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There's a theory going around that "men are born rapists", may sound a harsh but the reasoning is because of their testosterone, it makes them naturally aggressive and sexually threatening. Your thoughts.

Redcupcoffee 7 Sep 18
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26 comments

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8

I'm a straight man, and I've never had a desire to rape anyone. So, i think that comment is bullshit and actually offensive. Don't blame rape on being a man. That makes all us good men look bad. Saying things like that is why some women walk around with a wall up. The only person to blame is the rapist and whatever fucked up shit is going on in his (or her) brain.
Where does it stop? Is every man a born domestic abuser because of his testosterone levels? I argue no

7

That falls under the boys will be boys bullshit. Men can be civilized, just like women can. We just need to have respect for everyone, and recognized everyone is human and capable of civilized behavior when taught properly.

5
  1. its toxic rhetoric used by extreme, misandrist, third-wave feminists dressed up with wilfull misinterpretation of cherry-picked scientific data to support a spurious claim.

  2. Testosterone is not enough to explain the phenomenon at the level we're talking about. Testosterone levels in men and women vary greatly.

3)Women have testosterone too. Some women have more testosterone than some men, are they rapists too? By this logic, yes.

  1. yes there's a correlation between testosterone levels and aggressive/manic behaviors, but again, testosterone alone is not enough to substantiate this claim.

  2. the larger problem with men and rape is sociological and systemic, rooted in the societal pressures of toxic masculinity and miseducation from literally day one, as well as the sense of entitlement and privilege afforded by a heavily patriarchal society that rewards male objectification of women. The 'feminine subservience to masculine' aspects of religious ideology enforce this further.

Even in my younger horny years I never wanted to force or rape a woman. i can't imaging enjoying sex with someone who resists me. But then i'm somewhat normal and value women.

@starwatcher-al some men, as result of internalizing toxic masculine principles like: a man doesn't take no for an answer, a man goes and gets what he wants and doesn't let anything stop him, women play hard to get, they WANT you to be assertive, the secret to getting women is being nice, or being mean, etc. Along with the 'using movies women watch as a meter for how women want men to act' without realizing those narratives involve completely inappropriate, stalkery behaviors, or long-standing grudges over individual rejections warping into misogynistic resentments against all of womankind (the geek subcultures suffer a lot of this type of bullshit.) Maybe their adult models for male behavior are womanizers, narcissists, or over-entitled assholes...but once these perceptions get internalized to the levels we're talking about, it becomes a really warped perception on whose rights supercede whose, violently selfish assurance that wanting something equals deserving/a right to possess, pure desire to cause suffering as vengeance...but in the end the deciding factors are more psychological/social/developmental than purely chemical.

4

Rape is a violent act of aggression - and shouldn't be confused with sex...

4

Rape is not about sexual pleasure. It is about power and control. I didnt fully understand this until a teacher said, "You don't hit someone on the head with a frying pan and call it cooking". Sexual assault begins from feelings of insecurity, powerlessness and anger.

@Matias The fact that older women are statistically less likely to be raped is more likely to support the power and control argument: men who rape no longer feel a psychological need to exercise that control over those who are no longer of child-bearing age and whom society tends to view as no longer sexually desirable.

perfectly stated..

@Matias Think about it a little more. People do not want to have power and control over what they do not desire or care about, while the media and much of society puts forward a view that women who have reached a certain age are no longer desirable. Since most men who rape are driven ultimately by their own hatred of their inability to control women's bodies and sexuality, which makes them feel subconsciously feel threatened, it follows that they are more likely to rape those women who fall within the category of what they would consider desirable.

I'm left now with two questions. Firstly, probably just about every woman alive will have been in a situation in which a man could have raped her and stood a very good chance of getting away with it. Since your argument is that men are unable to not rape as a result of biology, would you also argue that a woman who is raped has brought it upon herself for getting into such a situation? Secondly, I categorically do not believe that all men will rape in such a situation - although biology may indeed favour males passing on their genes through as many females as possible, a probable majority of men do not rape because they view women as human beings and do not wish to cause pain and suffering, nor feel desire to control other human beings. If, as you suggest, men cannot stop themselves from raping in situations where they would get away with it, if you were to find yourself in such a situation would you rape?

@Jnei
I cannot add to your wise words. Thank you.

4

My wife was kind enough to remark last night, in response to the whole sordid Kavenaugh matter, that she is grateful to know that I would never, no matter how hammered or horny or immature, force myself on her or any other woman. Nor would her son, or a list of other men we were able to come up with who just don't have that violence in them.

Others have it in them but are taken aback by it. I saw the account of a woman today via Twitter who a guy attempted to rape when they were teens, very similar to the Kavenaugh allegations, but came back to her some time later, ashen and in tears, in a safe public space, and told her how truly sorry he was and how he hoped she could find it within herself to forgive him for what he had done to her.

And others just roll with it, sadly.

I don't see testosterone as an excuse for anything or the sole cause for bad behavior, anymore than I see estrogen in that way. I think a lot of it is how boys are accuturated and conditioned and what sorts of role models they have, how emotionally and sexually repressed and insecure and self-loathing they are, etc.

Also, how influenced they are by privileged notions like patriarchy.

3

Ridiculous cop out! It is true that we evolved from lower life forms that were slaves to their animal brain. Being human means being responsible for your actions, regardless of your urges or desires! I would love to eat chocolate all day long no stop, but I don't because I know that it would be bad for me. You cannot even compare that decision making (eating) to an act that is clearly evil and selfish (RAPE)!!!

3

this makes no sense at all. rape isn't about sex and most men don't rape. if men were born rapists, wouldn't most of them rape?

g

3

I think that's bullshit. You could also say people are born murderers. The whole point of "civilization" is learning to control our impulses to enough of a degree that we can function as a society. If you can't control your impulses, then you have a problem.

2

That isn't reasoning; it's just nonsense. It's no different than if I were to promote a theory that all women are inherently bitchy because their bodies produce estrogen, which naturally deactivates neural transmissions associated with cognition and promotes varying levels of inter-gender hostility. Both theories are equally ludicrous and misanthropic and neither worthy of serious consideration.

2

As a man I would like to say that is plain BS. One lives by the values learned and this is what drives a person unless there is a mental problem.

2

This refers to the inbuilt thing within humans that causes us to procreate so as to keep our species alive . If it causes rape you know that particular man is thinking with the wrong head.

1

Which is like saying everyone is born a child murderer, because they are born to be one bigger and stronger than children and have the potential to kill because they have hands.
Utter twaddle

1

Only the assholes...

1

What happens inside someones mind isnt always them.

As GENTLEmen, we control our reptile and primate brains and use our mammal brains to interact with people.

The ones who act on impulse are also the ones most likely to deny evolution, so God gives these males a reason to be right and selfish.

Angus Level 5 Sep 21, 2018
1

I haven’t achieved rape uno yet, but I suppose that theory is correct.

1

As our eloquent , and brilliant White House occupant would say : "wrong"

@Redcupcoffee Oh dear - really ? sorry you missed it - BIG fat sarcasm !!!!

1

I believe its hard wired into our DNA for men to be sexually "charged" most of the time - to ensure the survival of the species, I guess. Society and civilization has required them to rein in their natural instincts and tendencies and "play nice". For some men that seems to come easy - for others it presents a bit more of a challenge.
Back in my younger, wilder days all of my gal pals had had at least one "bad boy" relataionship. They were exciting, thrilling and sometimes dangerous...as one of them told me "I'd break up with him - but I'm afraid he'll slash my tires"...... hahaha

1

yeah, facts don't support that at all.

[theatlantic.com]

Women are surprisingly nearly as likely to commit sexual assault.
Weird, huh?

1

Testosterone is the 'drive' hormone in BOTH sexes. Rape is a misogynistic cultural construct to keep women scared and 'in their place'.

1

Please post a link to the theory.

1

Where is this going around, on FB, or in scientific journals?

skado Level 9 Sep 19, 2018
1

this sounds like cherry picking of scientific research being forced to fit an already decided outcome both men and women produce testosterone though men generally though not exclusively produce more.

1

Yup.
I assume any man is capable of sexual assault if there are no women or other protectors around, and have already found that out on numerous occasions, from doctors to married missionary men.

Most cis hetero men, strong in male traits, want to have sex with most women, so if they are restrained, it's from social or safety pressures (does she have a large boyfriend or husband, etc.). It's strange how many naive women don't realize this.

Still, there are men who with strong feminine traits, gay, and/or on the asexual spectrum who don't pose a danger.

Obviously you've had a terrible experience that's turned you against men in general. Not all men are like that

0

I have noticed you post alot of anti-male crap. You are awfully pretty, but not so pretty as not to be blocked. Male bashing or female bashing, along with Trumpsters, homophobes, and racists are at the top of of my blocking list. Or you can block me after you read this. That will be fine too. ☺

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