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.

I suggest this for Cretin at Duke 1.2 lovely weeks in Em City learning about rape and violation up close and personal. 2. Two years of being ita's practice dummy in the krav studio.

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.

Well, I don't recall hearing that the lacrosse team assaulted the guy who delivered their pizza. Because that would have been a crime, you know, wrong and shit.

Sad thing is, Ransone could legitimately face assault charges of his own. A co-kravver was charged with assault by his attacker a couple weeks ago. Shit ain't right.

I have to admit that the fact that he broke someone else's window to get at the guy so he could keep beating on him, after a chase, and after the danger to the woman was over, smacks of vigilantism to me. eta: That doesn't take away from the Yay him for stopping the attack, but it's a slippery slope.

There are plenty of locals who want him for a practice dummy first.

Well, the police have arrested several of them and obtained search warrants, so THEY think it's a crime.