Men gotta own their shit. Holding women accountable for men’s responses demeans and infantilizing men – which is what Patriarchy as a system wants men to be.
Also, when assessing mainstream women’s participation in clothes-shaming don’t overlook their anxiety, irritation, and aggression about performing competitive femininity. Which, to the extent Patriarchy accepts women’s autonomy at all is right where it wants women too.
Both responses, men’s learned helplessness and women’s learned competitiveness distract all of us. Which of course is where that system wants all of us.
First thing though: guys gotta own their shit. Quit blaming women!
Do we have visceral responses to visual stimulation? Sure! But so do gay men. So do women. But somehow they’re able to manage it. Why do you think that is?
It ain’t hormones. It ain’t desperation either.
It’s not exposure either, by the way. Men in overdressed cultures may react more strongly to seeing a woman’s ankles under her crinolines than dudebros will react to topless women at a beach.
Get that. Own that.
