So there I am – plugging away on my next column about how the GOP has all the true feminists in politics – when I receive an email about the events of next weekend’s Review Reunion. The itinerary includes: some dude talking about the media, some other dude talking about Afghanistan, and some other political commenter guy.
Oh, and a shooting trip and dinner at Palo Alto’s Sundance Steakhouse.
…wait, WHAT? 
Really, boys, I thought we’d learned our lesson when Obama held that little pickup game earlier this year. Steaks and shooting? The only thing less subtle would be a No Girls Allowed sign posted at the entrance to the Republican Party tree house.
Now, don’t misunderstand me. It’s not the activities per se that offend me; I love a good steak, and I think shooting clay pigeons sounds like a hell of a lot of fun. It’s the self-conscious styling of it all: for some reason, the Review is desperate to reinforce this image of the burly caveman Republican.
Me shoot gun. Me eat steak. Me like Reagan.
If you’re determined to blow 60+ bucks on dinner in PA, I can name a handful of other restaurants with better food. In fact, Mr. Adam Ross – the host of the dinner and former EIC – now resides in Texas. Wouldn’t this homecoming be an excellent opportunity to enjoy the Californian cuisine offered by places like Lavanda and Zibibbo?
And like I said, shooting sounds like a good time to me – but the vast, vast majority of those with experience and interest in the sport are men. Why not pick a more gender-neutral activity, like sailing on the Bay, beer or wine tasting in the city, or a day at the beach in Santa Cruz? Even a Sharks or Warriors game would be preferable.
But no, we’re sticking to steaks and shooting. Grunt, grunt.
Let me be clear: I’m not asking for mani/pedis and cosmopolitans. After all, that’s what those ridiculous SCS Girls’ Nights are for. Ick.
I just want the Review to consider the message these choices send.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
I do love shooting. And I do love steak. And I do love Reagan.
I think those facts blinded me from the fact that the itinerary does seem fairly biased towards the tough man (or wanna be tough man) crowd.
Thanks for removing my blinders.
Are you out of your mind? Does everything in this country need to be so toned down that it’s politically correct and activities are gender neutral?
I’ll tell you what, you sound like one of them PETA people. I’m so into that I started my own chapter:
People
Eating
Tasty
Animals
While me and my buddies go shootin and enjoy some extra bloody meat I suggest you quit tryina impose your will on other people. In the meantime ima enjoy some beef jerky here for breakfast.
The Daily is much more gender-neutral in their menu. Here’s some footage from the their banquet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtZE-srMHAA&feature=related
OK, let’s go sailing on the bay (maybe Ted Kennedy could drive- oops, never mind), beer or wine tasting in the city (maybe we could visit Pelosi’s vineyard!), or a day at the beach in Santa Cruz (in the middle of winter?). Sharks or Warriors game? Still sexist, isn’t it? I mean, not all girls enjoy sports. Except for the sports, these all sound elitist/bourgeoisie, don’t they?
Frankly, I think trap shooting is counter-culture to the Stanford atmosphere and that is what bothers so many including the above writer. I know many women who enjoy the sporting element of shooting. Oh well, I guess owning and shooting guns is so cave-man! Well, in that case Sarah Palin, Governor Jan Brewer, Ann Coulter, and other such woman are complete Neanderthals and insensitive to women.
BTW, Sundance has $100 a glass wine and some of the best seafood I’ve ever seen (can’t eat unfortunately). What’s the problem- is it because it has steakhouse after their name?
On that note, I will apply your same logic and analysis of the reunion to your post. I then assume: If it appears elitist (sailing), expensive (wine tasting), and snobby/pretentious (the beach in the dead of winter), then you must be!
I’m sure that was not the writer’s intention, but we must assume. We all know what assumptions do- make an @$$ out of you and me!
Oh Tom;
I don’t think the author has anything against shooting or steak. In fact, she said she didn’t.
What I got out of the article is this:
At a place like Stanford University, one would hope that intelligent conservative women exist. One would hope that these women would want their voices heard. Maybe by making the review more friendly to the tastes of both sexes (generally… I did note your very correct rule exceptions), they would attract the attention of these intelligent conservative women, wishing to contribute.
Could also be a comment on a direction that conservatives in general could use to garner support in the future. ‘W” was for woman in the 2004 campaign, right?
Well said, Marissa. This subtle, machismo aspect of the Review always struck me as particularly annoying. It was always baseball games that guys proposed as socials, and every single Review banquet was held at the Sundance Steakhouse (and the salmon there—the only type of seafood that was on the banquet menu—was marginal at best. Everyone knows that you don’t go to a steakhouse and order chicken or seafood). The Review really could find a better place for their banquets like the Cheesecake Factory, if only for a change. And shooting and baseball are fine for activities, but there should be other social activities that a majority of both sexes can enjoy equally (such as movie nights, coffee, barbecues). I have to give the SCS props for coming up with more “gender neutral” activities, though no doubt it has to due with the SCS having more active female members.
Alondrama,
Nice name. I guess we aren’t mature enough to not post anonymously on the web. Good to know we can be open and honest with each other.
What I got out of the article was that someone was disappointed in the choices of of those who planned the reunion and they decided to speak up after the fact and complain. Oh well, I guess we need to be sensitive to women’s needs because they can’t speak up for themselves or, in this case, won’t (I’m being sarcastic here for those sensitive feminists who can’t take a joke). Here’s a thought: maybe Marissa could have suggested something beforehand rather than complaining after the fact. Truly conservative, intelligent women would be open-minded and stout in suggesting activities rather than passive and complaining after the fact about others decisions.
Allysia,
I find it odd that you now wish to speak up about our big bad “men-only” social events. I don’t remember a peep out of you at any meeting or on any email where you pushed or pursued an event. Don’t sit silently by while things are planned and then critique after the fact. It honestly sounds like something the community centers would do.
Oh…the long-haired boys were actually girls…it makes sense now…
BTW, I forgot to mention. Seriously, Adam Ross would want to enjoy the California cuisine?
Last time I checked, California cuisine was a nice way of saying, “Rabbit food”.