Women’s ENews (a fabulous website for lady-centered news) featured an article about women taking pictures of their harassers with cell phones and cameras then posting them on blogs to out the leering jackasses they encounter daily. This gives women a sense of power in the situation: they take charge by turning around and taking the picture, thus confronting their aggressor (to see this in action, read a recent entry from Twisty on I Blame The Patriarchy). Men don’t understand how even a single comment supports the entire aura of fear that constantly surrounds us. Hopefully, becoming the object might give some men pause before they decide to do it again. In general, I like this concept, though I think extreme caution should be exercised, particularly, as the article notes, when women are alone or in a potentially dangerous areas…which, in turn, kind of makes the whole idea a lot less powerful. You can fight back, but only if there are a lot of other people around, thus reminding you of your very powerlessness. Women have to make the choice between taking a stance and getting raped, it seems. Great. I was momentarily uplifted, but am sad once again.