But it is paramount that skeptics not confine our comments to CSPAN, coffeehouses, atheist blogs and philosophy classes. As a result, it is only makes sense that we bring the debate into the wider world of pop culture with the tools employed by secular, commercial advertisers.

Ok, this is one of those topics that gets quite a lot of traction with the atheists I know. Even a lot of female atheists I know would disagree with the previous statement. I have personally taken ‘women’s studies’ courses, when I was in school, and my experience there was both good and bad. So while this is anecdotal… it may present a middle ground.

I did experience sexism from feminists who were quite willing to make unfair generalizations about men…. one of my favorite generalizations of course is the word ‘patriarchy’. Patriarchy, rule by men, exists in Iran and in the Vatican. But in democratic countries where over 50% of the voting population is female, it by definition doesn’t exist, even if the majority of elected representatives are men… since a majority of women put them there and democracy is about the people deciding.

And yet there are feminists who will claim we live in patriarchy or that all Christian denoms are patriarchy. And this is just not true.

One could also imply that the western world is ruled by Oligarchy, ruled by an elite. And certainly one needs money and status to get elected, but just because democracy isn’t perfect, and makes it easier for certain people to get elected, doesn’t mean its not democracy.

That said, I have had, and continue to have positive experiences with feminists, and I do believe that historically… and even recently, women have had to work harder to get respect, even in our western democracies. I support feminism as far as its about…. helping disadvantaged women compete. Just like I support helping all the disadvantaged in society. But thats quite a lot different than setting up quotas and ‘affirmative action’ styles polices. I’m against the latter. And I think its the latter which some of my atheist friends find irrational, and counterproductive and blame feminists for. Quite a lot of women reject feminism because they feel it makes them look like women can’t compete fairly against men.

As to the video, it is sexist, but it was also clearly tongue in cheek. It was blatantly using the idea of ’sex sells’ to sell a book and playing on the idea that all atheists are ‘nerdy male star trek geeks’. I found that aspect funny.

And my bets on Royn… eye of the tiger, baby… eye of the tiger!