Thursday 2 August 2007

Should men be allowed to pinch women's bottoms?

Apparently so, according to the Daily Mail. You've probably read that newsreader Sue Turton was doing a report about the flooding when a charming man Rufus Burdett walked past and pinched her arse on camera. I was already annoyed when I read this story yesterday and the whole tone of the article was that it was funny and that it wasn't really a big deal.
Well today they've gone one better and basically written an article saying she should be flattered! Seriously, how disgusting is that? So any man has a right to touch any woman as long as they do it in a 'jokey' way? Well, ha, ha. If he'd done it to me, he's have ended up with a broken nose. Still funny?
I think the newsreader did very well to carry on with her report. I would have been livid. Seriously, where do the draw the line with what's funny, is someone pinching your bum OK, but grabbing your crotch or groping your boobs a no no? HERE'S where the line is drawn: NO ONE has a right to touch you, ever, without your say so. So dressing it up as a hilarious prank just doesn't wash. Calling it 'goosing' annoys me too, as it makes it all a bit of a laugh, a harmless goosing. No. It is a minor assault, I don't care what way you dress it up. I'm not saying lock him up, but make clear it's totally unnaceptable. As a grown man, he should know that anyway.
I was also bemused by the wife of the guy who seemed to think it was a bit of fun, too. What a strange woman. If I thought my boyfriend was groping other women when I was out of sight, I'd be pretty revolted myself.
The longer society thinks it is acceptable to make a joke out of demeaning women, the longer sexist morons like this guy will keep pushing their luck. I repeat: what makes touching someone's bum acceptable, but touching their boobs isn't?
Wake up. Rant over.

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