Sexist Comments Are Not Appropriate

     You know, Erik and company has mentioned before that we should not offend people with our comments. While I am not the most politically correct person in the world, I make a point of not offending my friends here on chess.com. You know, there are a lot of women on this site who work very hard at their games and are good chess players. I don't think they would appreciate comments like "beaten by a girl," etc. I know I didn't like the comments I got from a guy who beat me. While I was tempted to rip this guy a new one, I took the high road. I didn't argue back because I don't want to be a "bad" representative of thisgreat website. Trust me, I hand out verbal use like candy on a daily basis, but never here. I respect everyone's hard work and efforts in playing chess. So let's have some respect for our female chess players here. If you lose a game, you lose to another chess player who loves the game as much as you do. You didn't get beat by a woman or "girl" (if you really want to sound twelve years old). Let's take the mature road here. I mean are you really that insecure in your masculinity? Before, you say it, I know my playing (for lack of better intellectual terms) sucks, so don't drag my poor playing into it if your going to belabor this point. CHESS LADIES RULE! This is the 21st Century. Victorian thinking went out a long time ago.

There isn't anything that makes women worse or better chess players than guys. This isn't exactly a physically demanding activity. A chess player is just a chess player.

Hi Hugh_T_Patterson,

very good and proper posting! I fully support your viewpoint!

Thank you. That's the whole point here. Just play chess and keep the conversation within reason.

there are some who would find your attempt at chivalry sexist, and therefore self-defeating.

i support mr. patterson...

I agree with notgm lol

Judith Polgar is in, or has been in (I haven't looked at the new ratings list)the top ten players in the world for a long time. Honestly, I don't care if I'm playing a woman. Chess is chess and I respect good chess.

And thanks Blind-Orange for your "bravo" on my selected quotes!

some people are just ignorant and don 't have any couth...no matter the site...or circumstance

Women are things. I could care less.

That is a terrible thing for anyone to say.  I don't even know how to respond to that.

I'm guessing that the two of you didn't see the thread which inspired this one.  That thread was rightfully locked, thus the continuation here.  At least 3 separate members belittled someone for "getting beat by a girl."  Many of us were offended at these comments.  Any insinuation that women are inferior to men simply because they are women is purely misogynistic, especially regarding something as gender nuetral as chess.  If it is sexist to defend women, then I guess I'm sexist too.  But I think it's way more sexist to say things like, "you got beat by a girl."  And even worse to say that "Women are things."

Small minds make small comments, like, "you got beat by a girl".  People who say things like this are also the types most people choose not to be friends or associate with.

And this thread is probably seconds away from getting locked also.

You play like a girl, Barbara.

Play the board

if you are alluding to the arguments that men are better than women at chess then I have to disagree with you here, there is a "some" historical evidence that at super-elite levels of chess men are stronger.  Obviously your quotes show phrases which could be interpreted as sexism, but not necessarily (in my opinion)

*edit* "women are things" is definitely sexist.  No question there, if you mean it.

"there are some who would find your attempt at chivalry sexist, and therefore self-defeating."

I don't think this quote would stand up to a logical parsing and debate.  If it is an attempt at chivalry, then it is sexist in a positive context and I don't see the 'self-defeating' in any way.  If simply standing up for civility and decency in which the unwarranted slamming of 'girl players' happens to be the subject at hand, then none of the quote is applicable or useful.  I am also familiar with how this thread of honorable conduct began.

I would love to see Polgar make the next leap.   If that is chilary, sexist, or some such to see her make an even stronger mark on the game and for girls and women, then I am guilty too.

I don't mind being beat (clobbered) by women, though I prefer to give the beating.

Apparently men on here who don't know the polgar sisters

Something like this. You were "Chessbabe" at the time.