If you could try one thing as a member of the opposite sex, would you?

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  • Hi there. Sorry it took a while to respond. I'm replying up here because the other text box is getting too small.

    Yes, participating in crime does open you up to being legally or reasonably killed in many cases. Victims or potential victims, witnesses and police all pretty much reserve the right to kill if the threat meets a certain standard depending on the circumstances so participating in violent crime (and in the case of police, ANY crime) carrys a known, reasonable, risk of death.

    I'm not a fan of "biotruths" so I won't bother going point by point...the generic answer will apply to all. There is no way to prove men are x and women are y by pointing out trends. There is no way to prove biology over societal or philosophical implications. Correlation does not equal causation. Any time a "biotruth" is brought up, it can be used as a way to excuse or to harm. For instance, men are stronger...so men can't suffer abuse or rape, right? Men are better at fighting so only men should go to war? Women are better at child care so women should always get custody, right? Or we could look at it as human issues and see that people are often forced into certain roles...not that they are necessarily better at it but had no real choice. Do men make worse parents because there is less at-home dads or do less men even try because it has not been seen as a male role due to cultural pressures and past necessity that is no longer valid? Could there be men out there who never even thought they could choose to stay home because of how we as a culture view a "man's role"? Etc...

    Biotruths are bullshit.

    I'm going to share a personal story here that I have never told anyone ever. It was simultaneously the most shameful, embarrassing and the most enlightening experience of my life and I sincerely hope by telling it you can gain from my experience.

    My little brother had some issues as a teen and ended up running away from home. Well, he borrowed someones cell phone one day and I was home to answer the call. He said he was ok and stuff, we talked for a minute and he hung up. I had to tell our parents of course, and I was asked to call the number back to see if whoevers phone it was could give us information on my brother's whereabouts. I did, and the guy was no help. I then got involved with talking to the police to try to track him down. They wanted to know about the phone guy. I said "it sounded like a black guy". I was pretty adamant about that. Next day, I go to talk with the officer in person. She was a black woman. I was....mortified. I just got slapped in the face with my racist attitude. I had told this woman, who was black, unbeknowst to me (she was a cop...and didn't "sound black" at all), that I was sure I had talked to a black guy on the phone yesterday. I though I was not racist....I thought I was just being logical because the guy sounded black...according to my limited "knowledge" of black people. I meant no harm or offense when I said he sounded black! But at that moment I realized how little my intent mattered, how ignorant I was and how much I probably hurt that woman when I said that. She didn't "sound black". I legit thought she was a white lady. Holy shit, what have I done?

    I could have avoided confronting what a stupid jerk I was by rationalizing it with stereotypes, I mean what...aren't the majority who "sound black" actually black?? but no kidding at that moment I did have a major revalation. I WAS a jerk moron insensitive ass. Even ifI WAS right and the guy on the phone was black, I still made someone feel bad. Being right in any sexist or racist situation still only produces more hurt and suffering than anything. That was my moment of clarity and incentive to change...I never intended harm or thought I hurt anyone and I never considered myself racist but I was way wrong. Just a thought to consider what you're saying, how it cAn hurt and the cost of being "right". Even if we said 70% of the people who sound black are black, what did I accomplish by saying I thought he was black? All I really did was make myself look like an ass and hurt someones feelings over stupid stereotypes and my limited experience. Never again...

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