One thing that strikes me is that it reminds me of something I have never understood: women who complain that a man is interested only in her body, but who does not care if a man is interested in her only for her mind (let's say, for example, a gay male work colleague).
I'm glad you are qualifying this as "for yourself."
But as to not understanding why others have a problem, do you really not? I mean, there's a whole social context wherein, historically, women have ONLY been valued for their bodies, if that much. And where women are regularly violently assaulted because men value them as bodies to fuck, and not as people with minds of their own. (This goes back to the whole "fear" point Kate is making.)
Regarding whether or not the context of a con makes a difference: while it obviously does for some people, not everybody views a con as separated from society at large, and thus social expectations--not only of general manners, but things like "strange men wanting to grope my breasts are a potential threat"--still apply.
As for whether or not the presence of women makes a difference, I'd say "not necessarily." Women are perfectly capable of sexual violence, and are also capable of complicity in sexual violence perpetrated by men. If somebody is already inclined to feeling threatened by a group of dudes asking to grope her, it's unlikely that the presence of a chick or two in that group is going to make it any less scary.
no subject
I'm glad you are qualifying this as "for yourself."
But as to not understanding why others have a problem, do you really not? I mean, there's a whole social context wherein, historically, women have ONLY been valued for their bodies, if that much. And where women are regularly violently assaulted because men value them as bodies to fuck, and not as people with minds of their own. (This goes back to the whole "fear" point Kate is making.)
Regarding whether or not the context of a con makes a difference: while it obviously does for some people, not everybody views a con as separated from society at large, and thus social expectations--not only of general manners, but things like "strange men wanting to grope my breasts are a potential threat"--still apply.
As for whether or not the presence of women makes a difference, I'd say "not necessarily." Women are perfectly capable of sexual violence, and are also capable of complicity in sexual violence perpetrated by men. If somebody is already inclined to feeling threatened by a group of dudes asking to grope her, it's unlikely that the presence of a chick or two in that group is going to make it any less scary.