Yet we have hordes and hordes of movies and books and TV shows that tell us differently. They train us not to interpret someone invading our space, our privacy, and our autonomy as a fucking invasion, but rather as a romantic gesture. As something we should accept and welcome, because it's not someone asserting dominance over us, it's someone showing just how much they love and care for us.

This like a million times over. You know, it is kind of ridiculous, because I have a huge kink for staring in tv and movies--the way two characters will look at each other, constantly, all the time, without being able to help it--and at the same time, I recognize that it's totally creepy and that I would be ALL OVER the restraining order if someone did that to me in RL. Like, why do I like things that are bad for me??

That sense of creepy? That's the part of our brains designed to help us survive and thrive telling us that somehow, someway this thing or person or situation in front of us is not going to help us meet our goals in life of not dying, not getting attacked, and being happy.

God, it is ridiculous how much women especially are conditioned to ignore our basic fight or flight instincts, all the time.

Wonderful post. I hope you don't mind if I link back to it.