watched a video of him being interviewed and I couldn’t believe he was an adult.
And yet, when he gives a list of ‘failed female tech CEOs’, he manages to name a head of Hewlett Packard, and it’s not Carly Fiorina! Could this possibly have something to do with the way Breitbart has desperately hyped her candidacy?
It is difficult to tell whether he has any commitment at all to the bilge he writes. I think that the nasty misogyny is all him, but I don’t think he cares a jot about the subjects he chooses to write about, or the individuals he targets. His involvement in GamerGate and previous opinion of gamers are a case in point. GamerGate was just a vehicle for his misogyny, with the added bonus that delivered to him a hoard of eager acolytes to drink up his bitter, lazy, barely coherent ramblings. He is an angry, poisonous intellectual mayfly, dashing around on a river of shit.
He thrives on publicity and the notion that his (anti-female) vitriol is a wellspring of radical ideas. He can’t recognise himself for the blazing reactionary bore he is, and no wonder given the hero-worship he receives in the nether regions of his online output. He is certainly dull enough to think that anyone pointing out the wrong-headedness of his opinions, particularly if they do so with a trace of anger or annoyance, is an indicator of just how right-minded and refreshing an intellect he is.
I suspect that the fact that he has turned his hobby of self-adulation, self-aggrandisement, and bullying, into a lucrative occupation is simply sauce on his pudding.
My grey hair takes dye beautifully; I’m working on a rainbow over time, having done purple and blue already. Green is next, when my partner arrives from the US next time.
Fuck misogynist reactionaries. If my hair being coloured keeps the MRAs away, count me in.
MGTOW needs to become MFO*
*Men Fucking Off
Before I developed a nasty allergy to hair dye, my favourite colours were burgundy and purple. I loved having hair those colours, and aposematism never crossed my mind. I didn’t even know about that word until today. Seeing as I can’t dye anymore, I do believe I’ll have to break out the art pastels and have fun with my hair again.
At any rate, ol’ Milo is wrong, natch. I thought the question of dyed hair was settled already, especially blue hair – it’s feminist hair™! Terrifying, scary, feminist hair™!
Aposematism? Pah!
Over the last dozen years I have conscientiously been dying my hair and beard ever more grey, to safely blend in with the majority of my friends and co-workers. Unfortunately many of them are now choosing to adhere to the fad of going bald, a trend I am unwilling to follow as I haven’t seen the inside of a barber’s shop since I was 15.
Looking around town, I don’t think they even have barber’s shops any more.
They do in Boston (to which I have just moved back after 40-odd years elsewhere), and in fact I used the services of one just a few weeks ago (for the first time in approximately the same number of years). I admit I found it surprising.
I am spending this afternoon recoloring my hairs. I am going white, and got sick of trying to unsuccessfully match my natural hair color, so opted for sapphire blue and violet. Mostly because if you have dark hair, those fun colors don’t show at all. Your hair must be nearly white for blue to actually turn out blue. If that keeps people like Milo from approaching me I consider that an enormous bonus.
The mildly deranged penguin, who is not encumbered with this silly mammalian fad for fur, suggests, instead of dunking the fur in dye, covering yerself with squid. Like brightly-coloured furs, this will attract attention. It is also biodegradable, so if you like squirting smelly stuff on yerself, just wait a few days for the noticeable natural odour and the even more attention you will attract. Which is where squid-dressing becomes very useful: When you run into a nutter like this “tech editor” you have available a ready supply of some ideal ammunition.
*reads above post*
….what?
…
On second thought, I don’t care. I can’t imagine anything this person writes is actually going to affect anyone.
On third thought, I’ve talked to bus drivers, a universally insane group of people right down to the last one*, so yeah, there’s at least one group who probably believe this completely.
*Hyperbole, and EVERYONE does it ALL THE TIME FOREVER!
Caine @
–
From kindergarten through high school, my daughter came out of school nearly every day rocking colored hair. I never knew what color it would be until she got home. She used a variety of fluorescent highlighters and Sharpie markers to color hers during the day when she’d get bored in class. I’ll have to suggest pastels to her. :o)
I, personally, have issues with dyed hair, especially bright, loud colors. However, what that means is I don’t dye my hair.
Dark Jaguar @ 34:
Blf and the deranged penguin have been posting here for a long time. Don’t worry about not wanting to cover yourself with squid juice, it doesn’t work for everyone.
roachiesmom @ 35:
My hair is too dark for that kind of a shortcut. As for the pastels, it’s a big thing in hair now, but don’t buy ones marketed for hair, cheap art pastels work fine, just make sure they are chalk, not oil. Then, grab a bit of hair, twist it, and rub the pastel up and down and around, work it in well.
I’ve never understood this tendency to elevate your personal tastes to universal biotroofs. Don’t like blue hair? Ok, fine, but you surely can’t have reached adulthood without learning that different people like different things. Me, I think that anyone with the self-confidence to carry off an unnatural hair colour is likely to be interesting company – but I don’t mistake that for an objectively true fact.
If reactos hating on colored hair becomes a thing, I just might dye my hair in solidarity. Even though it’s not my style.
You know, there may be some truth to that — but it’s entirely a secondary function. I dye my hair in candy colors (pink, teal, and purple, in my case), because I think those colors are beautiful and look good on me, and because my body is mine and I’ll adorn it as I see fit. If the overt statement that “my body is mine and I’ll adorn it as I see fit” discourages predators (i.e., abusive misogynist assholes), that’s just frosting on the cake.
Caine @ #37: Ask your stylist about Elumen. That’s the color I’ve been using lately. Bright candy colors that work on dark hair, don’t require bleach, and last a long time. They don’t work on all hair colors, but they work on mine, which is dark brown and gray.
Caine @ 37
I will be sure to pass that on to her. She’s possibly fell into an opportunity to do goth and Renn Faire circuit make-up and hair after the new year, and whether that works out or not, she can probably make good use of that tip. Thanks! I’ll see if she’s heard of that stuff Greta mentioned, too.
Or both. Interesting how that’s quite possible!
This whole weird anti-hair dye stance from reactionary conservatives is both baffling and amusing to me. A few years ago I started wearing my hair short and in a fauxhawk, and i occasionally dye the centre bits some colour. (It’s currently purple.) When I first started styling it this way, I made a lot of jokes about how I use my crest to frighten off predators and attract mates. I was just making jokes about animal behaviour… but they turned out to be too true!
But I’m happy about that. If reactionary neocon misogynist assholes see my hair and decide to avoid me? Awesome..
He says it like discouraging predators is a bad thing.