My colleague Professor Schaff does a good job of moderating between me and my pal Anna at Dakota Women, which was a charitable thing to do as I am very occupied with teaching at the moment. While I have a few moments free, let me add a couple of things.
Anna and some of the commentors at her page seem unable to distinguish between explaining a behavior and excusing it. Let me offer an example that sorts this out. Suppose it is true that some people are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. I think that there is good evidence for this, but it is not certain. If it were true, would it excuse drunk drivers? I would argue that the opposite is the case. If someone knows that some people are so predisposed, and has good reason to believe that he is one of them, that offers him an opportunity to take responsibility by not drinking. If he does drink, and kills someone on the road, it is easier to hold him responsible because he knew, when he was still sober, that he shouldn't have gone to the bar. Likewise, if men "hoot" at Anna out of a natural predisposition to sexual aggression, that would be all the more reason to try to correct that behavior with social and sometimes legal sanction. Civilization is all about suppressing some natural inclinations (like aggression and selfishness) and encouraging others (like cooperation). Understanding what our natural inclinations are makes it easier.
Likewise, some women are offended if the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar goes up in the work place. It is said that it creates a hostile work environment. Most men would not be offended if the tables were turned. Anna likes to offer anecdotes. I have one of my own. When I worked at a library computer room during grad school, one of my coworkers, R, put up a Beef Cake calendar in his cubicle. It was his way of coming out. None of the male workers in the shop felt offended, though some of us did feel, looking at the calendar after hours, a bit small. So if we guys weren't offended, why should the women be? Well, maybe most women's sensibilities are different from those of most men. The cause of this difference may be history and culture, and it may well involve some evolved inclinations. Either way, the proper response is to teach the boys that women, by and large, don't react to such things the way they do. That was the point of the Psychology Today article when it stated:
Men sexually harass women because they are not sexist
Sometimes, men harass women precisely because they expect women to react the same way they do. Knowing this excuses nothing. To the contrary, it makes all of us more responsible for our behavior.
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