Is it OK to hit a girl?

by **Astrolinium** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:15 am

So, unless you've been living under a rock for the past I-don't-know-how-many years, you may have noticed recently that women have been moving away from the sandwich-making counter of the kitchen and into the equal rights room. But that's not exactly what we're here to talk about. No, today I'd like to ask NSG's thoughts on a related issue.
In today's society, is it, morally speaking, still worse for a male to hit a female than for a male to hit a male, a female to hit a male, or a female to hit a female?

I think that it's not. While I think hitting anyone is usually morally wrong, the gender of the person being hit and the gender of the person doing the hitting shouldn't factor in at all. We live in a society where a woman can do (in theory, at least) whatever she puts her mind to, just like a man. If you want equality, you have to take all or nothing, and that means you don't get a pedestal where you're shielded from the negative consequences of your actions. If male-on-female violence is more reprehensible than other combinations of gender and violence, then women might as well grab the loaf of bread and get back in the kitchen, because they clearly don't really want equal equal rights and treatment.

But what do you think, NSG?

Disclaimer: I do not advocate going out into your kitchen and brutally assaulting with a fish the nearest woman who refuses to make you a sammich, regardless of the suspiciousness of putting this disclaimer here when I mentioned no such action in the main body of my post.

by **Goldsaver** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:17 am

Hitting someone in general is morally wrong, unless of course it is in self defense or defending another; I don't believe gender should be a factor in it.

by **Mr Bananagrabber** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:18 am

You don't get to hit anybody unless it's in defense or you have their permission.

by **Greater Cabinda** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:21 am

In self-defense, yeah.

by **Ashmoria** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:24 am

oh for god's sake USE YOUR JUDGEMENT.

its not a simple rule kinda thing.

by **The Anglo-Libertarian Republic** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:24 am

Goldsaver wrote:Hitting someone in general is morally wrong, unless of course it is in self defense or defending another; I don't believe gender should be a factor in it.

by **Unilisia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:26 am

Mr Bananagrabber wrote:You don't get to hit anybody unless it's in defense or you have their permission.

Pretty much this. Although to be honest, I see more girls beating guys than the other way around.

by **The Kangaroo Republic** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:26 am

Abuse is always terrible. But sadly, even today, female on male abuse is much more accepted than male on female abuse.

by **Farnhamia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:26 am

Ashmoria wrote:oh for god's sake USE YOUR JUDGEMENT.

its not a simple rule kinda thing.

That would require thinking, Ash, come on.

by **Aglorea** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:29 am

Context is key. Going around hitting ANYONE is generally bad practice, be they man or woman. Though it is, in my view, just as acceptable to hit a woman as it is a man.

by **Seperate Vermont** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:29 am

The Kangaroo Republic wrote:Abuse is always terrible. But sadly, even today, female on male abuse is much more accepted than male on female abuse.

And, what's worse, gender roles make many males in abusive relationships unwilling to admit it.

As for the topic of the thread itself, Equality stipulates that no group get's a societal role as an exception. As much as societal roles hurt one group, they hurt the other group in how standards are applied to them just as much.

by **Arkinesia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:30 am

Goldsaver wrote:Hitting someone in general is morally wrong, unless of course it is in self defense or defending another; I don't believe gender should be a factor in it.

Damn you I was going to post something like that.

by **The Matthew Islands** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:31 am

Probably. I saw guys hitting girls all the time at my high school, and they ended up going out with each other...

Come to think of it that explains so much since I never hit a girl...

by **Qazox** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:31 am

The only time it is acceptable in society for a Man to hit a Woman is in self defense, and even then it's not really OK.

Personally, I'd only hit a woman if she's coming at me with a weapon other than a gun.

by **Mike the Progressive** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:31 am

Only if she hits you first.

by **The Kangaroo Republic** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:32 am

Seperate Vermont wrote:
The Kangaroo Republic wrote:Abuse is always terrible. But sadly, even today, female on male abuse is much more accepted than male on female abuse.

And, what's worse, gender roles make many males in abusive relationships unwilling to admit it.

Exactly, which even gets to the point that there actually has to be a special support group that will help men who are abused by their wives.

by **Hippostania** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:33 am

Hitting women is okay in self-defence or if they are threatening or trying to harm you.

by **Lykosia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:34 am

-snip-

by **Morlago** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:34 am

I don't understand why people think hitting a girl is worse than hitting a guy. I don't support violence, but if you had to do it in self-defense (or just release your anger), gender would be the last thing I would process in my brain. If it is acceptable for girls to hit guys, why can't it be the same for the opposite?

by **Connopolis** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:35 am

Abuse in general is wrong, but the idea of hitting a male hitting a female in general is a hypocrisy. Having equal rights with males means having to forfeit any gender-biased morals. If males and females are to be equal, it doesn't matter who hits who, it's equally wrong.

by **Rambhutan** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:35 am

Only hit people if they are a real threat to you, and not in that American sense of 'he tried to punch me so I shot him dead', a serious threat to your safety that cannot be avoided by any other action.

by **Apollonesia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:36 am

by **Madurapore** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:36 am

Everytime you feel like hitting a girl, suppose that you are facing your mom or your sister.
Think before doing, diplomacy uber alles.

by **Mike the Progressive** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:37 am

Madurapore wrote:Everytime you feel like hitting a girl, suppose that you are facing your mom or your sister.
Think before doing, diplomacy uber alles.

That might not be the best suggestion for some...

by **Crabulonia** » Sat Jul 16, 2011 9:37 am

While I don't think it should make a difference it clearly does.

It's clearly the case that male on female abuse is far less acceptable than female on male, my ex actually said she thought female on male violence wasn't as bad as male on female because there's more of a history of male on female abuse - also the reason she gave why she said racist jokes against white people wasn't as bad as racist jokes against other races. This was an intelligent woman who had a fair view of what is right and wrong yet she thought it morally was less of an issue if a woman hit a man. This isn't a simple "one person says" case, here's a link to an abstract I found when I searched "acceptability of female on male violence".

We have to consider, why is it considered more acceptable for female-male violence? From an intuition side I suppose it's figured that since men are largely stronger then they could do more damage to women - bollock however if you see the women who do the jerk and pull at the Olympics and when you hear anecdotal stories of mens' hands being broken when a woman is giving birth.

Is it OK to hit a girl?

In today's society, is it, morally speaking, still worse for a male to hit a female?

Is it OK to hit a girl?

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