Collusion | TiyeSherrod

There are many obvious examples of men doing wrong by women. This can range from cat calling on the street to straight up sexual assault. But as women, we seldom ask ourselves how to be more assertive, and unafraid of equal privilege. In fact, we sometimes do things that are counterproductive to this goal without even realizing it.

For example, many women, myself included at one point, looked forward to 'Free Before 11PM at the Club'. When I was younger, I thought this was a wonderful time to go out, have fun, and pay almost nothing for it. It sounded wonderful until I came to the realization that what was supposed to be a 'freebie' was actually male privilege in disguise. If women get in free before a certain hour, and men have to pay a $20 cover, more women are likely to be in the club as opposed to men. This in turn gives men more 'options' to choose from, like cattle being herded for inspection by potential buyers. Not such a pretty picture anymore right? This concept is known as collusion. The women who gleefully look forward to these promotions without understanding the meaning of it are playing right into their own oppression, and in this case, think it's FUN! This example is not meant to show how women are to blame for lack of privilege, as that is nonsensical. However, it's purpose is to demonstrate how deeply rooted and subtle male privilege systems are in our society. As women learn more, we are responsible to share information and demand more. If you find yourself in a similar situation, stop and think before you act. You might find that making a new path is better than continuing down the old one.

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