In the Bible, humans are held in high esteem. They are “created in God’s image,” “deeply loved,” and therefore have infinite value — language that echoes what our Founding Fathers used when they set about creating this new form of government.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson wrote that “all men are created equal” and are therefore “endowed by their creator with inalienable rights.” John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
This brings us to the recent controversy involving a stand-up comedian on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Shane Gillis, a leading comic, is once again in the hot seat for a joke that ran afoul of the Left.
Here is his short opening monologue (warning: vulgar language):
For those who might not be interested in watching, Gillis began his set by talking about being overweight and needing to work out, which led his monologue to the gym. There, the jacked gay guys are judging him, and the women are all wearing their underwear. He then describes the flavor of workout shorts women wear: “neon ... fake bait colored” with “wrinkles that go like around the butt cheeks” — a.k.a. booty shorts.
Booty shorts are designed to lift and sculpt, making a derriere look more muscular and fuller than it naturally is. They also leave nothing to the imagination.
Gillis continued by warning that even though these women are wearing underwear, you’d better not look because they are probably filming, just waiting to call you out on TikTok.
The outrage that ensued was ridiculous. Women dressed in the very gym wear Gillis was poking fun at posted videos telling the comedian they could wear whatever they wanted and that he shouldn’t objectify them. It proved his point: These women want attention and will shame whomever they ensnare in their trap, the purpose of which is to propagate the narrative that “men are the worst.”
These outraged women point to the Cornell 7 gang rape case as their flagship cause — which is pretty weak since, according to the information available, the rape narrative was refuted by the victim herself, at least initially. They argue that joking about booty shorts at the gym objectifies women and creates the permission structure for men to gang rape a sophomore student. In reality, it’s the sexual revolution that created the permission structure for licentiousness and that deluded women into thinking underwear is appropriate for gym attire.
It’s also ironic to think that these same leftists were so outraged by the Sydney Sweeney Novik ad because she was posing like a loose woman. We were told her actions do not represent women athletes. But the second Gillis called out women for wearing booty shorts to the gym, they got mad at him for noticing that working out in revealing clothes isn’t great either. This leads me to ask: Which social norm do they want us to follow?
It’s not which; it’s who. Sweeney is perceived as a MAGA conservative, so she is torn to shreds no matter what she does. Gillis, though critical of Trump, is also seen as leaning conservative. Both provide a way for leftists to rage against those they see as culture war enemies. It’s a heads-I-win, tails-you-lose mentality that lets them argue out both sides of their mouths and ultimately make no sense.
Leftists are not interested in natural rights or human dignity; they are interested in their own narrative and using it to further degrade the culture and start their revolution. However, social mores, common decency, and actually caring for one another still exist. A person pointing out that women dressing in their underwear in a public gym is inappropriate is upholding those precepts. He is demonstrating care not only for the women but also for the public who have to navigate that awkward situation.
Gillis is performing the time-honored ritual of public shaming. He is pointing out something ridiculous — women dressing inappropriately and filming any guy who dares to look at her — in an attempt to correct an inconsistency. He is asking women for accountability and a modicum of respect for themselves and those around them.
In many ways, our culture has lost the art of public shaming, which has been demonized as abusive while every other vice has been elevated. Discipline and decorum are so sneered at that if you notice something’s awry, you’re the one in the wrong.
You can’t have it both ways. Women are either made in the image of God — worthy of love, respect, and dignity — or they are not. Women are either accountable for their choices, or they are not. A society that cannot define its boundaries is losing the plot, creating chaos and uncertainty for others who hope that it’s not them who triggers the next rage mob of morons.
