Tag: sexism

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The Firkin for June 2022

Americans both love a redemption story AND quickly tire of outrage. Don’t believe me? Wander to this LINK from Paste Magazine. And don’t TL:DR it either.

Americans and craft beer fans have all the beer choices available. I could “cancel” a brewery a day for years without making a dent in the number of IPAs in my ‘fridge. Which is why Vorel’s point of having a long memory is both important, AND not that hard.

Here is what you do:

  • open the notes app on your phone
  • creat new note and label, Do NOT Buy Beer From
  • add the breweries from Women of the Bevolution’s website that are distributed in your area
  • next time you are beer shopping, check that list

Not hard. You are not tracking the full journey of the fish at a seafood counter or who made the phone you just used to make a note.

Oh and next thing to do, stay tired of Tired Hands and their shithousery. We don’t need their beer. And you can tell their Instagram lawyers that.

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Don’t Read the Comments

First, go HERE to read the furor caused by a questionnaire.

Do not TL:DR.

Now that you are back, I want to say that all the people who commented about CAMRA “caving in” to “wokeness” must be living in a whole ‘nother world.

Part of me wishes that these sexist, racist idiots would just return to the caves from which they crawled out of but then I would be insulting cave people who were more than likely way smarter.

I would like to say that my better angel wishes compassion but I think we are past that. No more carrot for this lot, they need a stick to the ass.

Pete Brown, as usual is more eloquent than I but even he seems fed up and I wish more people were.

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Read Please

When people say that they hope a movement doesn’t stop some secretly just hope it will fade out so that they don’t have to do the extra work.

Well, I ain’t gonna help you with that last part.

Go HERE and please read the first of what will be more than one post about how to make festivals better. How you do that requires looking at some crappy behavior towards women.

Here is one question for men to ponder: Have you ever chosen clothes for a festival based on not being sexy? Because of the ramifications?

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Act Better

Many have dived in over the past week with their take on the unsurprising stories that have come to light via Brienne Allan (@ratmagnet) about horrible treatment of women in the beer and beverage world.

I add my voice to the strident calls for this shit to stop. First stop for anyone is to check out Women of the Bevolution. It lays out what is happening with clarity and without rancor (though frankly it would be deserved).

Second, look into your behavior, men. When have you been an ass, when have you not spoken up in defense, when have you treated people poorly based strictly on gender?

Then, third, what are you going to change? The world is tentatively opening up again which means that more interactions will occur. Will you be better the next time you step into a tap room?

Lastly, encourage those with stories to tell them. One of the most frightening aspects of this sorry situation is that men are not only aggressing but then scaring women into silence. The more the stories circulate, the higher the possibility that consequences will arise.

We can do better. Treat people with kindness, it isn’t that hard.

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The Firkin for January 2018


6 characters can make the privileged tremble: #MeToo.

First a bit of disclaimer – this is written from my white male point-of-view. Having never held a position of power or been a member of a popular clique, I don’t have much real-world experience in terms of overt “power” and/or “popularity.” All I have is my human revulsion of what far too many men think they can get away with just because of a one-chromosome difference. End of disclaimer; onto my entreaty.

It is past time for we beer fans and consumers to make it known that misogynistic, patronizing, and discrediting behavior towards women in tap rooms and beer bars is more than not acceptable. I offer a list of action items for men to put into actual action the next time they are at their favorite watering hole:

1. Don’t tell a woman what to order or what style “women” prefer. Surprisingly, just like men, women are individuals and don’t uniformly enjoy one type of beer – especially the one that you have decided they should.

2. Accept that a woman behind the bar is there for a reason. Don’t assume that she knows less about beer than you do or less than a male counterpart working with her. In fact, she very well could be a supertaster (while you, more than likely, are not).

3. It sounds very PSA, but if you See Something, Say Something. Don’t allow or enable sexism to happen in front of you. Your reproach doesn’t have to be confrontational, but, out of respect for your fellow female humans, you can and should let the sexist know that you, too, have just witnessed them crossing a line.

4. Do not audibly complain about pink hats or marches or rushes-to-judgement while sipping your hazy IPA. Zip it, Matt Damon. You likely have no true grasp of how much the women in earshot of you have put up with, so stow your tantrum.

5. Believe. When a women says she has been victimized, believe her. Then defend her and support her as needed.

We have an opportunity to actively make beer places safer and more fun for everyone. To anyone unwilling to contribute to creating that type of atmosphere: please remain in your cave with your non-evolved friends and drink there.

It is in all of our englightened self-interest to get as many people as possible from all walks of life into taprooms. The better business they do, the better and more beer we all get.