Would you rather be alone in a wood with a bear or a man?
A recent viral TikTok posed the question, “Would you rather be alone in a wood with a bear or a man?” Shockingly to some, a significant number of women chose the bear. The discussion that ensued highlighted the ignorance of the privilege of many men. By no means was it all men, but enough to reflect a mentality which entirely illustrates women’s rationale for choosing the bear. Central to the discourse is the acknowledgement that men possess the capability to inflict a far greater harm upon a woman's body than merely ending her life.
A Reddit thread, started by a woman, presented the same question but addressed it specifically for men. Some of the comments, reflecting a broader dismissal of underlying concerns, included:
“Yes, you are more likely to be killed by a man than by a bear in your day to day life, but if you were stuck in a wooded area alone with one or the other, the bear is obviously far more dangerous.” (@nnuunn)
“Those that choose the bear deserve the bear.” (@wardenferry419)
“This question is only for chronically online women, who are living in an echo chamber that they have a false perception of reality.” (@Silver_Switch_3109)
“Sweet, sweet female delusion at its finest.” (@Live_Guidance7199)
“This is just standard femcel misandry. No more thought goes into this hypothetical question than "Men bad".” (@ParadoxicalFrog2)
It’s not about the superficial comparison of fighting a bear versus a man. For many women, the fear of being alone with an unfamiliar man stems from real-life experiences of harassment and misogyny. Instances of street harassment, unsolicited advances, and violations of personal space remain prevalent, shaping women's perceptions of safety on a daily basis.
A woman broke down on TikTok, in simple terms, her response to the question of preference of a man or a bear. "Women don't want to be attacked by men or bears, but if I was attacked by a bear, people would believe me, and no one would ask me what I was wearing." (@justcallmekimbo)
In another comment section, Alice Windsor wrote, "My stepmom is a wildlife biologist and regularly goes into forests full of bears. I asked her the whole' bear or man' thing ... she said that at least if she was attacked by a bear, it would be killed."
As the discussion surrounding safety and gender-based violence continues, testimonials shed light on the pervasive nature of street harassment. A recent encounter recounted by an individual involved a concerning incident where a man sought them out after obtaining their address through a confidential database. Despite perhaps the seemingly innocent intent, the intrusion into personal space and violation of safety underscored the ongoing threats faced by many. Similar stories shared among the individual’s friends further highlight the prevalence of street harassment, with incidents ranging from being chased down the street into their home to intrusive advances.
Reflecting on the normalisation of such behaviour, particularly in urban environments like London, the individual expressed disbelief at the extent of street harassment they experienced. Despite being dismissed with flippant remarks like "that's just London," the underlying issue persists, implying a societal acceptance of such misconduct.
Until society takes meaningful action to address and hold perpetrators of street harassment and abuse accountable, many individuals would rather encounter a bear than a man if they were alone in a wood at night.