Discussion on Women's Hour about harrassment on the streets

[LadyBiscuit]

Did anyone hear this? I am absolutely furious. They had a woman from the London Anti Street Harassment campaign and a male journalist. He was saying that feminists were effectively trying to silence men and deny them a voice by campaigning against harassment.

Sorry I'm being very inarticulate but I was so cross.

I shall post a link when it's up on Listen Again.

Here's the link to have a listen.

He explicitly stated that he was against laws which stop race hatespeak as well.

Which at least is a consistent position. His Living Marxism background explains that unusually libertarian POV.

I do know that you can be prosecuted for using the words fuck or cunt in public. But I suspect you only will be, if it is the arresting police officer's wife or daughter or mother or sister to whom you have used those words.

I suppose "Get yer mouth round my cock darlin'" might be a public order offence? But I can't see the police investing resources in investigating it, unless you actually knew who the perpetrator of such an offence would be.

I actually agree that there probably are enough laws to deal with it. (Enforcement of those laws is obviously a separate issue.)My problem with this idiot journalist, is his refusal to acknowledge how bloody wrong it is that this level of intimidation is normal for women from puberty through to menopause. And when we suggest that we might like to subject him to the same treatment he thinks is OK for us and something we should be able to laugh off (as if we'd have the time), he bleats about us being a mob. Talk about staggering double standards, you really couldn't make it up.

"Policing men's thoughts"?

Can he not tell the difference between thinking "I'd like to fuck that woman" and saying "Get a load of my tackle darlin'"?

I don't care if a man walks past me and thinks he'd like to fuck me, however unattractive he is. I do care if he tells me about it - I don't need to know. I care even more if he then tells me I'm an ugly cunt because I don't respond exactly the way he thinks I should.

It's slightly disturbing tht this man thinks thinking and saying is the same thing. He must find job interviews terribly difficult. To say nothing of smart dinner parties.

I agree he probably has a porn problem. The freedom of speech argument is another giveaway.

And his argument is quite consistent with the narrative of porn..... where women like being called a 'dirty bitch', lap up comments about their cunts and tits, and fuck ugly men.

We could hire a few.

Has anyone else read "Dirty Weekend", about a woman who gets so sick of casual stalking and sexual assault that she goes on a murderous rampage around Brighton?

Dh would do it. He is very tall. And possibly scary.

Obviously he would just 'pass comment' on the size of Mr O'Neill's arse, cock, chest, walk, clothes, hair, eyes, route of journey, marital status, favourite sexual position, how he would love to fuck him up his arse

I am sure Mr O'Neill would take it all with the humour with which it is intended.

make sure he stands uncomfortably close while doing it, right in his personal space (though not actually touching, because of course Brendan O'Neill isn't saying assault is ok).

LOL at goign on a murderous rampage in Brighton.

That seems a strange venue to choose.

I read Dirty Weekend years ago.
The one thing I took away from it is the thing about a knife only being as good as the wrist that holds it, ie there is really no point in me going on a murderous rampage with my Global kitchen knives, impressive though they are, because I would just get disarmed in an instant due to my general weediness.

Must re-read.

"I emailed Brendan O'Neill and sent, edited, the 4 or 5 comments (diatribes) from the other thread on the same subject (only just discovered this one)

He wrote back: "Kindly keep your self-pity to yourself. It is most unseemly." (!!!!!!!!)"

how odd, that he seems to want to deny you your freedom of speech. Surely by his rules we should be allowed to follow him about with a constant barrage of insults?

Is he relaly thick or something?

I have only just seen this thread, but had already emailed Woman's Hour about this, which i heard on the weekend WH today.

apart from o'neill's comments, which made me furious, I was also saddened to hear the women in Manchester who described their experiences repeatedly saying that they were not wearing 'provocative' clothing. as if that should have mattered - it's the whole 'asking for it' thing again.

You're just not concentrating, are you Ditt...

OMG at his reply

His cockness knows no bounds

Sounds a little rattled though, when all we are engaging in is a little free speech

I wonder if he would feel differently if he had a daughter?

or a girlfriend?

yes he would need a girlfriend to have a daughter

I actually think Brendan O'Neil comes across as hugely naive and unworldly - all these women complaining about boys being boys with banter about nice legs.

He clearly has no idea.

Sweet really to get to his age and be that in the dark.