[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Dash Darington

I don't see any of this as acceptable. I appear to be the only person in the thread who would caution young women against engaging in this dangerous behaviour. If someone insists in putting themselves in harm's way they'll get no sympathy from me. If I had been there I would not have intervened.

I don't think anybody's defending the girl for being a gobby cow.

But you're defending the guy for his actions, which are indefensible.

[Dash Darington]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

I don't think anybody's defending the girl for being a gobby cow.

People are defending her actions by claiming that she was acting as a defender of the other women present.

But you're defending the guy for his actions, which are indefensible.

Nope. I do sympathize with the no-win situation that the man is in when a woman gets physically aggressive, because he either has to allow himself to be abused or respond physically and have the aggressor treated as a victim simply because she's a woman. I haven't defended his actions. I simply have no sympathy for someone who picks a fight with someone bigger because she knows if he does anything she'll be treated as a victim and her target will be vilified.

It's interesting to note that she probably wouldn't have behaved like this in the first place if not for the expectation that any physical response by him would be met by sympathy for her (the aggressor), and condemnation for him. That sort of response actually encourages this type of behaviour.