I think the campaigns that put the onus onto men are a very positive move, but I do also think that the world is a dangerous place and is not likely to improve any time soon (I'm usually pleasantly surprised, in fact, by how kind people can be, but it is a surprise). And although this obviously applies to women, the majority of the people I know who have been randomly attacked of late have been young men (and other men - and women - do tell them to monitor their behaviour). Things can be changed, but it's a slow process and due to factors other than campaigning - there is a discussion elsewhere on women's economic freedom and I'd probably be a governess now if it hadn't been for 2 world wars.
I feel that a certain sort of feminist take on the harassment issue is trying to strip me of agency and I would feel very disempowered by it if I let it: there's an attitude at the moment that we're all frail Victorian maidens who can't cope with the nasty man leering at us, and, well, no: he may indeed be leering, and it may well be tedious, but this barely impinges on my day (if it's against me and in the street, for example: here I am not talking about my own premises and my duty to my customers). We all experience harassment differently and we attach a different weight to different forms of it. At present, harassment by agencies other than individuals is a far more pressing concern for me, but this is legal harassment and has to be engaged with. Some people do not attach any weight to internet bullying and indeed, will do their best to enable it whilst decrying harassment IRL. And you get chains - people who are bullied at work and who go home and take it out on the kids.
no subject
I feel that a certain sort of feminist take on the harassment issue is trying to strip me of agency and I would feel very disempowered by it if I let it: there's an attitude at the moment that we're all frail Victorian maidens who can't cope with the nasty man leering at us, and, well, no: he may indeed be leering, and it may well be tedious, but this barely impinges on my day (if it's against me and in the street, for example: here I am not talking about my own premises and my duty to my customers). We all experience harassment differently and we attach a different weight to different forms of it. At present, harassment by agencies other than individuals is a far more pressing concern for me, but this is legal harassment and has to be engaged with. Some people do not attach any weight to internet bullying and indeed, will do their best to enable it whilst decrying harassment IRL. And you get chains - people who are bullied at work and who go home and take it out on the kids.