AS ALWAYS, IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WHAT, IT’S ABOUT THE WHO.In a recent video recorded at a 100 Montaditos in Mallorca, we see a scene that, in other contexts, would have caused an uproar. A man leaves the restaurant and is approached by a woman who, without warning, begins to harass him. At first, the man smiles, perhaps thinking it’s just a joke. But as the woman gets closer, his discomfort becomes evident. The situation escalates when the woman removes her shirt, leaving her topless, and continues with her act while the crowd around them cheers and claps.
What’s curious is how the audience reacts with laughter and cheers, completely ignoring the man’s obvious discomfort. It’s inevitable to wonder what would happen if the roles were reversed. What if it were a man doing something similar to a woman? The public’s reaction, and even society’s in general, would likely be very different: laughter would turn to outrage, and the man would become the villain of the day; the video would make headlines, politicians would demand immediate action, and the man would likely end up in jail.
Still, the most unsettling thought is what would happen if the man, fed up with the situation, decided to push the woman away to get her off him. Those same people who were cheering her on would probably switch gears, condemning the man’s reaction as "excessive" or "violent." It all leaves a bitter taste and makes one think about how certain behaviors are normalized or minimized depending on who’s involved.
It’s a scene that leaves you surprised, and at the same time, tired. Tired of seeing how the same situation can be perceived so differently, depending simply on who’s on which side.
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The slow-motion of the day.