Sexism: Still A Problem?

[Intempestivity]

Crazy, may I recommend that you read the male privilege checklist? I'm not saying that you necessarily enjoy all these privileges, or that you are a bad person if you do, but it helps to give some perspective on just how women still don't get equal treatment as men.

Also, I'd like to point out that when you talk about men being sexualized, it happens far less often--and generally, sexualized men still play far more into male power fantasies than what's arousing for females. If you look at movies, for example, all too often women are framed by their boobs, their butts, whatever men find sexy. It's a concept known as "the male gaze." It's not really the same for men, even when they are portrayed sexily--often they are doing important things and in a dominant position.

Yes, you may recommend it, but why? I'm too young to enjoy most of those privileges, and even so, I don't really have much of an opinion on sexism. I realize that women don't get equal treatment to men. I just try not to get involved in sexism.

I don't really know what to say in response to that. I mean... I guess that's what happens. I try not to notice that kind of thing, because what's the point? People try to advocate feminism to me, or they try to show me the evils of sexism, but what can I do? I don't like sexism, but that's as far as I'll go. I wouldn't really involve other people in what I think about it. It's not like my views on women's rights to abortion, which I'm willing to argue about.
And I'm assuming that you mean the "straight male gaze," because I don't find women's boobs or butts attractive. I don't like the grouping us (meaning homosexual males) with straight males in what we find "sexy," because we are completely different from them (straight males).

I'm sorry, but not getting involved in sexism is just as bad as being a sexist. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

In fact, this is exactly why diversity and inclusion departments in businesses advise getting white men involved, because of the trickle-down effect. Basically, if you have a minority group attempting to make a change, the only way the majority will listen if part of the majority is supporting the minority's initiatives. While sexism and certain aspects of male privilege may not directly affect you now, they will, you can be certain of that. And if you wait to form an opinion until you're already involved, then that's years that you could have been helping change people's viewpoints absolutely wasted. What is so wrong with educating yourself and understanding viewpoints even if you're not part of the community, so to speak? When my family moved to a hyper-religious state when I was 16, I could have stayed ignorant of the reason why everyone around me said the things they did, and acted the way they did. I, instead, chose to educate myself about their culture and understand where they were coming from, which in turn helped me have educated discussions about their culture versus mine. It helped open my eyes to how they lived, and in turn I was able to open their eyes to how I lived.

Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is ignorant and staying on the fringes and not having an opinion contributes to a lack of understanding and a worsening of the problem.

I take it you have female friends? If you're of middle-school or high-school age, as your previous posts suggest, they are just now entering a stage in their lives where sexism is going to start really impacting them (of course, it impacts us all from the time we are born because the clothes and toys and even books that our parents buy us tend to be marketed towards girls vs boys, but I'm not going in to that just now). In the teenage years, violence against girls escalates. Street harassment starts to happen. Old men leer at you, tell you to smile, place their hands up your skirts, masturbate in to the back of your coat.

You want to understand what women go through on a daily basis? Look at http://everydaysexism.com/ Watch this video:



And keep in mind this starts when we're around 12.

[crazyflight]

I'm sorry, but not getting involved in sexism is just as bad as being a sexist. If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

In fact, this is exactly why diversity and inclusion departments in businesses advise getting white men involved, because of the trickle-down effect. Basically, if you have a minority group attempting to make a change, the only way the majority will listen if part of the majority is supporting the minority's initiatives. While sexism and certain aspects of male privilege may not directly affect you now, they will, you can be certain of that. And if you wait to form an opinion until you're already involved, then that's years that you could have been helping change people's viewpoints absolutely wasted. What is so wrong with educating yourself and understanding viewpoints even if you're not part of the community, so to speak? When my family moved to a hyper-religious state when I was 16, I could have stayed ignorant of the reason why everyone around me said the things they did, and acted the way they did. I, instead, chose to educate myself about their culture and understand where they were coming from, which in turn helped me have educated discussions about their culture versus mine. It helped open my eyes to how they lived, and in turn I was able to open their eyes to how I lived.

Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is ignorant and staying on the fringes and not having an opinion contributes to a lack of understanding and a worsening of the problem.

I take it you have female friends? If you're of middle-school or high-school age, as your previous posts suggest, they are just now entering a stage in their lives where sexism is going to start really impacting them (of course, it impacts us all from the time we are born because the clothes and toys and even books that our parents buy us tend to be marketed towards girls vs boys, but I'm not going in to that just now). In the teenage years, violence against girls escalates. Street harassment starts to happen. Old men leer at you, tell you to smile, place their hands up your skirts, masturbate in to the back of your coat.

You want to understand what women go through on a daily basis? Look at http://everydaysexism.com/ Watch this video:



And keep in mind this starts when we're around 12.

Well, I would rather be part of the solution than the problem. If a woman was being harassed in a sexist way, I'd speak up. I'm not a bystander sort of person. But what I do or don't do is not the same as being sexist. I don't see how it is. I wouldn't just watch a woman get molested. If that's what you got from what I said, you're misinformed.

I support the minority's interests in this case. If I was old enough, I might go on protests regarding sexism. I won't be leading them, but I'd participate. I guess that's what I meant by "not involving myself," and I wasn't too clear.

I'm the kind of person who speaks up when something's up. I had a racist teacher last year, or at least, he seemed racist in some of the things that he did. He got a lot of problems from me, even though I'm of the race that he showed favoritism towards.
First of all, I don't really have time for that. It may sound silly, but I have better things to do than research sexism and formulate opinions on something that I'm not passionate about. And sure, attack me for not finding it in my heart to care enough to take my own time to do something like that. Go ahead. I'll listen to you or any other people here online. Good for you for doing the things that you do. I do the things that I do. And call it "wasting time," but I don't care enough about the issue to actively pursue changing people's viewpoints, and your aggression hasn't converted me. Using your argument, I should be doing this for a ton of different human rights issues. I wouldn't even have a life if I spent all of my time researching culture and traditions and religion and viewpoints and politics and legal issues and people's rights and so on.

I don't feel as if I'm worsening the problem, and if I actually am worsening the problem, I apologize. I'm certainly not sexist. I don't like sexists. I don't like when people are being sexist. And perhaps even if it didn't directly involve me, I'd get involved in a situation where a woman is being harassed. Right now, I'm not in much of a position to do that, but I might. It depends on a number of things.

Call me ignorant. Go ahead. If my disinterest is ignorance, then so be it.

Yes, I'm a freshman in high school. I have mostly female friends. And if they told me that they've been having problems regarding sexism, I'd damn well help them. I wouldn't ignore them. That's not in my nature.

Thank you for giving me perspective. I do appreciate it. Participating in this discussion alone is more than what many people do in regards to sexism. I will watch your video and read the website, even though I said that I wouldn't do research and anything like that. It's like reading a pamphlet that someone gives you for going to an event, or a playbill for a performance. It's worth reading, because you're there, even if you don't particularly care. And you may ask "Why are you even here if you're not interested in changing people's perspectives on sexism?" And my answer is "Why not?" Why not come and listen to (or read) what you have to say?

>.>
I hope this wasn't too aggressive either. I got some aggression in your post that was somewhat understandable, and it's all good. I hope we can still be cordial regardless of how interested I am in woman's rights issues.

[Intempestivity]

Well, I would rather be part of the solution than the problem. If a woman was being harassed in a sexist way, I'd speak up. I'm not a bystander sort of person. But what I do or don't do is not the same as being sexist. I don't see how it is. I wouldn't just watch a woman get molested. If that's what you got from what I said, you're misinformed.

I support the minority's interests in this case. If I was old enough, I might go on protests regarding sexism. I won't be leading them, but I'd participate. I guess that's what I meant by "not involving myself," and I wasn't too clear.

I'm the kind of person who speaks up when something's up. I had a racist teacher last year, or at least, he seemed racist in some of the things that he did. He got a lot of problems from me, even though I'm of the race that he showed favoritism towards.
First of all, I don't really have time for that. It may sound silly, but I have better things to do than research sexism and formulate opinions on something that I'm not passionate about. And sure, attack me for not finding it in my heart to care enough to take my own time to do something like that. Go ahead. I'll listen to you or any other people here online. Good for you for doing the things that you do. I do the things that I do. And call it "wasting time," but I don't care enough about the issue to actively pursue changing people's viewpoints, and your aggression hasn't converted me. Using your argument, I should be doing this for a ton of different human rights issues. I wouldn't even have a life if I spent all of my time researching culture and traditions and religion and viewpoints and politics and legal issues and people's rights and so on.

I don't feel as if I'm worsening the problem, and if I actually am worsening the problem, I apologize. I'm certainly not sexist. I don't like sexists. I don't like when people are being sexist. And perhaps even if it didn't directly involve me, I'd get involved in a situation where a woman is being harassed. Right now, I'm not in much of a position to do that, but I might. It depends on a number of things.

Call me ignorant. Go ahead. If my disinterest is ignorance, then so be it.

Yes, I'm a freshman in high school. I have mostly female friends. And if they told me that they've been having problems regarding sexism, I'd damn well help them. I wouldn't ignore them. That's not in my nature.

Thank you for giving me perspective. I do appreciate it. Participating in this discussion alone is more than what many people do in regards to sexism. I will watch your video and read the website, even though I said that I wouldn't do research and anything like that. It's like reading a pamphlet that someone gives you for going to an event, or a playbill for a performance. It's worth reading, because you're there, even if you don't particularly care. And you may ask "Why are you even here if you're not interested in changing people's perspectives on sexism?" And my answer is "Why not?" Why not come and listen to (or read) what you have to say?

>.>
I hope this wasn't too aggressive either. I got some aggression in your post that was somewhat understandable, and it's all good. I hope we can still be cordial regardless of how interested I am in woman's rights issues.

That's not what I meant at all, that you wouldn't step in if you saw someone being physically harassed. I meant that if you do not have an opinion on the subject, then by your passivity you're contributing to the problem, which is how you initially came across. I wasn't attacking you, I was pointing out that if you feel that you shouldn't get involved when a girl is called a slut, or when a guy jokes about rape, even if you don't contribute to the culture yourself you're not doing anything to help dispel it, either, which is why I said if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem. And even in your response, you said you might get involved if a woman was being harassed. Why might? Why wouldn't you turn around to the guy catcalling her and ask him why he's doing that?

I'm sorry I called you ignorant, but honestly, a LOT of girls don't talk about the things that happen to them, particularly with street harassment, because it's viewed as "normal". It's "normal" to be catcalled. It's "normal" to be called a slut or a bitch when you ignore a guy. It's "normal" to have random men grope your ass and rub their penis against you on a bus. It's "normal". In fact, it's so "normal", that there are actually some inner cities that have created bus lines specifically for women so that they can take a ride to work and relax.

It's "normal" for men in the business world to treat female managers like shit. It's "normal" to be turned down for a job because you're not pretty enough as a woman. It's "normal" for women in field sales jobs to have potential male clients leer at them. It's "normal" for men to call a bunch of other men over to watch a woman walk away from the because of "those legs and that ass". It's "normal" for women not to get promoted "in case they decide to have children at some point." It's "normal" for a successful woman to be viewed as a bitch. It's "normal" to make fun of women for their hair or makeup, or lack thereof.

It's "normal" for men to grope women in a club, blaming drunkenness. It's "normal" for women to walk with their keys in their hands to fight off potential attackers. It's "normal" for a woman to be afraid to walk through a dark car park. It's "normal" for a woman to ask for an escort to her car because she doesn't feel safe. It's "normal" for women to know basic self-defense in case they're attacked. And there's so many more situations that I could mention that are not talked about because they're so very commonplace in today's society, and they shouldn't be.

I may come across as slightly aggressive, but this is something I am truly passionate about, and it really bothers me to see others, particularly those who have it within their power to help constitute change, going "meh, that's all well and good, but really, I don't want to get involved." It frustrates me, because I and every other woman in existence has been on the receiving end of sexism. Every woman in the world has been harassed in the street. I guarantee it. Every woman in business has harsh prejudices against them. Even girls who are going to school for STEM subjects are often treated differently because they're viewed as "male fields".

No one should ever be treated differently because of their sex. No one should ever be harassed because of their sex. No one should ever be viewed as an object solely for another person's or group's pleasure, and if they dare to stand up for themselves, be called foul names for asking to be treated as a person.

Why not get involved? Why would you stand up to your racist teacher, but "maybe" not to a sexist one? One is just as terrible as the other. They're both hateful. They're both demeaning a certain social group and making another one superior.

I'm not saying you have to spend hours researching everything under the sun and march in parades. I'm just saying that a little bit of education and awareness goes a very long way to helping other people. Be aware of what sexism is. Be aware of what happens around you, even if you don't always hear people talking about it. Be the person who steps in to help someone who is being harassed or mistreated, even if it's just to ask the guy (or girl) who is harassing them why they feel the need to do that. Even if all you achieve is making one person stop and think about their actions, then you have helped people. That person who would have not thought twice about calling a woman a bitch or demanding a girl on the street smile for him may think twice next time. He might not bother women in that way any more. He might realise that acting that way is treating a woman as an object, not a person. And that's how change starts.

[Kestrad]

Well, I would rather be part of the solution than the problem. If a woman was being harassed in a sexist way, I'd speak up. I'm not a bystander sort of person. But what I do or don't do is not the same as being sexist. I don't see how it is. I wouldn't just watch a woman get molested. If that's what you got from what I said, you're misinformed.

I support the minority's interests in this case. If I was old enough, I might go on protests regarding sexism. I won't be leading them, but I'd participate. I guess that's what I meant by "not involving myself," and I wasn't too clear.

I'm the kind of person who speaks up when something's up. I had a racist teacher last year, or at least, he seemed racist in some of the things that he did. He got a lot of problems from me, even though I'm of the race that he showed favoritism towards.
First of all, I don't really have time for that. It may sound silly, but I have better things to do than research sexism and formulate opinions on something that I'm not passionate about. And sure, attack me for not finding it in my heart to care enough to take my own time to do something like that. Go ahead. I'll listen to you or any other people here online. Good for you for doing the things that you do. I do the things that I do. And call it "wasting time," but I don't care enough about the issue to actively pursue changing people's viewpoints, and your aggression hasn't converted me. Using your argument, I should be doing this for a ton of different human rights issues. I wouldn't even have a life if I spent all of my time researching culture and traditions and religion and viewpoints and politics and legal issues and people's rights and so on.

I don't feel as if I'm worsening the problem, and if I actually am worsening the problem, I apologize. I'm certainly not sexist. I don't like sexists. I don't like when people are being sexist. And perhaps even if it didn't directly involve me, I'd get involved in a situation where a woman is being harassed. Right now, I'm not in much of a position to do that, but I might. It depends on a number of things.

Call me ignorant. Go ahead. If my disinterest is ignorance, then so be it.

Yes, I'm a freshman in high school. I have mostly female friends. And if they told me that they've been having problems regarding sexism, I'd damn well help them. I wouldn't ignore them. That's not in my nature.

Thank you for giving me perspective. I do appreciate it. Participating in this discussion alone is more than what many people do in regards to sexism. I will watch your video and read the website, even though I said that I wouldn't do research and anything like that. It's like reading a pamphlet that someone gives you for going to an event, or a playbill for a performance. It's worth reading, because you're there, even if you don't particularly care. And you may ask "Why are you even here if you're not interested in changing people's perspectives on sexism?" And my answer is "Why not?" Why not come and listen to (or read) what you have to say?

>.>
I hope this wasn't too aggressive either. I got some aggression in your post that was somewhat understandable, and it's all good. I hope we can still be cordial regardless of how interested I am in woman's rights issues.

I'm honestly having some trouble understanding your viewpoint here. You think it's a waste of time to research sexism and formulate opinions on it because you're not passionate about it, yet you're clearly interested in and invested in this conversation. Why take part in this conversation for so long if you're not interested? It looks like you're more passionate about this topic than you're giving yourself credit for.

I'm sure you'd stand up for your female friends if they told you they were having problems with being harassed. But the problem is just that. If they told you. Most of my close friends in high school were male, and I would not have told them if I were harassed. I don't think they would have understood why it was a big deal. It's possible that your female friends even are dealing with things that are harassment, and don't realize that it's something they shouldn't have to put up with.

And another major problem is that we're told that if we're harassed, assaulted, or raped, it's something to be ashamed of. When a certain highly unpleasant experience happened to me, my reaction wasn't to go and tell anyone, it was to go home and crawl into bed and feel disgusted and ashamed about myself even though none of what happened was my fault. When I went over my options in my head, the first reactions that I thought of people having weren't "oh, that's awful," but rather "clearly you were dressed/acting in some way that gave off the wrong signals" (I really wasn't, and why should that even be a point of discussion?) or "clearly since this happened at a bar, you brought this upon yourself by being drunk" (I wasn't--I'd barely touched anything alcoholic at all that night, in fact). In the end, I was too ashamed and afraid to actually do anything about it. And I felt ashamed about that, too, because the message people tend to send about that sort of situation is that I'm doing other women a disservice that way. In the end, I got by--and am still getting by--by not thinking about it when I can, and when I feel that it needs to be brought up, isolating myself from my emotions.

Do you think you are close enough to your female friends that they will feel they can tell you about it and ask for your help? Do you think they think you care enough about sexism, that they will ask for your help?

Of course, everyone reacts differently and it's quite possible your friends will go to you and ask for your help. But the best way you can help them is to notice things that are sexist and not stand for them. Just as you noticed that your teacher was racist in some of the things he did, you can notice that some people are sexist in the things they do and say, and point call it out. It's really not that different. If you do that, it's one small step towards making your school a safer environment for your female friends in general.

And that is why if you act as if you are indifferent, and you simply don't care, you're "being part of the problem." I doubt many people actively try to be sexist, but many sexist ideas are accepted as the norm by society. Turning a blind eye to them only enforces that they are correct. It may even cause you to perpetuate them yourself, because you do not question it. I'm not saying doing so makes you a bad person, but it makes you passive, especially since it's been pointed out to you. You don't even have to actively try to change people's minds or views, but how do you expect to help your female friends combat sexism if they ask, if you do not understand what sexism is? How can you expect them to want your help in the first place, if you don't show an interest in it?

You're right that there are tons of human rights issues you could be spending all your life researching and fighting for. That is, once again, not the point here. You've had several people try to inform you about this topic, because you keep coming back to it. Yet you insist that you don't care enough, so bothering with women's rights is a waste of your time. Can you not see how that contradiction might be a little frustrating?

[crazyflight]

That's not what I meant at all, that you wouldn't step in if you saw someone being physically harassed. I meant that if you do not have an opinion on the subject, then by your passivity you're contributing to the problem, which is how you initially came across. I wasn't attacking you, I was pointing out that if you feel that you shouldn't get involved when a girl is called a slut, or when a guy jokes about rape, even if you don't contribute to the culture yourself you're not doing anything to help dispel it, either, which is why I said if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem. And even in your response, you said you might get involved if a woman was being harassed. Why might? Why wouldn't you turn around to the guy catcalling her and ask him why he's doing that?

I'm sorry I called you ignorant, but honestly, a LOT of girls don't talk about the things that happen to them, particularly with street harassment, because it's viewed as "normal". It's "normal" to be catcalled. It's "normal" to be called a slut or a bitch when you ignore a guy. It's "normal" to have random men grope your ass and rub their penis against you on a bus. It's "normal". In fact, it's so "normal", that there are actually some inner cities that have created bus lines specifically for women so that they can take a ride to work and relax.

It's "normal" for men in the business world to treat female managers like shit. It's "normal" to be turned down for a job because you're not pretty enough as a woman. It's "normal" for women in field sales jobs to have potential male clients leer at them. It's "normal" for men to call a bunch of other men over to watch a woman walk away from the because of "those legs and that ass". It's "normal" for women not to get promoted "in case they decide to have children at some point." It's "normal" for a successful woman to be viewed as a bitch. It's "normal" to make fun of women for their hair or makeup, or lack thereof.

It's "normal" for men to grope women in a club, blaming drunkenness. It's "normal" for women to walk with their keys in their hands to fight off potential attackers. It's "normal" for a woman to be afraid to walk through a dark car park. It's "normal" for a woman to ask for an escort to her car because she doesn't feel safe. It's "normal" for women to know basic self-defense in case they're attacked. And there's so many more situations that I could mention that are not talked about because they're so very commonplace in today's society, and they shouldn't be.

I may come across as slightly aggressive, but this is something I am truly passionate about, and it really bothers me to see others, particularly those who have it within their power to help constitute change, going "meh, that's all well and good, but really, I don't want to get involved." It frustrates me, because I and every other woman in existence has been on the receiving end of sexism. Every woman in the world has been harassed in the street. I guarantee it. Every woman in business has harsh prejudices against them. Even girls who are going to school for STEM subjects are often treated differently because they're viewed as "male fields".

No one should ever be treated differently because of their sex. No one should ever be harassed because of their sex. No one should ever be viewed as an object solely for another person's or group's pleasure, and if they dare to stand up for themselves, be called foul names for asking to be treated as a person.

Why not get involved? Why would you stand up to your racist teacher, but "maybe" not to a sexist one? One is just as terrible as the other. They're both hateful. They're both demeaning a certain social group and making another one superior.

I'm not saying you have to spend hours researching everything under the sun and march in parades. I'm just saying that a little bit of education and awareness goes a very long way to helping other people. Be aware of what sexism is. Be aware of what happens around you, even if you don't always hear people talking about it. Be the person who steps in to help someone who is being harassed or mistreated, even if it's just to ask the guy (or girl) who is harassing them why they feel the need to do that. Even if all you achieve is making one person stop and think about their actions, then you have helped people. That person who would have not thought twice about calling a woman a bitch or demanding a girl on the street smile for him may think twice next time. He might not bother women in that way any more. He might realise that acting that way is treating a woman as an object, not a person. And that's how change starts.

I have an opinion, it's just not very strong. The only reason I'd feel that I should get involved is if it's safe enough. I'm not old enough for anyone to take me seriously. It's just not going to happen. And I said "might" because I'm not going to get involved if I'm going to get beat up, or something. Like, imagine I'm walking down the street at night and I see a group of men harassing a woman. I'd feel horrible, but I can't just walk over and tap them on the shoulder and be like "why are you doing this?" They'd just tell me to go fuck off, and they might even hurt me. It's not worth it. If I was older, I would do something, or if I had other people with me, I'd persuade them to help. That's all I meant.

All of those things are extremely unfortunate, and I don't really know what to say in response. It's okay - I accept your apology. Maybe I was a little ignorant. You're telling me all of these things, and it's making me feel angry and ignorant and all sorts of things, but what else am I supposed to do? Maybe I wasn't giving myself enough credit. If I saw one of my friends or acquaintances doing something sexist, I'd speak up. I'm not going to actively preach against it without being prompted. That's what I meant, I guess.

I don't feel as if it's in my power to constitute change. And maybe it is. I just don't feel that. I'm an anxious person in general. I agree with your opinions.

I probably would stand up to a sexist teacher.

If that's all it takes, then I'm part of the solution. I'd love to do some of those things. Thank you for helping me realize what I actually am doing to help.

@Kestrad

It's true - I probably am more passionate than I think I am, and I just realized that while typing this and the last response.

I don't know if I'd feel comfortable asking my female friends if they'd ever been harassed. It's a touchy subject. I haven't told most of them that I'm gay. It's a touchy subject. It doesn't come up. And I'd be scared if it did come up (both topics).

Yes, I did read about some of those stories in the link that Intempestivity gave.
I honestly don't know. I usually am a person that my friends can talk to about their problems, but on that level of extremity... Maybe. I'm really not sure.

I haven't noticed that much sexism around me. Maybe I was just being ignorant and I didn't notice it. But if I see someone being sexist and it seems like the perpetrator won't physically hurt me, I'd get involved.

I don't know. I come back to this because I'm in a discussion, and I'm not backing out. I see how I could be a little frustrating - more like extremely frustrating - but I don't want to end it here. I'm still figuring this all out, and I'm changing, and I'm learning, and I'm being exposed to new things. I can't imagine myself being at the front line of a woman's rights protest. But I'd participate, because it's something that I believe in. I have been converted.

[Intempestivity]

If that's all it takes, then I'm part of the solution. I'd love to do some of those things. Thank you for helping me realize what I actually am doing to help.

@Kestrad

It's true - I probably am more passionate than I think I am, and I just realized that while typing this and the last response.

I haven't noticed that much sexism around me. Maybe I was just being ignorant and I didn't notice it. But if I see someone being sexist and it seems like the perpetrator won't physically hurt me, I'd get involved.

I don't know. I come back to this because I'm in a discussion, and I'm not backing out. I see how I could be a little frustrating - more like extremely frustrating - but I don't want to end it here. I'm still figuring this all out, and I'm changing, and I'm learning, and I'm being exposed to new things. I can't imagine myself being at the front line of a woman's rights protest. But I'd participate, because it's something that I believe in. I have been converted.

I'm glad to hear that your realising that you may have more passion for women's rights and the fight against sexism than you were previously aware of, and the ways in which you can help. It really makes me happy. Every action, no matter how small, helps contribute to change, and a lot of people doing small actions against every day sexism slowly adds up over time. Change is not instantaneous, no, but anything worth having generally doesn't come easily.

[Tekla]

I have an opinion, it's just not very strong. The only reason I'd feel that I should get involved is if it's safe enough. I'm not old enough for anyone to take me seriously. It's just not going to happen. And I said "might" because I'm not going to get involved if I'm going to get beat up, or something. Like, imagine I'm walking down the street at night and I see a group of men harassing a woman. I'd feel horrible, but I can't just walk over and tap them on the shoulder and be like "why are you doing this?" They'd just tell me to go fuck off, and they might even hurt me. It's not worth it. If I was older, I would do something, or if I had other people with me, I'd persuade them to help. That's all I meant.

This kind of reminds me of the Kitty Genovese murder case, when no one called for help until it was too late, although that was more due to the diffusion of responsibility problem (the bystander effect, where no one does anything because they assume someone else will take up the responsibility).

You don't have to get directly involved in an altercation of any kind. Calling for the police is still helpful.

---
Here's my 2 cents ~

Sexism is very much a problem, but unfortunately many women are also responsible for perpetuating stereotypes that lead to sexism, or sexism itself, against women ("we should get a guy to help us move these heavy boxes!" is a common one and it IS sexism - not only against the women who say these things (perpetuating the weak little woman stereotype), but against men too, because not all men are strong and muscular). If women especially want to stop sexism, they need to also work to stop other women from perpetuating sexism and sexist stereotyping.

(This isn't to say sexism against men isn't there. It is very much there, but it is to a significantly lower extent. Many men will never experience the sheer volume of sexism that women do.)

Women as a whole still earn less money per hour than men, even when doing equal work. Granted, it's a lot better than it was when my mom was growing up, but the fact that women still earn less is really rather sad. There's also sexism in the workplace, also mostly against women.

As a woman, I don't even consider going outside at night, and my campus has had very few problems in the years I've been here. I don't have a car, so I walk everywhere. I don't even like staying out too late with my study group, even though my dorm is only a 5-7 minute walk away from where we meet along a fairly well lit road. Women should not have to be taught from an early age to fear going outside at any time of day.

That said, when a woman wears what she wants, she is not "asking for it [rape/sex/assault/insert other]." Just because a woman wears a low cut shirt and short shorts does NOT mean she wants or needs to be groped or assaulted. Drunkenness is not an excuse, just like my period isn't an excuse to be bitchy.

I find it to be a travesty that the United States has such an entrenched rape culture that we have to teach our women to basically fear men. No one - man or women (yes, men can and have been raped, and it's even more of a social stigma than a woman getting raped) - should have to fear other people or have to fear walking wherever one pleases and whenever one pleases.
It's also a travesty that too often the victim or victims is/are blamed for what happened to them. "Oh they were asking for it, wearing those slutty clothes!" No one ASKS to be raped, assaulted, groped, or anything else. People everywhere need to get out of this mentality because all we're doing with this is hurting everyone. So many rapes go unreported not only of the social stigmas associated with it but because it might come back to bite the victim.

[crazyflight]

I'm glad to hear that your realising that you may have more passion for women's rights and the fight against sexism than you were previously aware of, and the ways in which you can help. It really makes me happy. Every action, no matter how small, helps contribute to change, and a lot of people doing small actions against every day sexism slowly adds up over time. Change is not instantaneous, no, but anything worth having generally doesn't come easily.

You're a fantastic person. Thank you so much.

I've heard a bit about the bystander effect, and I'd never want to have that guilt of knowing that I could have stopped something horrible, but I chose not to. With that, I'd probably do something. I don't know what, depending on the situation, but I know I'd do something.

[Intempestivity]

You're a fantastic person. Thank you so much.

I've heard a bit about the bystander effect, and I'd never want to have that guilt of knowing that I could have stopped something horrible, but I chose not to. With that, I'd probably do something. I don't know what, depending on the situation, but I know I'd do something.

Aw, thank you You're a lovely person, too Even if the situation is too dangerous for you to get directly involved (like you said, if you saw a gang of men harassing a woman or a group of women), you can still call the police and report it, or ask others around you to help stop it.

[myultimateanswer]

It is still horribly present in the middle east and parts of Africa. The rates of rape in certain parts of Africa is horrendous and horrible, even my homeland South Africa has a stupidly high rape count. The majority of this is female rape and is certainly sexism. But also the roles of women and men in certain areas are very different and so sexism is still good and living.