On 24 February 2016 at 13:45, Nathan <nawrich@gmail.com> wrote:
<snip>
Additionally, not only have I never heard "badass" used in a derogatory way, I've never even once heard anyone suggest that it might be used as an insult. In my experience it has only ever been a compliment. In the context of Keilana's op-ed, it should be obvious to any reader that she used it positively. 

If exactly the same article had been written by someone who has a long and colourful history of behaviour considered to be very uncivil, nobody would be thinking it was an okay article.  It's only okay because Keilana wrote it, it wouldn't be okay if someone with a history of alleged misogyny wrote it *using exactly the same words*. I doubt very much that the Signpost would have published it had it been written by any number of other people - in fact, I'm doubtful it would have been published if written by any male editor, though Rob could tell us otherwise - but even if they did publish it, the reaction would have been infinitely more severe if not for the name of the author.  
 
Risker/Anne