We are told that we live in a "feminist" society. We are told that the average woman gets the same job opportunities as the average man and are given the same respect and the same rights. We are told that there is no discrimination based on gender, and that if there is, it will be dealt with in an appropriate fashion.
Yeah, right.
The truth is, we don't live in a society where women are treated as equals. We live in a society where is it considered normal and acceptable for a man to grope a woman at will, and not have to face consequences. For example, BBC did a story on a soldier in the US army who was groped by former comedian and current Senator, Al Franken. According to her, she was on duty in Kuwait when the man came and groped her while giving her a hug. This is not the first time he has done this to a woman, and he is finally facing accusations after at least five accusations of the same kind.
Me, Too is a phrase that has taken on new meaning recently. I have not needed to use it, for which I am thankful, but many women have begun to use this phrase to tell the world that they, too, have been sexually harassed in some way. For some women, this is as simple as a man insisting on walking home with her after she refused; for some women it is much worse. And the sheer amount of women who have said this should point out to the world that there is a problem that needs to be fixed. However, a shocking number of men have now come back and said in public that these women are simply looking for attention, or that they are making it up, or that it clearly was their fault in the first place.
You know that we have a problem when a soldier is groped while in active service, by a man who only now is coming back and offering an apology, after a huge news scandal. I am not trying to put men in their place by saying this, and I am not trying to "Make a Statement" about the events in questions. I am simply pointing out that the number of women who have said this, and the range of events they cover, should be enough to show the world that something has to be done.
Yeah, right.
The truth is, we don't live in a society where women are treated as equals. We live in a society where is it considered normal and acceptable for a man to grope a woman at will, and not have to face consequences. For example, BBC did a story on a soldier in the US army who was groped by former comedian and current Senator, Al Franken. According to her, she was on duty in Kuwait when the man came and groped her while giving her a hug. This is not the first time he has done this to a woman, and he is finally facing accusations after at least five accusations of the same kind.
Me, Too is a phrase that has taken on new meaning recently. I have not needed to use it, for which I am thankful, but many women have begun to use this phrase to tell the world that they, too, have been sexually harassed in some way. For some women, this is as simple as a man insisting on walking home with her after she refused; for some women it is much worse. And the sheer amount of women who have said this should point out to the world that there is a problem that needs to be fixed. However, a shocking number of men have now come back and said in public that these women are simply looking for attention, or that they are making it up, or that it clearly was their fault in the first place.
You know that we have a problem when a soldier is groped while in active service, by a man who only now is coming back and offering an apology, after a huge news scandal. I am not trying to put men in their place by saying this, and I am not trying to "Make a Statement" about the events in questions. I am simply pointing out that the number of women who have said this, and the range of events they cover, should be enough to show the world that something has to be done.
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