As far as I can see
the point that's being attempted to make is that being told to 'smile' in the street by idiots is JUST ANOTHER WAY BY WHICH MEN KEEP WOMEN DOWN.

My point is 'no it fucking isn't'.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 31 Mar 2010, 10:24, 2 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I'm sure you actually realise this, but what they are getting at is that it's a symptom of it
that the men who do this assume that because it is a women that they are allowed to say things like that.

I'd expect to be told where to stick it
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 31 Mar 2010, 10:34, Reply)

I disagree
I think the kind of men who come out with that kind of embarrasing shit would say it to anyone they thought they could get away with saying it to. I'd bet they'd say it to a boy or an old man as well.

There's a huge difference between 'cheer up, it might never happen!' which is just fucking annoying, and the leering builders shouting 'phwooar, 'ello darlin' off scaffolding at passing women. The former is just stupid, the latter genuinely offensive to women.

Let's face it with my current sig I really should leave this thread.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 31 Mar 2010, 10:45, Reply)

I file all that sort of stuff under "most people are stupid dickheads"
it's working well for me so far
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 31 Mar 2010, 10:52, Reply)

No, the point is that women are treated differently on the basis of their sex.
Being told to 'smile' on the street is merely an example of that.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 31 Mar 2010, 10:34, Reply)