Women

The sad reality is that male privilege exists. Not in the consideration that we are first but in the unconscious elements that we attempt to deny. The thigh slap or the bum grope.

It's very male in the sense that we feel justified due to our genes, whereas it is unacceptable. You would not walk up to another man and grab his arse. The response would be instant and it would be violent, yet women have come to accept their place (not a universal statement).

It is not right but it is what society has tolerated for years. Yes. Things are beginning to change but with 75% of women still reporting unsolicited attention, has it changed enough? No. It has not and if anything it has gotten worse and that is something that as a society we should not tolerate.

We should be working towards equality. The fact that everyone is created free and equal, rather than men can grab what they want.

Women should not need to sleep in the same room as their friend at an event because they are worried. Concerned that a man will knock on the door and demand his 'historical right'.

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Shocking

On a work 'away day' I was concerned to hear my colleagues tell stories of this nature. Men who have followed them back to their room.

It was shocking and my colleagues around me echoed this level of suprise. The fact that they were retelling these experiences in such a matter-of-fact manner... I mean we assumed that they would have gone to HR, but no.

This is never acceptable and whilst, as they retold, they were hardened to it, it was still worrying to hear. No one should have the power to assert their dominance.

The love of a woman is earned, not taken. That is how the world should operate in my head and whilst I know it is not true, it is another consideration to hear it.

I can walk down 'dodgy' roads with relative ease but can my wife? Probably not and that is sad, isn't it? Should we accept the consideration that one gender needs protection? Surely we should be working for equality?

Equality

For me, equality is the dream.

To unite everyone under one umbrella in the sense that we acknowledge we are free and equal. Who cares if your skin is one colour or if you go to the toilet sitting down? No one. All that should matter is if you are good.

My main concern when meeting people is if they are good.

• Do you treat those around you fairly?
• Do you listen to other opinions and do you work for what you have?
• Not that you simply walk into a room and demand. That is not right and should never be acceptable.

The fact that those around me were, anecdotally referring to stories of men following them to their rooms and having them grab their bottoms was scary. I mean we all had a double-take at that point.

Regardless of how attractive you feel someone is, you should not be able to squeeze yourself into their life like that. It is not right and as I write this I am still worried.

The consideration in my head today is that that if war happens, will the society that inherits the earth personify certain values or place those it deems inferior beneath it?

Moving Forward

When I get home I felt as though I need to hug my wife and apologise for men. I know that I have done nothing wrong, yet this still feels as though the appropriate remedy, as the revelations were so stunning.

It is wrong and whisky I know one person's actions cannot change the world, I know they can influence and I hope that as a human, I personify what is right.

I hope that my future children will convey the best of what there is and represent their respective genders well.

Change does not happen overnight and it can take years but it does happen and that is my hope. The more parents that continue to teach their children that each gender is equal, the better.

A Final Thought

The really worrying consideration in all of this is that as I arrived home my wife was not shocked. These 'revelations' or so I thought could have come across as easily as me saying that I chaired a meeting today. it had little to no impact and that's scary.

The fact that this kind of action by members of my gender gets condensation from me and apathy from my wife. It's scary. The fact that society appears to have glossed over a lot of these issues. Yes. Every now and then it erupts but overall it is accepted as much as going for a coffee in the morning or the sun rising.

I am worried that this problem appears to be getting worse and not better.

• Is it due to society, parents or simply hearing these stories?
• Is it mental health-related and are people looking to enact what they cannot do in the real world?

Who knows but what I know is that something needs to change.