2012-04-05
Explanation
This comic examines the awkward gap between what a woman wants to hear and what she actually gets when expressing body insecurity. A woman tells a man "I feel like men judge me because I have small breasts." The comic then shows two labeled scenarios. The "Desired Response" is: "That's sexist! They should care about your mind." -- a reply that validates her feelings, condemns the sexism, and redirects attention to her intellect and personhood.
The "Typical Response," however, is: "That's sexist! I prefer tiny boobs!" -- which, while attempting to be supportive and reject the beauty standard she is worried about, completely misses the point. The man still centers his response on her body and his personal physical preferences rather than addressing the underlying issue of being reduced to physical attributes. He thinks he is being progressive by expressing a counter-preference, but he is still evaluating her based on her body, which is exactly the problem she raised.
The votey panel simply shows the man looking dejected and thoughtful, apparently realizing -- too late -- the gap between what he said and what he should have said, capturing the awkward aftermath of a well-intentioned but tone-deaf response.