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From: sam@phs.UUCP (Sherry Marts)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: "Mr. Goodbar" and self-dislike
Message-ID: <983@phs.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 16-Dec-84 14:11:37 EST
Article-I.D.: phs.983
Posted: Sun Dec 16 14:11:37 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Dec-84 00:35:16 EST
Organization: Duke Physiology
Lines: 18

I found the article about women's reactions to "Looking for Mr.
Goodbar" (which I've never read) interesting considering the
experiences I've had in participating in self-defense classes.
For many women, the first step in learning self-defense is convincing
themselves that they are worth defending.  In the case of a woman
who has been abused as a child or spouse, the "I'm bad and I deserve
whatever I get" attitude is understandable.  But many women who have
not suffered such abuse still carry within them the notion that if
they are assaulted it is somehow their fault, that it is inevitable,
and that they are not worth fighting for.  The experience, or simply
the though of being assualted will always raise strong emotions; what
has amazed me is the number of women who don't feel ANGER.
I've heard a lot of arguments over the value of self-defense courses.
If the only good that comes out of such courses is an increase in
self-respect, a change in a woman's attitude about herself, then
I think they're worthwhile.

Sherry Marts