#YesItsYourFault

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For those of you that aren't participators of widespread twitter movements, there was one recently that has garnered certain attentions, and it seems like a prime subject for a sweet and mild blog opinion post.  This is my specialty, no?

A little while ago, the hashtag #YesAllWomen started trending.  It was meant to bring attention to the universality of sexual harassment experienced by women, and called women all over the World Wide Web to share their thoughts and personal filters on the matter.  Not only did a firestorm of scary stories and sweet unity surface, but a reactionary backlash from misunderstanding men and commentators as well.  The internets was ablaze with finger-pointing and ugliness, along with support and calls for change.

I added a few tweets myself, just the first thoughts that came to my mind as read through the material and pondered my own history.  It's really easy for me to scatter in all of the gross situations I've been in, knowing men to treat me like a personal fetish-y sex robot and the like.  But after a few snarky tweets, and a moment or two of realistic pondering, my new issue is that it's YOUR fault.  Yeah, whoever you are.  Man, woman, and anything else.  The harassment and hurt is your fault.  This rant is directed toward heterosexuals, but that's my experience level, so you'll have to pardon the specificity:

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Hey Gals, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You use your body only as a sex object, dressing scantily and acting lewdly in public for men and women en masse.

Hey Guys, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You take women behaving that way as a cue to react with entitlement.  Yeah, sometimes we make you see our sexy parts.  We even want you to.  But that doesn't mean we owe you anything.

Hey Gals, its YOUR FAULT when:

You talk about the men you date like they're beneath you, like butlers or pool boys.  This whole 'pussy-whipped boyfriend' phenomenon has gone way too far.  Girls are mean to guys.  It's gross.

Hey Guys, it's YOUR FAULT when: 

You talk about the girls you date like they're crazy for being interested, or wanting consistent time.  I'm not a crazy bitch if I like to know if I might see you later, or if I think it's strange that you haven't responded.

Hey Gals, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You obsess over your body and dress, worshipping models and actors for their blowy hair and perfect breasts.

Hey Guys, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You obsess over our body and dress, worshipping models and actors for their blowy hair and perfect breasts.

(Does anyone ever stop to wonder if those characters are happy, fulfilled, or productive?  Does anyone ever wonder if they like their neighbors, or like speaking in silly accents?  I only ever hear the word 'hot' in my own head, when flipping through magazines or driving by billboards.  No one ever looks smart to me.)

Hey Gals, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You choose to not invest in guy friends whom you don't find attractive

Hey Guys, it's YOUR FAULT when:

You choose to view your gal friends as useless to you, as soon as you think sex off the table.

Hey Gals, it's YOUR FAULT when: this shit

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Don't call men idiots just for being men, particularly the man you love!  It's not cute.  It doesn't make you powerful or feminist.  It makes you an ass.

Hey Guys, it's YOUR FAULT when: this shit

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Don't celebrate stupidity.  Hot trumps all?  How can we not hate you if this is what you're telling us you want?

My point here is, why all the Battle of the Sexes constantly?!  We're awful to each other, and just because one sex has historically been more wildly mistreated, doesn't make the other a lesser species now.   Hey Gals, stop being asses.  Hey Guys, stop mistreating women.  #YesAllWomen.