I agree with the sentiment here, but not completely. How do they conclude that there is something wrong with "man up"? It's a term used to encourage men to delve into themselves to find strength to overcome something. Are men not allowed to feel 'empowered' too? Also if they conclude that "don't be a pussy" implies inferiority of the female gender. I wonder what their conclusion about the term "don't be a dick" would be?
I see your point. All these insults use words/slurs specific to a gender or gender stereotype to insult, whether or not the characteristic you are complaining about has anything to do with the gender itself. You could add "don't be a dick - because I don't believe that the male gender is inferior" interchangeably. But I think the words have more impact and are more hurtful when used using words that denote people in oppressed or subordinate roles in society. The phrase "don't be a dick" doesn't standardize a negative perception of men or penises. I'm guilty of having said some of these, but I work at trying not to.
So you believe it infers a lack of intelligence or maturity? (or are you referring to me?) I see what your saying, but I disagree a little bit. If the goal is equality, then any term that negatively refers to someones gender or sexual orientation should carry the same weight.
Very true, but words are social constructs, and the meanings and power of them have everything to do with who made them and who is saying them as much as the definition of the word itself. Only on the page do they have anything approximating neutrality. I wish they were value-free like numbers, but they rarely are.
But you are right that we should be aspiring to that goal of equality. Ideally, that's the society we want, where that sort of power difference between people and races doesn't distort social interactions, meanings and communication.
That's what it actually implies. A dick only thinks about one thing and nothing else. It rises to the occasion when its own needs and wants are to be fulfilled and lacking the consideration of others. That's a dick in a nutshell.
That should read, if you want something said ask a man, if you want something done ask a woman with no social conscience and is practically a war criminal with a handbag.