Every Man For Himself

 

        “Don’t Talk To Strangers!”  A common phrase that every parent wants their child to remember with the hopes of ensuring his or her safety. However, in today’s society the term “stranger” has been modified and directed more so towards adult males. In the longstanding fight for gender equality, women were once considered to be inferior to men, being unable to vote or obtain industrial jobs. Now, the tables are turning, and the modern man is facing a new type of discrimination. Pedophilia! Whether it be sitting next to a minor on board a flight, or taking a few scenic photographs at the beach, society has created such a negative stereotype of men in general, that even the most ordinary of actions are perceived as intimidating, and even posing a potential threat. Let’s look at the facts; statistics show that the vast majority of sexual offences involving a male perpetrator were done by a relative to the victim as opposed to a total stranger. By allowing this kind of discrimination, frame of mind, and injustice, as a society we are at risk of alienating the male gender by categorizing men into such negative stereotypes including pedophilia, terrorism, theft, and many others.

-AS