On being a woman in public

[redqueen]

13. Not a lot of men go that far, but a lot of them do less aggressive,

but equally insulting and oppressive things.

I'm sure most of us are all too familiar with that creepy feeling that comes from men who don't care whether or not their behavior is appropriate.

This was made absolutely crystal clear last year when Rebecca Watson was slammed mercilessly for daring to suggest that men not proposition women who are practically total strangers alone in elevators in the small hours of the morning.

If I had a dollar for every time a man assumed that I would for whatever reason welcome his comments on my appearance, his ideas about what I should allow him to do for me, or even just that creepy, lingering smile and googly-eyed look they give you (shudder) ... I could buy a used car.

Seriously though, perhaps it's these direct and unflinching accounts of male behavior that get me labeled a 'man-hater'... it's a pity that more people aren't aware that the real problem is that most women bend over backwards to be nice, especially here. Most to so far out of their way to be fair that we end up with the same situation we have in the media, where journalists feel somehow obligated to present both sides of a debate as if they're equally valid.

And the result is the same, too. Except in this context the consequence isn't a bunch of morons thinking climate change or evolution is all a big lie... in this context the consequence is the denial of the effects of objectification, prostitution, pornography, etc.

Sorry, ranting again.

One more thing though: It's important to remember that many men DO know this behavior is inappropriate and oppressive. Many men see it for exactly what it is. Those men are certainly not affected by these kinds of critiques, nor would they confuse such comments with 'misandry'... in order to do that you'd have to think such horrid, entitled behavior was somehow an inherent part of being a man.