As a veteran of observing reactions to feminist postings online, especially over the debate on single-sex spaces, I have noticed a stereotypical male response whenever women suggest that women as a group have reason to fear and be suspicious of men as a group. When such a point is raised, a good percentage of men will say, "Not all men at like that!," or as abbreviated, NAMALT.
Now, that is certainly true. I myself sometimes say NAMALT when I am discussing men with women who believe that every single man on the planet is depraved and therefore women should separate themselves from men entirely, and perhaps refuse to give birth to male children. I know for a fact that not all men are like that, and definitely some of the finest human beings I know are male.
But that does not negate the fact that women as a group have reason to fear and be suspicous of men as a group. The statistics show that such fear and suspicion is justified. The top threat to women all over the globe is men. The reverse cannot be said. One hundred and twenty-nine women are killed every single day worldwide by men who are or have been their intimate partners; about one woman being kiled every 11 minutes. If we add in women killed by strangers, the total is even higher. Overwhelmingly to the point of being only and ever men, crimes of rape, of public indecency, of voyeurism, etc. are male crimes. And they are perpetrated by men almost completely against women.
So yes, there is more than ample justification for women as a group to fear men as a group, even though certainly not all men do these things or even would do these things if there was nothing to stop them. In fact, the sheer magnitude of male violence against women is one of the very strongest arguments for single-sex spaces. Women should not be forced into unchosen vulnerability around men. Yes, this means we need our own bathrooms, locker rooms, prisons, shelters, and so forth--because these horrible crimes against women are committed by MEN against women. Society must face reality and acknowledge the problem of male violence against women. That we refuse to see the gynocide around us still shocks me to the core.
When this argument is raised, many men protest. NAMALT is the hue and cry. But the hue and cry itself is evidence that women as a group should be wary of men as a group. I found this on the internet the other day, and I think it expresses the matter very well. It is by a poster named "socialnetworkhell":
"If you ever need proof that men hate women, just watch how violently and how angrily and how indignant they act when a woman says “my personal experiences combined with the experiences of my female loved ones have made me afraid of you collectively”.
"'F** you, that’s stupid, not every man is like that.'
"Maybe not, but you clearly are.
"When men say this, it has nothing to do with making women feel safer or changing women’s minds about men. It has everything to do with silencing women through insults and fear. It is an entirely self serving act when a man tells a woman not to fear men. They don’t care about women’s safety or peace; they care how women’s suspicion going into any interaction with them is affecting a man’s ability to do what he wants with her later.
"I have never seen a man say “not all men” and come from a place of “I want women to feel safe because I want them to be happy”. It always comes from a place of “I want women to feel safe because their fear is inconvenient to me; it prevents them from going on dates with me, it makes them question my intentions when we are alone, it makes them more apt to notice when they are being treated unfairly, it makes them less likely to leave themselves vulnerable to me emotionally and physically, and it makes me uncomfortable that I may have to tell other men to behave, so I’d rather continue to harass the women who are already afraid of me by silencing them.”
Amen! No good man would tell a woman she has no right to fear men as a group. No good man would be upset if a woman felt that way. A good man would say, "Gosh, even though I know I am not like that, I can really see why women feel this way. In fact, they should feel this way because then they are more likely to remain safe." In other words, NAMALT is as NAMALT does.
Good men support single-sex spaces for women. Period.