I really haven't formed a strong opinion about this, (and I really don't consider it important enough to spend the time to do so
) but here's an opinion piece I read in the Comical written by a woman that raises some good points for the "just looking for stuff to be offended at" side:
Opinion // Open Forum
Is ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ about rape or romance?
By Manoela Kruger
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” a classic popularly regarded as a Christmas song, is being interpreted as a “rape song” and has been banned from several radio stations throughout the country this year. KOIT Bay Area has joined the ban in response to a #MeToo request, but now, facing a controversy with listeners, it is holding an online poll to decide whether the song should keep playing. KOIT will announce the majority opinion on Monday.
I am a woman, and let me tell you how I personally interpret this song: I see it as an adorably romantic song, where two lovers are having a very hard time saying goodbye after a pleasant encounter because “this evening has been so very nice” and “the welcome has been so nice and warm” (her very own words). She does want to stay, and even asks for one more cigarette and drink to enjoy. She feels very conflicted because back in 1944 women were not supposed to spend a night with their significant others if they weren’t married. She is mostly worried about what her mother, her father, the neighbors, her sister, her brother or her “maiden aunt’s (vicious) mind” will think about her.
The good news is, boys and girls, women in 2018 are much more empowered and respected, and they can decide whether they want to spend a night with a partner without having to worry about being judged or punished by family! Isn’t that a wonderful thing?
I understand rape and violence against women (or against any human being for that matter) are very serious things and must not be taken lightly. I see an immense value in the #MeToo movement, but when we start raising flags about everything that may potentially be an offense, we simply have abandoned critical thinking. Then we have another issue to deal with: over-victimization. It just backfires.
What saddens me the most is that this seems to be happening all over the world and in several realms: political, sexual, racial. We seem to be always anxiously waiting for an opportunity to feel offended, looking for an excuse to promote hate and violence — and such a destructive emotion ripples through a community fast.
Mother Teresa reportedly said, “I don’t participate in antiwar demonstrations, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.” See the subtle difference? She was pro-peace, not antiwar.
We could all use this time of the year to genuinely focus on gratitude, love and cheer rather than create controversy over a Christmas song. Let’s be good, for goodness’ sake!
Manoela Kruger is a creative writer who happens to hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering. She can’t explain how she is able to enjoy working with both numbers and letters.
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/ope ... 448617.php
And as far as KOIT is concerned, it's About-Face time:
Listeners Vote to Reinstate Christmas Classic 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' on KOIT Radio's Holiday Playlist
Published Dec 10, 2018 at 7:01 PM
The Christmas classic "Baby, It's Cold Outside" that some people have complained sends the wrong message to women was temporarily pulled from San Francisco Bay Area radio station KOIT and reinstated Monday.
KOIT said it is a "feel good" station, especially over the holidays, and were trying to respond to the temperature in the room. But when the station received more backlash for not playing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" it made a correction.
"We didn't really ban it, but we pulled it off the playlist," KOIT Host Teri King said. "And then, as soon as the (newspapers) went with it, they went crazy. Everybody was up in arms because we're not playing 'Baby, It's Cold Outside.'"
So the station's program director put up a poll last Monday on the station's website asking listeners to vote "Yes" or "No" on if the song should be played on KOIT.
The poll garnered a response from 22,000 people, with almost 80 percent in favor of bringing the song back.
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/L ... 12501.html
