Thread: Dirty Old Man

In this context, we should all know what the word dirty means. If you don’t, please move to another thread. But how and why has this sexist expression come into being? Why should only men be renounced in this way? Women are people too.

No doubt there are dirty old women too. Then there are the middle aged 'cougars'.

I think it has to do with inappropriate intent and or action. I am quite sure there are dirty old women too. I'm thinking that the sexism comes into it when it is acted out in some way and guessing more men act on it than women, like a smack on the arse or something. Women are more likely to merely have their mind and mouth in the gutter, but keep it to themselves otherwise. 'Course women do inappropriate things too, but while men are not expected to make a fuss, a woman is, to protect her good name, and so there you are.
Forgive me if this was a joke question. But since you are asking, I took it at face value.

"Give a dog a bad name." Eluixa, I know my reputation goes before me, but the question was serious. I thank you for your reply.

I have not heard that saying before...Give a dog a bad name... but, you are welcome.

I'm not really sure, but I rarely hear the term or its plural used as a generalization, so I can't think of it as sexist. I only hear it used to describe specific people who are in fact dirty, old, and male.

Men (some) are traditionally more likely to be have filth (dirty) in the head. For instance paedophiles & rapists had traditionally been a male based occupation, and thats the extreme of being filthy (dirty) in the head. So when you talking about a dirty old man, you're talking about an old man having a filthy (dirty) sexual interest in a girl (or girls) of inappropriately young age.

But I must say, some females are definitely not ladies; and they have their own terminologies. Mutton dressed up as lamb is a phrase that comes to mind (although there's many others - jezebel, hussy). Lots of things in modern society are PC sexist against men & racist against whites (you'd think we'd all grow enough brains not to continue these stupid never-ending cycles of hate), but I don't see this phrase as one of them.

It's a perfect term...like 'old lech'.
Nowadays, the kids call'em a "creeper", as in, "Hey Dad, my teacher is kind of a 'creeper'. He eyeballs all the young girls." Maybe there IS a difference between men and women.

Doesn't man here implies ( humanity) both man and woman?
I usually use the word man to imply both.
For example
man need to up its game with regards to animals treatment.

This saying seems to imply on OLD and not inclued the youth or the inbetweens right?

Any woman who's been around seniors for any amount of time has probably run into old men who think they can get away with making inappropriate comments or putting a hand where it shouldn't go because they think people will think it's cute when an old man does it. They don't seem to realize it's just creepy. From what I've seen, old women just don't seem to do that kind of thing. It's just a few bad apples -- but I think that's mostly where the "dirty old man" thing comes from.

Originally Posted by JosephB

Any woman who's been around seniors for any amount of time has probably run into old men who think they can get away with making inappropriate comments or putting a hand where it shouldn't go because they think people will think it's cute when an old man does it. They don't seem to realize it's just creepy. From what I've seen, old women just don't seem to do that kind of thing. It's just a few bad apples -- but I think that's mostly where the "dirty old man" thing comes from.

sure.
what about the other way around.
I have seen plenty of women mollesting men.
Isn't it a 50/50 deal here?

'Dirty old man' is a description that's been around probably as long as there have been dirty old men. If there were tons of 'dirty old ladies' who acted the exact same way the term would most likely be different.

And, as an aside, 'Dirty Old People' might be a fun name for a band.

Originally Posted by Nacian

sure.
what about the other way around.
I have seen plenty of women mollesting men.
Isn't it a 50/50 deal here?

First, that's why I said "from what I've seen." Maybe you've seen just as many old women as men making inappropriate comments or touching -- I haven't.

Secondly, in general there are ways that men and women are different. It's perfectly OK to say so. It gets really old when people think it's somehow wrong or unfair to make a simple observation like this.

In this case, I doubt it's "50/50" -- I think old men have the reputation for a reason.

Originally Posted by Nacian

Doesn't man here implies ( humanity) both man and woman?
I usually use the word man to imply both.

You might use the word that way, but the thread isn't about how YOU use the word.

Originally Posted by Nacian

what about the other way around.
I have seen plenty of women mollesting men.
Isn't it a 50/50 deal here?

Originally Posted by JosephB

In this case, I doubt it's "50/50" -- I think old men have the reputation for a reason.

Well, don't leave us guessing at your infinite wisdom - tell us the reason.