I am judged for the way I look. I am very large and masculine, as well as black. I am more likely to be confused as the danger than be in danger. I have had women cross the street to avoid me. So, as a person who has experienced this more than being seen as a woman, I still wouldn't be upset. I don't get mad or offended when a woman avoids me because she doesn't know me. I'm a stranger, and she doesn't owe me her bravery or even her kindness. Yeah, she doesn't know me, yeah, I'm not a threat, but I don't know that woman and it's not for me to police.

And you know what I mean by the last part. I am very, very well aware that emotional abuse is extremely damaging. Any kind of abuse is. What I meant was that if you have the choice of murder or emotional abuse, I would pick emotional abuse simply on the ground that I'm not dying, not because I think it's "easy." I thought it was belittling the danger that some people face as not a fear for their lives. That's why I compared it to male DV because I believe that to be on a similar level, not that emotional abuse just doesn't exist. I was hoping that seeing it from another perspective, one that is usually ignored and belittled when men go through it, would allow for some understanding as to how it's hurtful to belittle some women's concerns walking at night.

Like, this is so fucking ridiculous (not you, this thread). All the post said was "too bad men murder" and we have people twisted up because it wasn't , "too bad there's the potential for man to murder another man at night." i don't see this hoopla on posts when men say they can't cry, or that, for an example, they don't get complimented enough. I don't women coming in because they're like, "I actually do compliment men. Do you know how it feels to be assumed to not give compliments with such a statement?" No, I am not saying compliments are on the same level or social stigma, but everyone seems to understand hyperbole in those situations.