LAWSON: On the other hand, Demis, you are married and your wife might have ideas about something that you might want to buy even if you - you're too busy. Hasn't she made any suggestions?
HASSABIS: Well no, she's a scientist too and she does Alzheimer's research, so she's mostly wrapped up in her own research as well.Across the Board, BBC Radio Four 31 October 2014. (9:43)
[Also see]
[Dominic Lawson index]
[Thanks to Louise Raw]
Would it be sexist if the interviewee had been female and the question related to her husband? Or if the question had related to the interviewee's same-sex spouse?
ReplyDeleteWell I guess we'll have to judge when he actually asks the same question in those rather different circumstances...
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be implying that, since he wouldn't ask the same question about a man, his asking it about a woman is sexist. But I'm not sure what evidence there is that he wouldn't ask it about a man.
ReplyDeleteIs it not an extremely obvious question to ask of a multi-millionnaire who has not given thought how to spend his or her money: "well, does your partner have any ideas?"
ReplyDeleteAre you really going to see this as a potential example of sexism until DL has the chance to interview a female multi-millionnaire?
Jonathan - no, it's not. It's an assumption that the husband is the serious one working and the wife pops up with suggestions as to how to spend his money, and it's an embarrassing thing for Lawson to say and other people to defend.
ReplyDeletePresumably he's just asked Demis what he's going to buy with the gazillion dollars for which he's sold his sea-monkeys to Google and Demis has given some self-deprecating answer about being too focused on his work.
ReplyDeleteUnder those circumstances is entirely appropriate and reasonable to suggest his wife might have some ideas. It's not sexist at all.
We disagree then. You are reading an awful lot into a question which many would take at face value. The first questio was whether Demis has thought about how to spend the money; only after he has said "no" does the question arise whether his wife has thought about it instead.
ReplyDeleteYou are reading an awful lot into a question which many would take at face value
ReplyDeleteNo, I'm reading an awful lot into the sort of question that women just don't get asked, but which gets asked about wives. And just as with sexism in chess generally (a subject this blog will likely be getting back to shortly) it's not a problem that'll be dealt with until it gets acknowledged.
No doubt, Justin, there is much to be said about sexism in chess and about the loaded questions that are asked of one gender only - though arguably much of it is widespread outside chess too. (eg, google Maria Sharapova at Wombeldon this year, when she lost and was asked whether she would now be watching her boyfriend play).
ReplyDeleteBut this is just not at all a persuasive example. DL asked Demis first whether he had thought about how to spend the money - he did not ask about the wife first of all - and you seem reluctant to acknowledge this background to the question.
Cause there isn't any, really. That particular question might not have been arrived at without the previous one, but it very likely wouldn't have been asked of a woman in the same circumstances (evidence-based suggestions to the contrary are welcomed) and that's yer sexist assumptions right there.
ReplyDeleteI'd missed the Sharapova example. Very good.