It was a normal day and I was going through my Instagram feed when I stumbled upon a picture of a tweet asking, “Isn’t it strange how every woman knows someone who’s been sexually harassed but no man seem to know any harasser?” And that’s when it hit me – how men just let things pass because it’s coming from their ‘bros’. The question asked in the tweet summed everything up so perfectly that you couldn’t deny it.
From my experience, I can tell that casual sexism is something that most men have indulged in and they do not realise how harmful it is in its own way. My point is that the fact that women know someone who’s been sexually harassed is because women are more likely to talk about it and empathise. Most men know that their friends are often being sexist but still refuse to call them out.
So, what’s going to happen if you call out your friend/bro/relative when they’re being sexist or misogynist? Well, I’m not saying they are going to have an immediate change of heart and instantly start respecting women but they’ll realise that they cannot get away with this inappropriate behavior. To be honest, if it’s something coming from someone you are close to, it’s more likely to have an impact on you. And who knows, maybe they too will realise what they’re doing is wrong.
I would like to urge all men to stop normalising these sexism and take a stand. These are also some of the things which will make the world a better and safer place for women. Do your bit. Let them know. Call out your bros!