Qantas and Air New Zealand have recently confirmed that they do not allow men to be seated next to unaccompanied minors on their flights. This policy is ridiculous, of course. Airplanes offer no privacy and very little personal space (at least in coach). If that's not enough to stop the most unrepentant child molester, the possibility of getting beaten senseless by a mob of angry passengers probably is. If Qantas and Air New Zealand really care about the safety of their passengers, why stop there? Men also have been know to molest grown women. Why not seat all of the men in one cabin and all of the women and children in another? I'm not denying that molestation is not a serious issue, but I think that treating all men as potential child molesters is insulting and an extreme overreaction.
I don't want to get on men's movement kind of rant here, but as a man, I often consciously avoid making eye contact with or showing any interest in children I encounter in daily life out of the fear that the parents might mistake me for some kind of pervert. I'm probably overreacting, but policies like the unaccompanied minor rule reinforce the idea that men are not to be trusted with children who are not their kin.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Hodge, I've got two questions for you about the fact you "often consciously avoid making eye contact with or showing any interest in children I encounter in daily life,"
1) How many children do you encounter in your daily life? Do you have to consciously avoid all those children running around at your work? and
2) Why would you show any interest in any children you "encounter" anyway? What are you, some kind of perv?
MDS, I think you're on to something with your comment.
The situations that I was referring to are the kind when you're in a public place and someone nearby has a baby. Babies tend to be curious and they will sometimes start staring at or taking an interest in someone who happens to be nearby. When this happens to me, I tend to avoid showing much or any interest in the baby.
Hodge, even though this is a family blog, I believe Lawrence Skeeter has some words for you: lady, it was a f'n joke.
Post a Comment