We Are All People

2 minuten leestijd

We are all sick. And most of us don’t know it. We have this sickness, this delusion, which causes us to treat women as second rang citizens. We don’t treat women as people.

“Feminists don’t want to eradicate sexuality. We want women to be portrayed as people.”

- [@SpaceKatgal][01]

One of the reasons this problem gets more attention lately is the video series Tropes vs. Women by Anita Sarkeesian in which she shows how women are being depicted and treated in games. She talks calm and reasonably, lets the facts speak for themselves and doesn’t attack anyone. Sadly many gamers feel attacked by Sarkeesian and other women who openly talk about this problem and have started a war. They try to hack their accounts (social and financial), but also go way further and threaten them:

“The police just came by. Husband and I are going somewhere safe. Remember, #gamergate isn’t about attacking women.”

- [@SpaceKatgal][04]

Brianna Wu isn’t the first woman to be driven out of her house because of this; many women have.

This is a mayor problem.

John Siracusa talks about this on ATP and gives advice to better yourselve and just be respectfull to women.
Listen to the Accidental Tech Podcast 81 (70 minute mark)

My advice
Be thoughtful and respectful. When you talk to and/or about a lady, don’t use demeaning words and avoid prejudice. Just be honest.

You may disagree. You may think there is nothing wrong with treating women poorly or you think you don’t, but please do all the women (and men) a favor and go talk with some women about this topic. Don’t argue. Don’t discard what they have to say. Just listen.

You may discover that even you don’t treat women as complete equals, and that’s a good thing, because now you know and can start to better yourself.

We are all people.

Nobody to talk to about this? Then follow Everyday Sexism , Brianna Wu or any other woman in your life for a while.

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