In Response to: Targeting real threats

Women! Why do they persist in seeing street harassment of women in the Netherlands and street harassment of women in the United States as structurally similar, both designed to make women feel uncomfortable in public spaces and thus in the public sphere? Why can’t they be happy with decreased inequality between the sexes, instead of fighting for actual parity? Are 20 women in the Senate not enough? Is 77 cents on the dollar inadequate? Why can’t American women focus on the needs of other women who are even worse off than themselves, instead of advocating for their own well-being? Wouldn’t it make more sense for all of us to be constantly auditioning for the role of Isaiah Cox ’94’s wife, even though he already is married?

Women: When people give us bad advice, let’s feel free to ignore it (or better yet, laugh).

Carlynn Houghton ’00