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Path: utzoo!watmath!watcgl!dmmartindale
From: dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: San Quentin strip searches -- a new twist
Message-ID: <1255@watcgl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 00:16:37 EST
Article-I.D.: watcgl.1255
Posted: Wed Feb 13 00:16:37 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 13-Feb-85 04:45:16 EST
References: <802@druxo.UUCP>
Reply-To: dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 15

Nancy Parsons argues that women feel more fear than men in the situation
of strip searches by the opposite sex, and (presumably, though she doesn't
say so in so many words) that this justifies different rules being applied
depending on the sex of the prisoner.  I believe that she feels that women
ought to receive better treatment than men in this situation because,
in general, there is much more likelihood of the women feeling threatened
by the situation.

While I think I can see why she feels that this assumed psychological
difference between the sexes makes differing treatment in prison "fair",
I can't agree that it is right.

If both sexes are to be treated equally, then they should be treated
equally - on the job, in the home, and in prison.  Can anyone explain
why this fundamental assumption of equality should be abandoned here?