Opinion There is one bullshit similarity between #notallmen and #alllivesmatter
While #alllivesmatter was used to incorrectly assert exclusivity that #blacklivesmatter meant only black lives mattered, #notallmen absurdly implies inclusivity that all men are being bashed.
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Twitter users have come together to call out men and women who have used #NotAllMen hashtag to respond to the sexual harassment many women were subjected to on New Year’s Eve in Bengaluru.
#notallmen hasn’t brought people together to oppose violence against women or show empathy towards those who suffered molestation in Bangalore on New Year’s Eve.
The premise is that because obviously not all men act in the spirit of misogyny and commit heinous acts, we should not highlight misogynistic attitudes of others and the serious problem they pose to women’s safety in public and private spaces. The issues that Bengaluru mass molestation has highlighted should not be sidelined because some men on social media incorrectly take it as an attack on their egos and integrity – as male bashing. However, bashing patriarchy is not bashing men – no one ever proclaimed #allmen — except when those two are horribly entwined i.e. in the misogynists minds of men who harass.
It bears similarity to the notorious #alllivesmatter which deflected attention away from #blacklivesmatter that sought to draw attention to demonstrable grievances suffered disproportionately by Black Americans. While #alllivesmatter was used to incorrectly assert incriminating exclusivity that #blacklivesmatter meant only black lives mattered, #notallmen absurdly implies inclusivity that all men are being bashed.
#AllLivesMatter is like I go to the Dr for a broken arm and he says "All Bones Matter" ok but right now let's take care of this broken one
— SOAPbox (@djsoap92) July 6, 2016
Logic of #NotAllMen pic.twitter.com/AeRb3NckJ4
— Sherlock (@engineerology) January 3, 2017
Let us please pay attention to what’s broken in our system of upbringing scores of young boys and what law and order can do better to protect girls. This is not a moment for them to misconstrue a women’s issue as male targeting and react defensively, but to show empathy and allyship with those who suffer, which is: #yesallwomen. It is to oppose those whom one is trying so hard to distinguish himself from.
https://twitter.com/karthu1993/status/816586574829731840
Short skirt: was it really my fault?
Burqa: No, it happened with me too!#NotAllMen #Bengalurumolestation
— Rohith Makam (@Rmakam) January 4, 2017
Hijacking a discourse that is highlighting a violent problem is unconstructive at best and noxiously derailing at worst. This is not about all men. This is about all women — the fact that half of the human beings cum citizens of this country (and this world) live under the thumb of fear of sexual harassment in spaces where the other half does not have to worry. Acknowledging that, instead of running away, would be helpful.
4/ Instead of #NotAllMen, perhaps an apt hashtag could have been #WeWontTolerate.
— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) January 3, 2017
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