Erin Horáková wrote an article awhile back about how Captain Kirk is not the philanderer and untamed maverick we collectively seem to remember him as. The besic premise is that Kirk has drifted in the popular culture into something unrecognizable. I read it and, while I think it’s premise is solid and Kirk is not the character he’s portrayed as in satire and the new films, I disagree with Erin on who he actually was. I may even write up an answer to the article in full at some point.

But I actually read it. William Shatner obviously did not because he thinks the essay is about what a misogynist Kirk was, and that’s not what it’s saying at all. In fact, it’s actually defending Kirk against those exact allegations. Never-the-less, Shatner has been railing against the article on Twitter complaining that “terms like toxic masculinity are degrading. It borders on that imaginary concept to feminists: misandry.” and “Misogyny exists. Problem is that [Erin Horáková] didn’t want to accept misandry does, too.” I am scratching my head bloody at these responses right now.

Even if the article was about Kirk being a sexist pig, I’m not sure how a tirade about misandry being as bad as misogyny would be an acceptable answer to it. Misandry does, indeed exist. There are women out there who hate men just because they are men. But it’s not systemic and ingrained in culture the way misogyny is. To prove it I’m going to use William Shatner’s own words. Here’s a clip of him discussing “City on the Edge of Forever” with Jon Collins not too long ago:

So, Bill, let me explain it to you as simply as possible. Misogyny is a man feeling perfectly entitled and safe discussing a woman’s looks and desirability right to her face in front of millions of people – example clip included! – and misandry is a woman having to defend herself while silently wanting to kill him for it. See the difference?