Harvey Weinstein-the start of something?

[Turtle Bean]

I've been thinking about this and have decided that it is not the sexual assaults that are the issue (bear with me) but the imbalance of power. While one group of people (say men) are given a disproportionately large amount of the available privilege and power they are going to use that to enforce their will on the group that has a disproportionately small amount of available privilege. Yes men who commit these crimes need to be punished and boys need to be taught that it is not acceptable, but until women are truly equal it is going to keep on happening. So just a small problem to resolve then.

I find it interesting that a couple of male actors are also coming out about this as well, James Van Der Beek now.

[smalex]

Well, that's where it might ignite. If men, especially young ones, are the ones being harassed.

[Bat Macdui]

I think my tipping point was when Ched Evans got acquitted. Until then I could kind of kid myself that things were getting better. Slowly, painfully, but better. That maybe E and L would make it through to their 20s without getting groped in a public space. I no longer hold that hope.

[Dáire]

It's a shame but true. For some men it honestly feels like touching a woman without consent is "boy's stuff, just happens, that's life, what were you wearing, we can't control ourselves" and they won't get it until a man tells his story, then they'll be all "Whoa, dude, wait, they touched you IN THAT WAY without your CONSENT? Now that I am capable of imagining such a scenario I am horrified!"

Along with the "now I have a daughter..." Oh, great, you have a daughter and realised women are people and realised she might experience behaviour you know of, have witnessed, have committed or are in some other way quite confident is a risk to your daughter despite your wealth and power. Glad you had the epiphany.

[Bat Macdui]

One step forward, two back. All. The. Time.

[indigo]

I find it interesting that a couple of male actors are also coming out about this as well, James Van Der Beek now.

Of course, it's horrible that anyone has had to suffer this sort of behaviour, but I do get really pissed off with how it's suddenly taken more seriously because it's happened to men/boys too. So, it's okay and 'bantz' when it happens to women and girls but then all - whoa! when it's reported by males?

Does that make any sense? I'm fucking furious.

[Skips]

I find myself getting more and more angry these days, it's like I have perma-rage.

[Ella77]

It does, digs. We shouldn't need a man to speak up in order to legitimise what a woman says, but it's always been that way. I experienced it only yesterday at work (over something much more trivial).

[Mrs Danvers]

Buzzfeed have done a bit on how bullshit the 'father of daughters' trope is and how some people are Tweeting about its ridiculousness. As one Tweet said, 'I have daughters is beginning to sound like 'thoughts and prayers'

https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephaniemcnea ... .wcqQ0j919

[smalex]

"But I'm a father of daughters!" is the new "but I have black friends!"

I thought that. Its like 'some of my best offspring are female!'

[Zoomer]

I thought that. Its like 'some of my best offspring are female!'

[Lily]

I think my tipping point was when Ched Evans got acquitted. Until then I could kind of kid myself that things were getting better. Slowly, painfully, but better. That maybe E and L would make it through to their 20s without getting groped in a public space. I no longer hold that hope.

The Ched Evans aquittal really, really got to me and made me so sad and angry that nothing has changed. I still avoid the news because of the Ched Evans thing.

The Weinstein thing was being taken seriously before men started speaking out about their experiences too, though.

[Kenickie]

'some of my best offspring are female!'

:lol:

[Lily]

"But I'm a father of daughters!" is the new "but I have black friends!"

I thought that. Its like 'some of my best offspring are female!'

You are on fire today Smals. :))

[Luce]

Have you seen Samantha Bee on this? She'd be great on TMT, I hope she joins :))

https://youtu.be/x8sFfsIiU2s

I might love her more than Michelle Obama.

[Marth]

Yep the shock is sickening. Ditto the same shite about the mass shootings.

In this kind of vein, I also read an article that said something along the lines of the fact that we never talk about the fact that all the mass shootings are done by men.

Sophie Hagan pointed that out about a recent terror incident and she got so much hatred she had to leave twitter. My UK friend who has lived in the US for 25 yrs also pointed this out on facebook the other day and got a feed full of "Mothers need to teach their sons!!!"

[Ruby]

While one group of people (say men) are given a disproportionately large amount of the available privilege and power they are going to use that to enforce their will on the group that has a disproportionately small amount of available privilege. Yes men who commit these crimes need to be punished and boys need to be taught that it is not acceptable, but until women are truly equal it is going to keep on happening.

This is absolutely the problem. It's a symptom of the patriarchy.

Ched Evans was the end for me, too.

[Marth]

Yes, Ched Evans and Wank Brook person. Just utter despair and anger and a short fuse about it all.

[Rosa]

And for me. After Evans' acquittal I went from anger to a sickening acceptance that this is the way it is.

[Lily]

I have been thinking about what Digs said. Why is it somehow worse if it's men who are being assaulted as well as women? I don't think women deserve to be assaulted. I don't think men are more valuable than women. But the idea of Weinstein treating both sexes like that is somehow worse than if he had assaulted "just" one or the other. I guess because harkening back to the 'casting couch' it's kind of taken as read that men do this to women in that and other industries. Which is as sickening and saddening as the crimes themselves.