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Comment by mdisraeli | Hacker News Reader

"misogynist doesn't take any effort whatsoever anymore"

You mean it ever actually took effort? The truth is that our entire society is misogynist. I'm a woman, and I do my upmost to not be, but /because society itself is screwed/, even I can't avoid being misogynist occasionally.

In this particular case, you're thankfully calling the actions of men "overreactions", but that EXACT word is used to belittle women the world over, in exactly this same way. Wanting people to be decent human beings is "overreacting". Wanting people to check for consent before buying them drinks, or walking them home, or coming into their house... overreacting.

And that's not even going into the gender aspects of calling a man that.

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I notice that your argument can be used to dismiss any criticism of any action taken to fight sexism - it does not rely on the action actually being proportionate, reasonable or productive. Just the fact that some sexists have called other, reasonable, reactions unreasonable is justification enough to dismiss it out ouf hand. It essentially makes self-proclaimed anti-sexist actions immune from criticism.

If our entire society is so pervasively misogynist that you can basically do it all the time just by going through your daily routine, then why is misogyny even notable at all? Misogyny is supposed to be an abnormal thing.

How do you define misogyny?

Yeah, the word "overreaction" can be applied to many contexts. Who would have known?

Wanting people to check for consent before buying them drinks

I wish someone bought me free stuff.

or walking them home

That one I can agree with, but how exactly does someone walk you home without your consent? I mean, if they don't have it, then by definition it's following or stalking.

coming into their house

As in, they knock and come in uninvited? Politely send them away. If they come in forcefully, that's a different issue entirely.

> Misogyny is supposed to be an abnormal thing.

I'm not sure why you think it has to be necessarily. By analogy, would you say that racism is supposed to be an abnormal thing? We have plenty of examples of societies where racism is or was the norm.

In contemporary Western society, misogyny is considered abnormal.

But like I said, I'd require a more thorough definition of what the OP considers "misogyny". Because for some people I've noticed that all minor annoyances and socially awkward situations are misogynistic and sexist.

> In contemporary Western society, misogyny is considered abnormal.

That's... a terribly rosy view of Western society you have there, I'm afraid.

Actually society adores and idolizes women. I suppose you had some unfortunate personal experiences that made you believe otherwise.

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