Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

[LeviImmortal]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Gender has nothing to do with it. Many women have this idea that, "He can't hit me back, I'm a girl," and punch, slap, and shove their male counterparts when they do something they don't agree with. In that situation, I give the man every right to defend himself. Women as well.

[Rhaethe]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Gender has nothing to do with it. Many women have this idea that, "He can't hit me back, I'm a girl," and punch, slap, and shove their male counterparts when they do something they don't agree with. In that situation, I give the man every right to defend himself. Women as well.

Sober me says "this in a nutshell".

[iflewoverthecuckoosnest]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Hitting? That really depends. If someone is attacking you, use whatever force is necessary to stop them. Whether there is a gopher hole or a snake in between their legs matters not. Self defense is self defense.

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Everyone has the right to defend themselves. Gender has nothing to do with it. Many women have this idea that, "He can't hit me back, I'm a girl," and punch, slap, and shove their male counterparts when they do something they don't agree with. In that situation, I give the man every right to defend himself. Women as well.

YES! I hate that shit. A woman hitting her man is just as abusive as a man hitting his woman. I hate the "women can't be abusers" myth.

[miss_mc]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

I don't honestly think it matters if it doesn't physically hurt the guy. Getting hit by someone who is supposed to love you is also emotional abuse. No, not every guy in the world is gonna see it that way. I have a friend who beats the crap out of her boyfriend when he aggravates her and he just laughs about it, he doesn't care. But you gotta call it what it is, you know? Always be critical, always acknowledge double standards. Its funny when men get hurt because that's how we're conditioned. We don't see it for what it is and that's one sign of gender inequality that hurts men. If a woman EVER beat my brother, I don't care how much he brushes it off. I might not do anything, but i'm still going to mentally label her an abuser for the rest of my life.

However, I will say there is a difference between abuse a roughhousing. Its all about context. Why is she hitting him. Is it playful, or is it because he said/did something (nonviolent) shes not crazy about?

[Gleb]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

I don't honestly think it matters if it doesn't physically hurt the guy. Getting hit by someone who is supposed to love you is also emotional abuse. No, not every guy in the world is gonna see it that way. I have a friend who beats the crap out of her boyfriend when he aggravates her and he just laughs about it, he doesn't care. But you gotta call it what it is, you know? Always be critical, always acknowledge double standards. Its funny when men get hurt because that's how we're conditioned. We don't see it for what it is and that's one sign of gender inequality that hurts men. If a woman EVER beat my brother, I don't care how much he brushes it off. I might not do anything, but i'm still going to mentally label her an abuser for the rest of my life.

However, I will say there is a difference between abuse a roughhousing. Its all about context. Why is she hitting him. Is it playful, or is it because he said/did something (nonviolent) shes not crazy about?

I agree here. But even if it's considered playful to one person, it may not be considered as such to the person's mate. If it hurts somehow the other person, this person can just say "please stop doing it.". Without any violence.

[MaskedOne]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Getting hit by someone who is supposed to love you is also emotional abuse.

Sure, it can be emotional abuse (depending on context) and yes it remains wrong under such conditions. It doesn't however change either

1) legal restrictions
2) my (I can't speak for other people) rules of engagement

If you're attack is a complete non-threat because you either don't know what you're doing or lack the physical ability to deal harm in the manner you're attempting then I am not at liberty to answer an ineffectual attempt to deal physical harm with an attack that can and will deal physical harm. I can stop the attack without dealing physical harm or I can disengage but to take a hit that mildly annoys me and retaliate at full strength is disproportionate, dishonorable and generally illegal. Now if the other party becomes a threat either by grabbing a weapon, changing tactics or turning their attention toward a target less equipped to fend them off then it's a whole different ball game and it's not a game that I play fairly or show mercy in. Once a person upgrades from pest to physical threat, all kinds of fun options become perfectly valid but I refuse to add those options to the table for people who aren't actual threats to my health or the health of those under my protection. I will recover faster from harsh language and being slapped then most people will from playing the game of "You don't need your right arm. Think of it as a chance to improve your left handed calligraphy."

[Medusa]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

I think this thread is confused on what it wants to talk about. Abuse or hitting the opposite sex. They are not the same argument.

[LunarHarvest]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

I think this thread is confused on what it wants to talk about. Abuse or hitting the opposite sex. They are not the same argument.

Agreed.

That being said, in response to the opening post, gender should never be the consideration in terms of physical confrontation. If a man feels like he must use physical force to defend against a woman, then it is just as justified as if he were to use physical force against another man. However, I don't think anyone has the "right" to hit anyone and I don't think that physical force is a very wise response to take in most situations, as it can escalate the issue even further. There are plenty of alternative methods of stopping violent behaviour.

[Daughter of Toothless]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

You have the right to hit anyone if they hit you first. I wouldn't though, no need to cause a fight unless necessary.

[Medusa]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Of course if like someone like Hugh Jackman or The Rock hit me first, I might cry a while.

[Heka]

Of course if like someone like Hugh Jackman or The Rock hit me first, I might cry a while.

Or get excited that they even touched me...

[Medusa]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Or get excited that they even touched me...

well, yeah. there's that.

[jcaternolo]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

Here's my take on this. It's not alright to hit ANYONE, whether you're male or female. If someone attacks you, you have the right to subdue them so they will be unable to harm you further, but it is not our place to hit anyone as long as they're not a threat to us or others. Like someone said before, "Use your words, Billy".

[Optimistic discord]

Re: Whoopi Goldberg: It's Your Right To Hit A Woman If She Hits You First

To me physical conflict is the ultimate last resort, and everyone regardless of gender or body size has the right to defend themselves.
One thing I have learnt is that the human body is a fragile thing and even the tinniest of pixie people can maim a much larger opponent, after all most of our body is just a pink fleshy water bag :-)

In the ideal world violence would not happen.