The one with the verbal bitch slap

Ladies... it's time to unite. We have a serious problem on our hands. We must find a way to make a difference concerning what I am about to share with you. It's our sacred calling as women, especially women with the gospel. It's time we start educating. 

Back story: Read this short post that my friend shared on facebook. Click here . 

My friend asked for thoughts and opinions. All the girls that posted said awesome things ... and then a guy chimed in and I had to set him straight. Here are the comments. 


THE BYUI STUDENT: A friend in college tried to make me feel like I was exposing myself for wearing my purse across my chest in college. I think men who say these things don't see how backward it is and we--men and women who DO see the harm--need to communicate it in the moment as kindly, clearly, and often as possible.


THE DUDE:  Newark New Jersey is the car theft capital of America.
The Honda Accord is the most stolen car in America.
If someone drives into downtown Newark in a Honda Accord, parks the car, leaves the key in the ignition, leaves the doors wide open, and turns on the flashers (no pun intended), and walks away, what are the chances of that car getting stolen?

I can imagine the police officer saying something as follows:
"What were you thinking?"
"Why were you there in the first place?"

To which the driver responds, "Whoah! Wait a minute! Are you blaming ME?? Shouldn't we be teaching people NOT to steal cars?? Just because I leave my keys in the car, doesn't mean I'm inviting someone to steal it!!!"

Should people steal cars? NO
Should we teach people not to steal cars? YES
Should the police man shame the driver? No, he probably should have said something like "Oh, I am really sorry your car was stolen, that is terrible! ... (but really what were you thinking)"

....

So in response to the article.

The next time you ladies are leaning back in a chair, and a guy walks out of the room and someone informs you that the man refuses to come back in until you sit upright, please respond: "I'm sitting in a chair, you tell that man that he can stay outside as long as he likes. ... Also tell him NOT to come in until he can look at people properly."

However if you walk into downtown Newark in a mini-skirt... I'll let you explain that one to the police yourself.


THE CONFUSED GIRL: Since I've never lived in a oppressive male dominated society, I just don't get it. I live in an oppressive female society where males are superfluous and expected to be eunuchs and women are supposed to look like centerfolds and be treated like brain surgeons.

GNC's Response to the Dude: I have to say with all due respect to Marshall that I completely disagree. Your comment is a contraction and reveals a point that when discussing such topics people often miss. There is no difference between the girl sitting in the chair and the girl walking in Newark (or anywhere for that matter) in a mini-skirt. Just as the young lady was blamed for "seducing" the middle aged man, your comparison blames the girl in the mini-skirt for what she "has to explain to the police." And frankly, your comment about "letting you explain that one to the police yourself" is extremely offensive. Essentially the comparison made blames the girl in the mini-skirt. Here is the thing about rape (or any type of sexual assault), often times it is not about the sex. It's about power; it's about domination; it's a result of thousands of years of hierarchical gender roles that place men above women instead of next to them as equal partners. And when I say equal I do not mean the same. Men and women are different. They have different roles, strengths, weaknesses, and talents. It is only when men and women respect each other and work next to each other instead of one gender dominating the other that this world moves forward in a positive direction. A women should be able to walk around in whatever she wants to wear and be safe, regardless of location. It wasn't the mini-skirt, the location, or the girl that caused her to have to "explain that one to the police herself." Some women don't find mini-skirts to be immodest frankly. It is so ironic that that women are blamed for the actions of selfish, self-serving, base, and immoral men because of the way that they dress when it is men who dictate to those women what is desirable to begin with. Additionally, there are places in this world where a woman can be following the highest code of "modesty" and she will still suffer sexual assault. And she will be blamed. It isn't about the clothes, it isn't about the location. It is about how we view each other. Men that assault women no matter the location or the clothing involved do not see another human being. They see something to have power over, something to relieve themselves in. It has nothing to do with mini-skirts. It has everything do do with seeing women as human beings. I have had many experiences where I have been completely modest, we're talking Strength of Youth pamphlet, Molly Mormon modest and had men blatantly undress me with their eyes. I'm very athletically built. I'm not particularly curvy in any way. It's not about the way women are dressing and to boil such an important issue down to mini-skirts is to simply give in to the culture that this blog posts suggest that we fight together. A culture where there is no responsibility on the part of men in regards to their own morality if a mini-skirt is present.

Smashed it.