Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 SMI; site sun.uucp Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!sun!sunny From: sunny@sun.uucp Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: crossing streets (street etiquette) Message-ID: <1892@sun.uucp> Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 20:35:43 EST Article-I.D.: sun.1892 Posted: Wed Dec 19 20:35:43 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 21-Dec-84 01:02:04 EST References: <477@hou5g.UUCP> <412@mhuxt.UUCP> <10@azure.UUCP> <14@azure.UUCP> Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. Lines: 23 Perhaps we're dealing with a subset of human relations which might better be dealt with at a higher level. If women didn't fear men in general, then the fear of being alone with a random one on the street at night wouldn't be a problem. Perhaps we should all be dealing with the larger problem in general, rather than this funny little subset. Let's go back to the fundamental problem which causes this symptom. Why do women have ANY reason to EVER fear a man? This discussion of how (not) to walk the streets grew out of a discussion of rape. Thus the fundamental fear here is the fear nearly every woman has that a man will use his genetically superior physical strength to overpower her and force his will upon her, rape or otherwise. i.e. that he will dominate her. The root problem is that the men have the power, and abuse it. The overall term which describes this situation is "patriarchy". I'm *not* proposing that matriarchy is the answer, but that equality is. When men stop using their superior physical strength in an abusive and demeaning manner against women, then the problem of one meeting the other on the street will cease to exist. Until this root problem is solved, the symptom will remain. The attitudes of men are the source of the fear in women. Sunny -- {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny