Understanding The Bear Vs Man Trend: Why Most Women Prefer Encountering A Bear in the Woods

In a viral trend, women assess whether they’d prefer encountering a bear or a man if they were alone in the woods. Their answers point to a grim reality.

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If a woman is alone and unarmed in the woods, would she prefer encountering a bear or an unknown man? This question has stirred the internet, unfurling interesting and concerning revelations.

In a recent trend that has taken over the internet, women have been answering this question through Instagram reels, TikTok videos, and posts on X (formerly Twitter). In an overwhelming response, a majority of women preferred encountering a bear over a man. The debate and discourse point to a broader picture of why, even in 2024, women continue to be afraid of men.

We delved deep into this hypothesis, exploring why most women prefer encountering a bear rather than a man. We analysed their underlying fears of encountering unknown men and why this trend holds important societal relevance.

Why Women Prefer the Bear

This trend originated on TikTok but found its way to other social media platforms. Some responses posted by users on different social media platforms are as follows:

“The bear sees me as a human being.”

“The worst that the bear wants to do is to kill me.”bear vs man

“I know the bear’s intentions. Can’t say that about a man.”

“If I die by a bear I’ve fed its survival instincts, if I die by a man I’ve likely only fed his fantasies”

“Bear, because people would believe me.”

The hypothetical question and its responses sparked a widespread discussion online. While some men pointed to how women underestimate the dangers posed by wild animals like bears, the trend's essence is not about improving what would be worse through data or numbers. The overwhelming majority of women picking the bear points to a grim reality of their lived experiences, and how they perceive danger in general.

Another user pointed out, “If you got out alive, people would believe you got attacked by a bear, and nobody would ask you what you were wearing.”

Men too have contributed to the discourse, as is visible in this video, where a girl asks her father, who’s been a lifelong bear hunter, what he’d prefer for his daughters.

The Trend Isn’t Really About the Bear

Men participating in the discourse sometimes insinuated that women aren’t aware of how dangerous the bear can be. Some men also alleged that the trend was only a way to spread hate on men.

But that misses the entire argument and the crux of the discourse.

The perception of danger is what should be the focus here. It is widely accepted that encountering a wild animal on the prowl is dangerous. The perception of potential consequences of encountering an unknown man in unknown circumstances instils a greater perception of fear among women as compared to encountering a bear, as evident by the trend. Their fears reflect nuances of the society we live in, and the aftermath of scrutiny and victim-blaming that follows, in cases of assault and harassment by men.

The man who allegedly started the trend on TikTok explained how the results of virality make it apparent that the world looks so different for women and men.

Another user on X summed up the debate well, saying “Women wanted men to empathise with their fears about men and men wanted to provide material help by making sure women understood the actual dangers of bears.”

Violence Against Women Rampant Around the World

The crux of the discourse lies in the high degrees of assault, harassment, and violence women often face from men.

According to UN Women, one in every three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence — mostly by an intimate partner. In 2022, data from the United Nations shows that nearly 89,000 women and girls were deliberately killed across the globe.

These cover some, but not all situations where a woman fears for her life.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those available in public domain, and not of the writer's.

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