Objectifying women

[Tiberius]

Would you tell a gay man to be careful if he leaves with another man at a bar? Does a man get any censure at all for wearing certain clothing, being out alone, etc... if he is raped? Is a man advised about this ad nauseum for being a man and having crosses to bear?

If you answer no, then that no points to an underlying sexism.

No it doesn't. It is a known fact that men are generally stronger than women, and the real reason for rape is power (i.e. the stronger rapist subduing the weaker woman). There isn't anything sexist about this; it is just how things are in our species (the strength thing I mean).

So whilst I probably wouldn't warn my male friends if they walked home with a random guy, I would definitely warn my female friends. It isn't sexist, it's just that I know that the risks for women are much higher, and my male friends could probably handle themselves, whilst it would be only too easy for a rapist to subdue my female friends.

Every time two of my closest friends (both girls) come over to watch movies, I always walk them home, even when they are together. They don't have to ask; I just do it. Why? Because I'd never forgive myself if I let them walk home alone and something did happen to them.

Now when I'm over their house, I often walk back alone, since based on simple risk analysis, I am not much of a target. However, that isn't to say that I don't have my own ways of lowering the remaining risks. For instance, I'll always stay in the light of streetlamps, and if I see people walking towards me, I cross to the other side of the road. My point is, the fact that I walk home alone but don't let my (girl) friends do it isn't anything to do with sexism; it's because of the statistics, and because I care about them.