I've honestly never felt like victimisation like this is a gender problem. I tend to see it as a human problem, I guess. I don't view it as a men vs. women sort of thing.

But it is. It's the notion that women aren't people.

can be done to get stronger nails?

I've always been told eating jelly works, but I don't know if that's an old wives' tale or not. That would be jelly, the wibbly stuff, Jell-o as it's known on distant shores.

It's the notion that women aren't people.

No one other than themselves are people to many of the people who like power. Women, children, foreigners, black people, Jews, Arabs, gays, Republicans, Democrats, whatever. There are so few people left.

Glue plastic to them? That's the only thing that's every accomplished that for me. Beyond a certain point, it's genetics.

Nail strengtheners? Though I honestly have no idea if they work.

At my office we have a big "cut down on car use" thing every year. A man involved in the effort tried to sell me on the idea of biking to work. When I mentioned the whole traffic problem, he said that when he biked in--at 6 am in the middle of winter--there was next to no traffic. He didn't understand why a woman would see biking through a sketchy urban area in the dark would be the slightest bit unsafe. My telling him that I didn't want to end up raped, killed, and dumped in one of the many local construction sites just didn't register.

It's the willfullnes of the ignorance that gets me. He can ignore that safety is a problem, and look down on me for not biking through high crime areas in the dark. I don't have that luxury.

But it is. It's the notion that women aren't people.

I don't see it as any more 'wrong' than homophobia or the treatment of children in some societies, by men and women of all ages. And I don't think it's as easy to view those situations in such a dichotomous way.

My nails are so soft! It's driving me crazy. I spend so much time filing them because they're always splitting and catching on something. And I'm fairly sure it's why I can't hold a manicure for 24 hours. I get enough calcium, dammit!

I'm with Jars. There are damaged people (men and women) out there who treat others (men and women) badly. And there is a specific segment of society that preys on women and gays and chidren. I want them all locked up. But, you know, that's all the news ever reports on--the fucked up individuals. When I think of the men I know and have known, they almost all treat the women in their lives with respect and affection. That daily behavior never gets reported and it gets overshadowed by the actions of the worst of humanity.

When I think of the men I know and have known, they almost all treat the women in their lives with respect and affection.

I think I only know two men well, who aren't family.