N and I continue developing our new hobby of watching YouTube videos by Russian immigrants*. One really interesting thing to observe in the videos are the ways in which the authors enact gender.
Male presenters are always tentative, apologetic, and qualify their statements with, “This is just my opinion,” “I can’t be entirely sure,” “Feel free to disagree,” “I might be totally wrong,” etc.
The female presenters are always very categorical and self-assured. They speak at a higher volume than the male presenters and use the word “I” in every sentence.
The funniest part of the videos is where the presenters answer the questions from the viewers. One female video maker just slaughtered with her earnest response to the question whether there might be certain groups of people who shouldn’t consider emigrating.
“Yes!” the woman announced. “There are immigrants who really annoy me. They must stop immigrating. I find them annoying and they shouldn’t come. I hate this type of person. I don’t want them here.”
The woman is in her fifties, by the way. It does not occur to her that the question wasn’t really about what she wants.
This shit is all learned, folks. There is nothing innate about it. Getting attached to this stuff and defending it as immutable and physiological is a waste of time.
* It’s immigrants and not regular Russians because immigrants are far less likely to unload mountains of Putinoid bullshit. And it’s not Ukrainians because N doesn’t understand a word.
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