The article in the New York Times today should make the anti-feminists happy. In it, the author blames feminism for women’s access to power (because in a “normal’ society, women wouldn’t have such access?!?). This access to power, the authors asserts, is why women are becoming as violent as men. In the last sentence, he states that women are just as violent as men – and where is the evidence for this? Sure, there are 200 or so self-report studies that have shown women to use Common Couple Violence (throwing things, hitting, slapping, etc.) – but these studies don’t pick up severe violence or homicide. We also know (from research) that women are more apt to admit using violence while men are more likely to deny or minimalize it. So, where exactly is the evidence that women are just as violent as men?
He doesn’t bother to talk about how “art” has glamorized violence against women either - in films, porn and TV (America’s Top Model shot poses of “dead” women in the back of car trunks – as have advertisers).
Seems he just wants to ease his conscience about violence against women – just as the media did when it highlighted the woman’s aggression in soccer – while the same behavior is virtually ignored in men. Nothing wrong with pointing out women’s use of violence – but his statements lack depth, knowledge and accuracy.
