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  1. Yes, you’re right, you did. I wrote most of that based on the feeling of the article, then found the quote and only belatedly realized you’d negated it. You get that, and I picked a lousy quote. Sorry about that.

  2. To be fair to what I said, the second half of the comment you quote is me noting that they are, yes. :)

    Re the systemic brutalization of women: first, apparently this is possible with men too, via anal rape. Second, it is my hope that making people aware of the extreme brutality of such attacks will help to eliminate them… worldwide. To my way of seeing things, *no one* deserves to have their ability to enjoy life shattered.

  3. The problem I see with your statement, “men are not capable of such systemic brutality to their fellow humans” is that some men clearly are.

    Not only that, they may not be aware that this is why they’re doing what they’re doing, only that what they’re doing works. Lots of men are afraid to lose the advantage patriarchy gives them – even perhaps unconsciously – because they like that advantage.

    I don’t think this is true of all men, particularly to do so deliberately or maliciously, but it’s a message that seems deeply ingrained in our society. It would be – it is! – easy for there to be no understanding of how this connection works, but merely to take advantage of it.

    There are other places in history and other, related societies, where I can see the clear abuse of this connection more easily, but I’m sure it’s closer to home, too.

    Ick.

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