NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #31/NN_1992_31.iso/spool/soc/feminism/3060

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-31 | 1.8 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!news.service.uci.edu!ucivax!gateway
From: [e-mail] (Greg Skinner)
Subject: Re: men crossing the street at night to avoid frightening women
Nntp-Posting-Host: liege.ics.uci.edu
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Organization: in your face!
Approved: [e-mail]
Lines: 23
Date: 31 Dec 92 19:28:42 GMT
References: <[e-mail]>

In article <[e-mail]> infmx!hartman writes:
>As a man, I must say that I don't have any problem with keeping a wide
>berth when I see a woman walking alone at night.  If I'm by myself, and
>I'm not in a huge hurry, it's just not that big a deal to adjust my
>pace to maintain a constant, respectable distance.

For argument's sake, let's say all non-threatening men decided to
maintain a respectable distance from women late at night, but it is
not possible to distinguish a non-threatening man from a man who
intends to do harm to women.  Would you say that women still have
something to fear, even though they would no longer be frightened by
non-threatening men? Would you say that steps ought to be taken to
empower women to defend themsleves against these men?  In other words,
does avoiding frightening women really help them protect themselves?
If women are given (and take) the means to protect themselves, what
purpose does the non-threatening men keeping a respectable distance
serve?

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