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Original poster

A rational fear of men?

78 replies

RoyalCorgi · 02/09/2019 08:06

I'm just posting this as an observation.

I've been on Twitter this morning, and one of the first things I saw was a link to an article in the Guardian by a mental health nurse about helping people who suffer from paranoia. It was titled: '''A patient thinks her landlord will stab her': my job as a mental health nurse"

A few tweets below that was linking to a story in the Mirror: 'I'm scared my killer ex will murder our daughter'

The Mirror link was tweeted by the Victims' Commissioner for London, with this comment: "The family courts, for too long, have allowed abusers access to their victim & allowed abuse to continue via proceedings & unsafe child contact orders. Time to shut down this state sanctioned abuse once and for all & fully protect those at serious risk of harm."

I was just struck by the juxtaposition.

OP posts:
thatdamnwoman · 02/09/2019 09:27

Yes. I had a conversation with someone over the weekend about the cup of tea / consent teaching going on in schools and elsewhere. I presume everyone's aware of it:

www.adweek.com/creativity/still-dont-understand-sexual-consent-its-cup-tea-says-brilliant-psa-167823/

We're teaching our girls and young people that they have a right to say no and hold their boundaries except when a trans person who is obviously a man hoves into view, at which point they must 'include without exception' to quote Stonewall, ignore any fear and concern and pretend he's not a man. The conversation arose because the person I was talking to was a member of a women's choir that has recently had its first transwoman turn up expecting to be welcomed and has been posting on the choir WA group about how wonderful it is to be allowed to express their true selves surrounded by other women: it's very 'I'm a laydee!' stuff. Completely oblivious to how the huge majority of the group feel – invaded, insulted, patronised...

We're telling girls and young women two conflicting things; be careful, be clear, don't take risks around men, be aware that many men will exploit you if they get the opportunity. But any man who says he's a woman, even if he's looking at you or behaving in an unsettling way, has to be trusted.

TheAlternativeTentacle · 02/09/2019 09:24

Fear of men is totally rational. Bearing in mind there is no punishment for rape and often, murder. There is literally nothing that they can't do.

AnyOldPrion · 02/09/2019 09:03

I’ve thought this about so many things being described as phobias. There are many fears that are not irrational.