Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site watmath.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!saquigley From: saquigley@watmath.UUCP (Sophie Quigley, Univ. of Waterloo) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Feminism and a double standard(?) - (nf) Message-ID: <7031@watmath.UUCP> Date: Tue, 28-Feb-84 08:50:30 EST Article-I.D.: watmath.7031 Posted: Tue Feb 28 08:50:30 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 29-Feb-84 07:51:21 EST References: <943@inmet.UUCP>, <7028@watmath.UUCP> Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario Lines: 15 This is an apology for using language improperly in my previous posting on the subject. In french the words derived from "prostitution" are sometimes extended to a non-sexual context, to denote, as I tried to explain in my previous article, the action of degrading oneself. This usage is official (I just checked the dictionary) and it is often used to denote something benign, such as the act of pretending to like one's boss so as to get something out of him/her. The interpretation of "degradation" is left to the user of the word. I assumed the same was true in English. As I seem to have offended some people who took it to mean that I was calling them prostitutes, I just checked my webster and it does seem that the usage is a bit stronger in english: "To sell (oneself, one's artistic or moral integrity, etc..) for low or unworthy purposes.". I am sorry if I offended anybody else, I didn't mean to. Sophie Quigley watmath!saquigley