This one does have some point but I'm infurated be the tone of the article:
http://kateharding.net/2009/10/08/guest-blogger-starling-schrodinger%E2%80%99s-rapist-or-a-guy%E2%80%99s-guide-to-approaching-strange-women-without-being-maced/
Seriously, she has a point about not cornering a stranger in the corner to start a conversation with her but the whole article is just...
"Schroedinger's rapist?" Apparently there is nothing that a man can do to prove that he is not a potential rapist.
Which might be true from a certain point of view but the whole shaming the men aspect just annoys me.
But the thing that annoys me the most is that if the tone was different. If this wasn't so passive agressive rant I would have put it in the GOOD Social Justice thread.
Honestly, I don't see what you mean about passive-aggressiveness. The author seems to be making an extraordinary effort to clarify that it's not that every man is a rapist. That it's not necessarily the man's fault if a woman feels uncomfortable or unsafe. It's a reaction to statistical realities and even an explanation of what to do to make sure you don't appear threatening to a stranger. Frankly, she could've just said "A shitload of rape is going on, I feel perfectly justified in being uncomfortable around people who might rape me" and leave it at that, but she went beyond that to make sure the message is clear.
Not to mention that, as is commonly stated, the vast majority of rapes are done by those that already knew the victim. Statistically, treating every strange man as a threat purely because he's a man is the OPPOSITE of what you should be doing.
1. Someone that asks you out on a date and then rapes you during it counts as rape by someone who knew the victim, I would guess.
2. What's what she should be doing, treating every stranger as a harmless kitten until they become acquaintances, at which point he becomes a rapist? I'd guess that the reason one is more likely to be raped by an acquaintance is a matter of opportunity. Being already in the same room in private, that sort of thing. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to be wary of giving strangers those opportunities until you know a bit more about them, and can make a slightly more informed judgement.
3. Even if the whole thing was fully unjustified (which I don't think it is), if someone feels uncomfortable around strange men then it still makes sense to make some allowances. If someone is afraid of flying because every time they get on a plane they vividly imagine a crash, then you can't just quote air crash statistics at them and then be surprised they still don't want to get on a plane. Even if the risk is not there, fear makes the experience unpleasant and they have every right to avoid it, or to try to act in such a way as to feel safer.