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[–]PassionateIntensity 40 insightful - 2 fun40 insightful - 1 fun41 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

Have you ever read The Gift of Fear? Women become afraid based on their own experience and the experience of other women and that fear is COMPLETELY RATIONAL. Teaching women to ignore their own instincts and live in denial that the world is safe is what's dangerous. That's not "living in fear," that's being smart and cautious.

[–]squintypreyeyes[S] 18 insightful - 1 fun18 insightful - 0 fun19 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Women are taught to disproportionately fear certain situations, while being pressured to ignore their discomfort in others. For example, if someone in a friend group makes creepy comments towards me, I will probably be pressured to brush it off, not make a big deal, he didn't mean it like that, etc.

But if I say that I'm going to walk to the gas station at 2am to grab some energy drinks, something that would actually give me some enjoyment, maybe help me meet a deadline, everyone gasps and acts like I'm going on a suicide mission. I learn to feel afraid even though I've never had a bad experience.

[–]Lyssa 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I can agree with that very much and I've been in much more dangerous situations with familiar than with strange men, safe for one exeption.