“Not All Men”
I hate when people say “not all men,” because obviously we know that it would be a terrible generalization of a very diverse demographic that takes up half of the world’s population. But all women are terrible drivers, all women know how to cook and clean, all women are emotional, all women are physically weaker. But of course “not all men.”
Its “not all men,” so when a man sees woman calling other men out for disturbing behavior, he only needs to remember “not all men.” Of course, *he* isn’t one of them. Even if he does catcall the occasional hottie, keeps pestering a woman until she finally gives her number only to be disappointed because she “typed it in wrong,” waits until a women is drunk before convincing her to come back to his place, interrupts his woman colleges or superior because “he knows better.” But not all men, so he doesn’t have to worry about it, he’s not like that. He’s one of the good ones.
“Not all men” help to make men secure in the knowledge that it “couldn’t be him” because he’s never sa’d a woman before.
And mayybbbeee (BIG ASS MAYBE, ALL MEN ALWAYS HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PROBLEM, JUST BY BEING MEN IN A PATRIARCHAL WORLD) it might be “not all men,” but it *is* EVERY woman. Even if not all woman have been physically assaulted, EVERY woman has been victimized by rape culture, or by “boys being boys,” or by being told at 5 years old to “cover up” because they’re wearing a tank top, or by the “he bullies you because he likes you” mindset setting them up later for learning that abuse means love. Every woman has had at least one experience like this. EVERY WOMAN HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF MEN, EVEN IF “NOT ALL MEN” HAVE MADE A WOMAN ONE.
