It’s a strange thing how people both reject and cling to gender stereotypes, depending on the ends they seek. We are rightly reminded that women can do anything a man can, with each of us encouraged to throw off our antiquated expectations of womanhood. And it’s true – a woman can be a CEO, a woman can lead a nation, a woman can chair any meeting she wants, and a woman can provide for her family. Yes. If he can do it, so can she. But why does this approach to women’s empowerment only extend to things we like and are willing to accept? What about the things we don’t like, are women any less capable here? What about a woman’s ability to be violent? To be a criminal? Or indeed an abuser? Is this not what autonomy truly is? Choice. For many, women’s independence doesn’t stretch this far - and suddenly you’ll see the people who championed women as capable of anything, start to wave these things away, placing back upon women the very shackles of gender stereotypes, they were ripping off just moments ago. ‘Oh no, women can’t be violent in relationships, and if they are it is only in self defence!’ The squirming to avoid the reality that women can be violent in relationships is profound. And the irony of them so readily shirking accountability themselves, is not lost on me. I once even heard abuse by women explained as a ‘preemptive strike against the patriarchy’. And there it is. All our worthy work to see women as capable of anything comes crashing down, to once again infantile women as angels, as children and china dolls, capable of only sugar and spice and everything nice. For as Warren Farrell put it, “why do we ask if God is a 'She,' but never ask if the devil might also be a 'She'? What do you think? ~ Sources Prof Gelles Females reasons for their physical aggression Prof Straus Dr Bates and Prof Graham Kevan Images by Luke Chesser, Ravi Roshan, Claudia Soraya, Kiwi Hug, Ray Zhou and Ramez E Nassef. #domesticviolence #domesticabuse

2023-05-03