By Marlee Silverman
John Flesh, 22, is an ideal role model for feminist men. He tells us he likes to help the women in his life by reminding them about the dangers they face. “God knows they need the help,” John said when questioned on his deep care for women’s safety. “They just don’t understand how dangerous it is. I know how men think, so I know what could happen out there.” He told us his number one goal in life was to protect a woman from any attackers, something he thinks about a lot. When we found Mr. Flesh, he was outside a women’s health centre protesting in favour of abortion, yelling to women that passed by that he supported them.
To John, it is important for women to have a positive male friendship in their lives so that they know not all men are dangerous to them. John tells us many of his friends are women because he knows how to make them feel safe. He makes sure not to make misogynistic comments and he never mentions drama with the crazy women he dates. He even works for a woman, a testament to his feminism in practice. He made sure to say he does not feel emasculated working under a woman, even though, “She’s a total bitch. But I understand, women can’t control their emotions because of hormones. It isn’t her fault.”
As he gets out his “surveillance pocket telescope” for “finding the danger”, he says, “A lot of men would jump at the chance to sleep with a woman who’s even the slightest bit too drunk, but I’ll be there to make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll hold their drinks too. I just know men are evil and I am there as a protector. Like Batman from the movie The Batman. Have you heard of it?”
John helpfully explains to us that a lot of the time women walk alone at night and sometimes feel unsafe and he wasn’t sure if we were aware of that sort of thing. His suggestion was to simply stop going outside at night. And to lock doors, in case we hadn’t thought of it. And close blinds. And make sure our outfits aren’t too tempting. And always keep one earbud out in public to be aware of surroundings. We thanked him for the inside tips that most women hadn’t considered. “It doesn’t occur to women that the nighttime could be dangerous, their heads are so filled with thoughts of Harry Styles and Joe Keery that they forget to think.”
John went on to enlighten us about women’s bodies and how their bodies aren’t as good at holding onto warmth as men’s bodies due to poor heat circulation. Because of that, he makes sure to always dress in shorts and a tank top, no matter the weather, to support women in their coldness. When not around his female friends, John Flesh still does what he can to support them. He buys up all the boxes of tampons and pads in stores and tosses them around the streets of Old Aberdeen so women don’t have to pay for them. On the bus if he sees a pregnant woman he makes sure to stay seated to let her know she is strong enough to do this on her own. John hopes that with his tampons, telescope, and summer attire he will be a beacon of light among the weak helpless women in his life.