AIBU to think that 'patriarchy chicken' isn't the whole story?

Why does 'So I wouldn't have experienced anything due to that though' follow being white?

Hilarious but total BS as you well know. 😏

Men are the main culprit here and elderly women. If I’m stood looking at something in a shop (not for long!) and they want to look at it, they’ll just walk straight at me in a way that makes me jump out the way. I started standing my ground and continuing to browse, resulting in some men having to stop about a millimetre from me then do a 180 when they realised I wasn’t moving. The elderly ladies (70+) walk incredibly slowly down the middle of the pavement even when it’s easily wide enough for 2 people.

I don’t play patriarchy chicken, I get out the way bc I don’t want to be shoulder-barged. I am white and 50 and accept every word of your OP. We all make instant judgments based on appearance and it’s hard to see another’s POV if it makes us feel defensive.

I was in London few weeks ago - I am white - but only got walked into once by a middle aged Asain man who was distracted by small child in a busy market and who immediately apologised - well we are Bristish so we both did automatcially.

In my city it can be all age groups that occaionally bump but it's really not that common.

It was common in a northen city and midland town when I was by myself with young kids - though it was equally common to find helpful people.

Teenagers and people in 20 least likely to be awkward on paths - middle age and upwards especially in the midlands town they could be deliberately awkward or not see you and send you or young child flying often with comments about kids being everywhere or people like me shouldn't be allowed kids - I was married 30 year old well educated professional so assume they were making unpleasant assumptions there.

Those years used to go to other locations and be struck how polite people were in comparison - think it was sort of background noise to me at that point and noticable more by it's abscence - so I can see this activity could vary based on location and who you are.

You'd argue with your own toe nails OP. Enjoy.

You should have tried to dance your way onto a bus in South London. Would have evened your race v space (space race?) tally chart out a little.

This reminds me of something that happened during the Covid epidemic.

It was when the social distancing rules had been recently implemented and people were taking this very seriously. When going for walks, people would sometimes go onto the road to avoid passing another person too closely on the pavement.

One day, when I went for a walk, I saw a man coming towards me on the same pavement I was walking on. The pavement was very narrow so when the man was close enough, I moved on to the road to pass him and give him space. I smiled at him but he gave a really upset, puzzled expression. It was weird. Then after I passed him, I realised he may have thought I was being racist. He was black and I am white. Did he interpret this in the wrong way?

I was giving all people space but it was only him who gave me this offended look.

yes, which is why I said "I think some people are just rude, but most are not. I think that's true of men and women..."

I think some people are just rude, but most are not. I think that's true of men and women and people of all skin colours.

Discrimination exists in this country, direct and indirect and it's important to acknowledge it where it exists but London is one of the most diverse cities in the world. It sounds a bit wild to think white woman or wondering around London bashing into people of colour as some kind of strange power play. Perhaps you were just unlucky?

I mean where in London? I live here and go all over and have truly never seen this - am also mixed race. Though I do see people on their phones or lost in music...maybe that. But are you saying they barge into you but cede ground to white people,,?

People all over the U.K., not just London, are getting worse at spatial awareness and general conscientiousness of people around them. It’s staggering how many people walk around staring at their phones / chatting to friends and totally ignoring others on busy streets.

Totally agree that patriarchy chicken is likely not the whole story, and there is a racial element going on too. Hopefully this will be studied at some point to validate your perception.

@AliceMaforethought you are clearly wasting your breath on some people on here who, rather than being interested and informed by others’ lived experience, want to cling onto their insular view from their own limited experience.

As I said, as a white woman I haven’t experienced this aspect of chicken. But having lived on the planet for 58 years, I realise that my experience isn’t the only experience there is.

Anyway @AliceMaforethought this thread has gone exactly how these threads ALWAYS go on MN and I would advise both of us to waste no further time on it.

Racism (and misogyny and homophobia and transphobia) are reflections of societal power structures. They have the power they do because the racist, the sexist and the homophobe are backed up by a larger dynamic formed by centuries of history.

A "misandrist" or an LGBT person being snarky about the heteros or a POC making a joke about the yts might be being a dick but it does not have the weight of racism, misogyny or homophobia.

YABVU for

1. using capitals for “STAGGERED”

2. thinking 42 is “youngish”

3. assuming as an ex dancing you have superior spatial awareness

4. making the bold and unfounded claim that it’s only white woman who walk around bumping into everybody.

What a nutty post.