I remember how a simple conversation about my lack of cellphone with my coworker turned into a 2 hour education session on the awareness women have tocarry with them everyday. My officemate (a guy) had never.really.thought.about.it. Cause he didn't have to.
Oh, yeah. I've had that conversation with many men, including Tim, and every single one of them, to a man, was *boggled* at the things I automatically think/look for/check before I'll get in the car/leave the store/go somewhere at night by myself.
I don't think I have that kind of awareness, really, and guess what? If I get raped, it's still not on me.
Yeah, that's pretty situational for me. Also what Jesse said.
I had a male friend go OFF on me about "living like a vicitim" when I asked him to stop at the ATM with me on the way home.
You won't go alone after dark?
No need to. You're here.
What if I wasn't?
I'd come when I walked the dog.
What if you didn't have the dog?
I'd wait until tomorrow, but I'd rather not leave early for work.
I'm not even a particularly cautious person. He was fairly amazed.
I don't think I have that kind of awareness, really, and guess what? If I get raped, it's still not on me.
Oh, that's too true. But the point I was trying to make is just that the whole conditioning is a symptom of the bigger problem. I think. Or it might have just been RAAAGE.
Oh sure. I just always think it's interesting when I hear that from other women. I don't know.
the point I was trying to make is just that the whole conditioning is a symptom of the bigger problem.
Yeah, I meant that, too. I don't think that if I'm not aware of my surroundings and I get raped it would be my fault; I'm just hyper-aware of my surroundings. (Granted, most cases of rape are people the victim knows, not the stranger-leaping-out-of-the-alley scenario. Still, a dark parking lot gives me the creeps.)
Oh, my goodness, I forgot to post about this. We had a guy come to the theatre and just hang out in the lobby. He was wearing a fox tail that squeaked. He was also obsessively cleaning random bits and bobs in the lobby. It was creepy. I was glad that there were several people in the lobby.
For me, it is the calculus of "when I break down on the side of the road, if a guy stops, I'm staying in my locked car. Woman with a kid? I'll get out." If the security guard in the garage a few weeks back had been female, I wouldn't have felt so threatened.
He was wearing a fox tail that squeaked.
???
Because, sure. Fox tail! Cree.Pee.
