I live along the east coast of the US and I’m hanging out indoors, waiting out Hurricane Irene. A Facebook friend just posted this video of a weather channel reporter in the pouring rain, getting frustrated by all the people running and driving by as he warns people to stay indoors. The juxtaposition is pretty funny. Watch for a quick laugh.
I stopped laughing, however, when I noticed that all of the people shooting past the reporter appear to be men. Even during a hurricane, it’s men who feel safe enough in public spaces (and daring, up for a good time, etc) that they are able to run through the streets half dressed, seemingly without concern. While some people may think I’m reading too much into this, to me what we see in the video is one more example of how streets are often male territory.
Equality to me will be when there are just as many ladies as men running through the streets, enjoying a hurricane shower, with nothing to fear but the hurricane itself.
Lulu says
er…in this case I think people running around in the streets are stupid. which makes a statement about those men I think…. I think it’s a good thing that women aren’t idiotic and running around outside in a category 1 hurricane…. so I don’t really understand this post relating to equality.
Women are just smarter says
What? You’ve read way too much into this report. It’s not because women feel they’ll be sexually harassed. They’re just not nearly as stupid and infantile as men. Only men are stupid enough to do this.
HKearl says
“Women are smarter” certainly crossed my mind but is that all it is? I’ve just been thinking a lot about crowd scenes, be they in real life or in movies, video games, etc, and how so often there are more men than women. There are a lot of reasons for that, but isn’t sexual harassment/fear of assault one of them? (and general sexism too)
Yes, stupidity is probably more what is going on here, but I still think it’s worth looking at it from a street harassment/male dominance on the streets perspective.