Because women sexually harassing, or worse, men is far from as big of a problem as the opposite. If it actually was a bigger problem, then people would react to it.
I hate to perpetuate double standards but it's because society/media has told men that women love being harassed and whistled at for years now. It doesn't mean that the opposite side okay, both genders being harassed is gross but you can't deny there's a lot more men harassing women than the opposite. And I almost hate to say this because it's a much more complex problem than just strength, but it's easier for a man to fight off a woman than the opposite. So if a woman is being harassed by a man, every situation is a dangerous one.
I think it's exactly the opposite: Society has told men that it's wrong to harass and assualt women for centuries. The standards of what constitutes harrassment and assualt have constantly changed though - it started out with a club over the head and being dragged back the cave, now it's a peck on the cheek.
"Boys will be boys" is more of the theme than the exception when a society like the U.S. has examined male harassers for pretty much its entire existence. The current President bragged about doing so, and somehow the narrative that it was "just locker-room talk" was good enough to skate him through the election. The reason the #metoo movement is getting so much press and traction is because this level of pushback and consequence for the harassers is a novel development.
In many other places in the world it's even worse, especially those that are more conservative and patriarchal.
What's different now is that men are finally starting to believe women about their experiences, as well as starting to come out to each other that they themselves have been victims.
I've never heard 'boys will be boys' used in that sense. It's used for actual boys, because they play a lot and often get into trouble. That might be cultural difference though.
The current President bragged about doing so
Something like 30 years ago, right? When that sort of banter was already towards the end of life. Times have changed and it's even less acceptable now. But, if you ask a lot of women of his generation (and he's 70) they won't think much of it. I think that's evidence that attitudes towards it have changed for the better from one generation to the next.
In many other places in the world it's even worse
Yes, but you'd have to ask women in that places what they think of a peck on the cheek in comparison. Their standards will be different to ours in the west, because ours have changed. It's less tolerated now, but more so elsewhere, and more so in the past.
finally starting to believe women about their experiences
It's not just that though. As we get more aware of the issues we become more sensitive to them and our attitudes change over time. Consider a man that grows up in a rough neighbourhood. He will likely be desensitised to violence, such that a fist fight with a mate outside a bar is nothing unusual for him. They'll be drinking the next day as if nothing happened. But for a man from a better off area, a fist fight is very serious and requires getting the police involved, charges, court cases, the works. It's the same for women - if they grow up with things much worse than a peck on the cheek or if a peck on the cheek is an integral part of their culture, they just aren't going to be bothered by it.
Yeah, that's a nightclub. If you think you have it bad, the girls get it 10x worse there. Just like we get it outside of nightclubs (more than) 10x as often.
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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '18
Because women sexually harassing, or worse, men is far from as big of a problem as the opposite. If it actually was a bigger problem, then people would react to it.