Simple Response to What Happened on Twitter and Why It Was Important

In case you missed it, here is the order of events in the wake of the Santa Barbara shooting:

-Shooter (also, knifer and car-rammer) identified his actions aligned with various misogynist groups.
-People got kinda upset about that.
-Other people Guys responded by saying "Not all men."

-One Twitter user rephrased the conversation: Not all men perpetrate sexual harassment, but Yes, All   Women are harassed. 

-#YesAllWomen trended on Twitter for an entire day is still trending, becoming a platform for women to speak out about their encounters with sexual harassment and sexual violence.
-People Guys complained the conversation took attention away from the tragedy. Also, that men had also been killed.
-Other people Presumably men, again, came up with #YesAllPeople to be inclusionary.
-Guys Men started tweeting support for women.  And People started reading and discussing the Twitter feed with their sons.

-Media started covering the hullaballoo, in which they basically take #YesAllWomen and Made it #YesAllFeminists.

Let's talk a minute. 

Firstly, #YesAllWomen was a response to the male backlash to talking about misogyny being a significant factor in this horrible event.  It is a blatant fallacy that the women using #YesAllWomen, particularly those who are victims of sexual assault, were trying to make this tragedy about them. They were continuing the conversation that started with #NotAllMen. (Dear Men, we already knew that, and we assume you mean Bill Cosby, Tim Allen, James Avery, Bob Saget, and  Reginald VelJohnson.) Also, if #YesAllWomen brings the attention needed to pervasive sexual violence, who are you to shout it down?

Secondly, while I am big on inclusion (although not big on labels, if you're human, you're in), I think #YesAllPeople does more harm than good, in this case.  #YesAllWomen is not downplaying the violence towards non-women.  It is an attempt to show people men who don't understand, what it's like to live in a world where you are told to be independent, provided you do so in well-lit, well trafficked areas after taking self-defense courses. #YesAllPeople, on the other hand, taken in the best light, is about getting along and setting aside our differences.  Which #YesAllWomen would be all about, if unprocessed rape kits weren't a common thing. I'm not saying get your own hashtag, but if you want to stand in solidarity with someone, at least for this week, make that someone a woman. 

Thirdly, a non-zero number of media outlets have referred to those involved with #YesAllWomen as feminists. While likely true in a dictionary-definition sort of way, feminist is a loaded term.  It carries historical and political implications.  It is used by men to dismiss the things it labels. "AllWomen" means what it says.  This is beyond politics, race, or creed. To say feminist in this context dehumanizes those involved. This isn't equal pay, or even beauty standards.  This is basic right to life.  (If you disagree with that, why do you think pepper spray was invented?)

I'm not going to address the stupider arguments, due to my policy of ignoring anything that exceeds a stupidity level of 7. 

What would be an ideal response to what happened?  

 Men's Rights groups are already getting bad press, so refocusing on stuff like male rape victims (and other legitimate victims) would be nice to see. 

How about we fix how we prosecute rapists?

While we're at it, let's destigmatize sexual assault.

I vote we stop using the word feminism altogether or limit its definition to men who are feminists only.

How about equal pay and not objectifying women, though?

Other groups/minorities, please speak out against the casual discrimination you face. 

And let's redefine masculine and raise our sons to respect all people. 

What can you do, now?  Continue the conversation.  Help those in distress. Treat everyone with respect.  Look at life from someone else's perspective.