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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

"Women and non-binary people feel unsafe walking home alone"

34 replies

MimiDaisy11 · 13/03/2021 00:38

I turned on the BBC news channel to hear one of the guests on the panel say this. It was obviously part of a discussion into the kidnap/death of Sarah Everard and the wider implications. This statement bothered me though as it illustrates the problem with being "inclusive" - in that it changes the dynamics and reasons about why women are scared alone at night and why they're vulnerable. It's nothing to do with my subjective view of myself, it's because I'm in a female body. I hate this implication that it's some mental difference/weakness. What confuses me is why more people can't see it?

OP posts:
quixote9 · 13/03/2021 02:20

What the BBC means is that people in female bodies, aka women, feel unsafe Because . They . Are . Targets . Of . Male . Violence.

They are targets not because there is anything wrong with women. They're targets because they're smaller and there is something wrong with (some) (too many) men.

By throwing the "nonbinary" in there the Beeb is obviously desperate not to insult anyone by calling them women when they like to think they're not. But it does make it sound like femaleness isn't being targeted by males. Muddies the issue.

You can bet your last penny that these are not nonbinary males they're talking about. And, yes, sure, men can feel unsafe in specific neighborhoods under specific circumstances. Women live in a different world. You're lucky if it hasn't struck you yet and you are a sample size of one.

NiceGerbil · 13/03/2021 02:19

It's oppressive to recognise that women and girls often face an awful lot of harassment etc from men when they are just going about their business?

Oppressive to who?

Quaagars · 13/03/2021 02:19

Not heard what this is relating to.
Can say I don't and never have felt unsafe in my female body though (not dismissing those who have)
Not sure where non binary comes into it.
Surely we can all feel unsafe

Doona · 13/03/2021 02:03

I don't feel unsafe, despite having a female body, and lots of men do feel unsafe and they are indeed unsafe sometimes. It's not even about feelings, it's about risk. It actually annoys me all this equating vulnerability with femaleness, although I do understand the argument, I've always felt that it's gendered (sexed) element is oppressive.

NiceGerbil · 13/03/2021 01:59

Do they think non binary people are all female?

Or present in a way that makes them stand out?

Sounds pretty transpobic to me.

NiceGerbil · 13/03/2021 01:58

Non binary people can be male or female and of course external gender expression can be whatever.

So women and men feel unsafe.

Ok.

MrGHardy · 13/03/2021 01:44

Why would non-binary people feel unsafe?

No one looking at them would know they are 'non-binary'.

Twistered · 13/03/2021 00:54

I don't follow? Can you explain bit more please?
I'm reading it that women feel unsafe as do non binary people because both can be vulnerable to male violence.
Is non binary not much more better than saying TW and cis etc? Genuinely interested

IamAporcupine · 13/03/2021 00:45

Totally agree