Member-only story
We Need the Men to Speak Up
Say something.
*Warning: Offensive language*
Let me preface this by saying that I love men. I have an amazing husband of 25 years and three adult sons. I have many wonderful male/male-identifying relatives and friends who are dear to me. I know that any one of them wouldn’t hesitate for a second to step in if I was being threatened in any way.
And yet…
Violence and hate speech against women by men isn’t anything new. One would think in this day and age that we humans would be more evolved and this wouldn’t be a thing anymore. But while things have gotten better, they’re nowhere near where they need to be. Just read the comments in any number of social media posts and they come out of the woodwork. “Bitch”, “cunt”, “slut”, and “whore” are all common terms used to insult women, online or in-person. (Yes, I realize that women also use those words against each other, which is also unacceptable, but a totally separate issue.) There are also threats of rape, sometimes incredibly graphic, murder, and other violence if some “alpha male” (insert the biggest eye-roll emoji ever here) decides that some woman has become too assertive for their small mind. This is daily and constant.
Women’s drinks are still being drugged. Unwanted dick picks are sent. Women are still being asked what they were wearing when…
