For as long as there’s been engagement between the sexes, society has embraced the manifestation of a relational construct where men have been established as the stronger and more dominant sex to women. This ideology has even paved the way for women to be viewed as fairer (re: weaker), less intelligent and to a degree, not as capable as their male counterparts. With this viewpoint and the further masculine interpretations of resounding religious and legal doctrine, is it any wonder that for centuries, women have struggled to exert their voices, find a place of equality or even preserve the rights to their own bodies?
But even with suffragist and feminist movements over the years, and as social climate and culture have finally begun to reflect the accurate and important contributions of women, we still see by and large that females continue to experience issues ranging from inequity in pay and access to care to egregious acts of physical violence and sexual assaults (that in many cases go unreported or cause is attributed in-part to the victim).
As recently as last month outside of a Parisian café, an exchange between a woman and man was captured on surveillance where, after some heated words, the woman was physically assaulted. In the face of widespread condemnation and a global outcry, French authorities soon enacted legislation that outlawed sexual harassment on the streets and in public transportation. When enforced, the penalty for those who catcall or otherwise harass women will be an immediate fine of up to 750 euros.
Now, while it is certainly interesting to witness the immediacy of a governmental response like this in support of the right of women to essentially exist in public spaces, one does wonder if a law like this will truly be a deterrent for (some) men who have always felt entitled where women have been concerned. Further, before the blanket establishment of a law like this, it would be good to know if anyone had even considered addressing the (aforementioned) root of this cancer as opposed to simply the symptoms of the disease?
Nevertheless, as a woman grateful to know that there are lawmakers willing to acknowledge and remedy their failings in the protection of women, I suppose we (re: they) must begin somewhere.
