I read a quote from one of the House Reps who was on the floor when it all went down. Apparently, Rep Jason Crow, a former Ranger and apparent badass instructed them all to remove their ID badges just in case there was a breach of the chamber. Not only was this quick thinking, but I think it also speaks to how these dipshits are perceived.
Wow. While searching for the image below, I found this article. Brass fucking balls.
Is it impossible for you to imagine a woman acting like that?
Absolutely. Fortunately, imagination isn’t necessary because we have badasses like Tammy Duckworth in the very same building.
ETA: Although I’m a veteran, I do not conflate service with bravery. It takes actual courage that can happen on a battlefield, in an ER or in an elementary school.
EETA: Holy shit. My apologies to @milliefink and everyone else here. I totally misread “Is it impossible” as “is it possible”. My response was meant to read “Absolutely (it is possible to imagine a woman doing something like this).” I also owe @gracchus an apology as I didn’t even get the “brazen” part of the title. 
Lesson; read better.
Right. Huge fucking brass balls on her, no doubt. 
I listened to her speech and was massively impressed
Come on. I didn’t say that. Nor did I imply in any way that bravery is the exclusive domain of men. Rep Crow showed extraordinary courage in an extraordinary situation. It’s totally ok to praise him without it being reduced to a question of gender.
You reduced it (bravery, or whatever it is you’re in awe of) to a matter of gender, specifically masculinity, with your metaphor. Not me.
I imagine you’d allow that women can he brave as well. If so, and if women who are brave don’t (because they can’t) get their bravery from “balls,” then where would you say they get it from?
Can you really not see that the old-fashioned metaphor you used implies that bravery in general, or perhaps the kinds that you think REALLY matter, reside in men?
There is nothing inherently wrong with gender-specific metaphors and using ones that connote one gender does not imply exclusivity. I wouldn’t drag you for using a gendered phrasing because I know you as a person of insight and thoughtful discourse and can overlay nuance. My words don’t exist in a vacuum and should be taken in the context of not just the specific use, but in everything I’ve said on this forum. I take criticism here seriously and have corrected myself many times when my words don’t match my intent or my blind spots are revealed. I can understand how a legacy of male toxicity makes gendered metaphors coming from a cis-gendered male touchy, but I’d just ask that you judge me by my history.
However, simply by the fact that it is clearly sensitive I will reconsider my use of that specific phrase in the future. 
Dude, I’m not judging you. Where did THAT come from?
I’m objecting to a sexist metaphor.
I appreciate your willingness to at least reconsider your usage of it.
Actually Yes! “The balls on her” is a common phrase in the vernacular these days. It not like we’re writing dissertations here. It’s how people talk.
Just change it to brass gonads. Hopefully that should satisfy everyone.
Or mumps, with the promise of future infertility. Exceptionally painful as well.
And if they make a noise like two brass spheres would when knocking together, that’s also another sign you might need to see a doctor.
If they’re brass - they’re prosthetic. Poor guy.
It’s not entirely impossible that most women here have seen more or as many balls as most guys here.
I was an OR Tech after I left the military. I saw some incredibly big balls that weren’t brass; but dayum! they were big.
She is a great orator. I was proud AF to be her constituent.
Well, since this has become such a hot topic titled “Brazen Sexism”, I’d like to point out the numerous times the term has been used here on BBS by numerous posters with nary an example of it being called out as sexism.
https://bbs.boingboing.net/search?q=Brass%20balls
(Sorry, I’m not sure how to refine the search for exact match; I count about 27 instances before this topic)
As I said to @milliefink, I will self-examine how this usage is perceived by others and not use the term in the future.
Also, can I return my Nice Topic badge for a post titled “Brazen Sexism”, please @orenwolf & @codinghorror? Certainly not something I want to be associated with.
This is your topic. You are welcome to change the title to anything that fits within the guidelines.
