An example of the double-standard where men who interact with children in public are presumed to be sexual predators. Women who do the same, of course, are given the benefit of the doubt.

WorldController · 2020-07-23T15:12:13+00:00

As a former skateboarder during middle and high school, I'd often go to events at local skateparks where professional skaters would hand out free merchandise including decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, stickers, etc. No one ever had any suspicion that there was some sick sexual motive to these giveaways. It was clear to everyone that their purpose was to promote a brand, to give fans the opportunity to meet their heroes, and to be charitable. Nowadays, however, such public displays of friendliness by men toward the youth are regarded as prima facie predatory encounters.

Women, on the other hand, do not face such harsh scrutiny when interacting with children or adolescents in public. Nobody raises an eyebrow when women, say, play with other people's kids at the park or make conversation with teens in line at the grocery store. These interactions are seen as innocent and lacking in any ulterior motive.

Evidently, contemporary social norms sanction this behavior when exhibited by men, yet permit it for women. This perfectly exemplifies what social psychologists call the "women-are-wonderful effect." It is yet another double-standard that favors women and demonstrates their sociopolitical dominance in contemporary society, as well as men's subaltern status as an underclass.

jhld · 2020-07-23T18:50:44+00:00

This reminds me of that guy that sued an airline company because some kid was flying alone, and they made the man move his seat because a man shouldn't be sitting alone next to a child. Does anyone else remember this? And what ever happened to the suit?

Blauwpetje · 2020-07-24T20:49:34+00:00

I'm getting so fed up with this and I've got the feeling it's getting worse every year, also in Europe. Adults who liked interaction, talking and playing with children were always considered, maybe not common, but certainly not abnormal either. Now especially men always get the burden of proof they're no perverts, even in situations where nothing weird can happen, like outdoors, with the parents of the children around etc. I wouldn't be surprised if part of the fear for 'harassive' adult men is due to the fact little girls never have any playful contact with uncles, fathers of friends, youth workers etc. anymore, so when they're young women adult men are some strange species for them.

HumanSpinach2 · 2020-07-23T18:14:13+00:00

Yeah, this is disgusting. I have no idea to how to fight this, though.

"Why are you talking to kids? You can't be talking [to kids]."

Wow.

An example of the double-standard where men who interact with children in public are presumed to be sexual predators. Women who do the same, of course, are given the benefit of the doubt.

Crosspost "Karen accuses professional skateboarder of being a pedophile just because he handed out free skate items to kids at the skatepark." from /r/PublicFreakout:

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