Over the weekend, I was called upon to explain why I find the term "Adam's Apple" offensive and sexist.
The term bothers me because most explanations hold that it is a piece of the forbidden apple that stuck in Adam's throat. Because, you know, Eve swallowed it down no problem. But Adam... oh, he sinned, but he didn't enjoy it. Sin got stuck in his throat. Because men are just better than women, you see?
Although one site suggests that it is a Latin mistranslation of the Hebrew term "tappuach ha adam" meaning "male bump." So the whole stuck-in-throat thing was a post-facto explanation, which kind of figures. Anyway, calling it a "male bump" seems a little overly provocative.
The medical term for it is "prominentia laryngea" which is a bit of a mouthful. I suppose I could call it "larynx lump."
Oddly, when I went looking for anyone else who is bothered by the term "adam's apple," by typing variations on "adam's apple" and "offensive," "sexist" and, oddly, "feminist" I got a lot of hits for Ann Coulter, and people attempting to insult her by suggesting that her weird-looking neck is a larynx lump and she's "really" a man.
Which, many people immediately pointed out was pretty offensive to actual transsexuals. And also, men. Because comparing Ms. Coulter to any other category of creature can only demean the creature. I mean, how dare anyone suggest she is the equivalent of slime mold? Slime mold has a crucial function in nature.
Only humans are capable of being as vile as Ms. Coulter, because only humans are capable of considering all the options, and then acting like that anyway.
Also, Ms. Coulter's weird neck is clearly part of that overall insectoid look that many women get when they remain ultra-thin past a certain age. (Paul calls it "turning into Tom Petty.") That's not a male bump you're seeing, people, that's her trachea. Which is sad. And maybe it means she's addicted to methamphetamines. Which would explain a lot, because long-term amphetamine abuse degenerates the brain in a shocking way.
