A week ago, two friends were debating femicides and if it's a good idea to label crimes that way. Friend 1 seemed to think that talking about it that way excluded the men being harmed by these things and was thus a bad idea and for friend 2 it was to raise awareness because those things happen to many women but nothing is done about it and that sometimes, the victims being female does make the crime different. Anyway the debate was going on and at some point, friend 1 said to friend 2, who had just recounted her experience of street harassment, that the same happens to him when he walks through X place and it is the same experience. I think it's not the same because street harassment towards female is more systemic and happens even in safe neighbourhoods. But what he said lived in my mind rent free a whole week. The situation is the same, walking on the streets, men throwing dirty jokes, dirty propositions and insults if the person ignores them. But isn't it a different feeling if the person in the situation is male or female? So dear people of NU, according to you, is street harassment from men perceived the same way weither you are a woman or a man? Because I'm confused af.
It's the same. The way it feels different is how the person involved is dealing with the scenario. I will leave it at that since this is a topic that I have no credibility discussing anyway.
For one thing, you’re not thinking about how it’s a preconception of society that female harassment is common and a generally a “bad” thing unless said harassers are intimate and then it’s teasing. The intimacy is otherwise cliched and thrown into media. For the average male conception of harassment, it’s more likely untoward females, so in that case what can be done? I had several guys tell me that they didn’t know they were being hit on, or even if they were being harassed, that they were being seen sensually. Above is more or less “what it is” but being in an uncomfortable situation, regardless of gender applies to everybody. So yes and no, that it is the same. If any person is in an uncomfortable situation, there is an equally level or severity. Preconceptions don’t help either as it gives leverage that it is normal. Even if we do bring up higher rates of (this sort of crime), we can’t account for the emotional trauma for those involved.
Actually it is the same. Heck it is more likely to turn into violent confrontations in cases of men. That's perhaps where it differs.
Harassment is harassment, no matter how you try to define it, if it is done without the target's consent or bother them in anyway then it is a vile act
That's just semantics tbh. Arguing about the use of one word over another is pointless. The languages we use are living things. They live and grow as our needs demand. For some people, femicide can be a correct denomination, and for others, it will be the height of stupidity. Nouns don't serve the purpose of keeping people happy. They just are. You are correct in that discrimination towards women is more apparent to the naked eye. But it doesn't mean that the reverse doesn't exist in other situations. Anyone who has worked in female-dominated industries will have just as many if not more unjust experiences. And raw numbers by themselves don't justify how much a noun 'deserves' its use or not.