Here's one for the men: your silence is compliance.
You're the first to shout "not all men" but what are YOU doing to stop predatory men?
What are you doing to keep the women in your life safe?
Just because you're not the one hurting women doesn't mean you're helping them by default.
Your silence is compliance.
If you've really done nothing wrong, there's no reason to endlessly shout "not all men" as if women don't know that.
That phrase just makes you look guilty. It makes it look like you're trying to shift the blame, shift the focus away from YOU and onto Other Men.
"But I'm a good guy, I'd never hurt a woman!" But you do. You hurt them every time you and your friends make/laugh at a rape joke. Every time you mock or demonise a survivor's story. Every time you imply that a woman was "asking for it". Every time you show your bros your girlfriend's nudes. Every time you talk about "wearing her down" when a woman doesn't want to have sex with you. Every time you treat the denial of sex as some violent act against you ("you gave me blue balls!").
"I've never done any of that!" So do you stop your male friends or family members when they do it? Or do you laugh along and agree with them to "keep the peace"?
Men, you NEED to be more aware of your place in the world. You need to be more aware of how your presence, your actions, and your words affect others, especially women.
You need to be having these uncomfortable conversations with the other men in your lives too. Women can't keep doing it for you, especially when women know that men will always listen to other men first.
So. You want people to believe that you're a good guy? Start acting like one.
Men should reblog this too.
(Oh and if this post makes you uncomfortable? Good. Reblog it anyway. This is important.)
