2006-04-07 - 8:58 p.m.

So I got a call from the Dove Foundation - I'd gotten a call from them before and had deferred, because this is the script - "May I speak to the Lady of the House?" Now, I've answered the phone several times (despite our being on the Do Not Call List; I do not wish to conduct business over the phone) only to hear, "Is this Mrs. [Roomate's Last Name]?. I am not so game as former roommates to answer cheerfully, "Oh yes, this is Mrs. [Male Roommate's Last Name]!". Mostly, I get confused and want to tell them that no, [Roommate's mom's first name] is not here. But the Dove Foundation specifically asks for the Lady of the House, and I suppose that is me, even though my total butchness (plz see user icon) precludes any ladylike nature.

Anyway, I decided to participate in their stupid lame survey, the first question of which is: Do you think Hollywood ratings are out of control?

"No," I said, as I firmly believe that parents can actually *read* about films and *decide* not to take their children to them and *talk* to their children if any iffy subjects come up.

"Oh... what?" said the woman on the other end of the line. "Well," she launched back into her script, "Hollywood obviously isn't going to listen to us, but we would like to fund family-appropriate movies...[etc.] Do you have any children under the age of 16?"

"No," I said, as such children would have had to be conceived when I was not yet of fertile age.

"Okay, well... [scripty scripty script family and movies and family]"

"Yeah, I don't think I'm the one you want to be talking to."

"Well, okay, you're not in your demographic; I'm sorty to take your time."

Apparantly their demographic includes only childbearing women, judging by the "lady of the house" comment. Not "parents", but *women*. Men, I guess, have no say in the upbringing of their children? Even in nuclear-family Dove Foundation land? Also, I'm not so sure how I got on the Dove Foundation's call list, as my financial beneficiaries include the ACLU, Amnesty International, the HRC, Environmental Action, the United Way, the Sierra Club, and MassPIRG, all of which are grand Liberal institutions which would scoff at censorship.

Also, vide the Dove Foundation's "Dove Seal" mission statement:

"The Dove Foundation review board is made up of parents who have been trained to evaluate each film or video based upon Judeo-Christian ethics"

OH WHOOPS I DO NOT HAVE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ETHICS I HAVE SECULAR HUMANIST/UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ETHICS THX SRY.

Really, this phonecall took two minutes out of my life, but I'm annoyed that they called me MORE THAN ONCE with no indication that I might even slightly agree with their stance. I don't even like answering the phone when it's people I love and want to hear from. Isn't this supposed to be what the Do Not Call list is for? (N.B. - I have given money to other non-profit groups over the phone).