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Powerful women get a bad press. If they’re not groping men’s bottoms in photo shoots, they are grabbing men’s penises because when you’re a star, they let you do it — you can do anything. This inappropriate behaviour gives famous women a bad rap. But what about the nice ones who don’t abuse their power? The women who actually respect men? I interviewed this rare breed to find out what makes them tick. I shared some of their responses with my Twitter followers. A woman called Claire, CEO, an ally of the male cause, was the first to contribute:

"Having a son has taught me how to respect men." Claire, CEO. — manwhohasitall (@manwhohasitall) October 12, 2017

It seems that when a woman has a son, something unexpected happens. She realizes something quite profound:

“It wasn’t till I’d had my third son that I finally realized men are people, too,” one mother explains.

Owning a son or a husband really brings it home:

The first time I held my son, I knew from the bottom of my heart that he was human. Still not sure about the ones I'm not related to though — Hol Lee (@holhartman) October 12, 2017

Heartwarming.

However, some women still struggle to make the leap, despite being surrounded by strong, independent men:

This leaves women with no sons in a difficult position:

"As a woman with no sons, I find it hard to respect men." Cathy, mother of no sons. Thanks Cathy. — manwhohasitall (@manwhohasitall) October 12, 2017

They must rely on mere speculation that men have experiences and lives worth respecting. Can one really blame these women for adopting this entirely pragmatic stance? After all, woman is a rational creature, unlikely to be influenced by what cannot be proven.

Correct, respect should be earned not freely given away based on "feelings". I propose clinical tests where impartial woman scientists can determine if men are worthy of respect. — Pleurinae (@Pleurinae) November 12, 2017

Although many would argue clinical tests aren’t necessary, at least these women are making an effort. The cavewomen types won’t even try to get it:

This disappointing attitude is why we need good role models like Claire, CEO, who are prepared to show their softer side in public. She tells me that even before her son was born, she believed deep down that men are just as equal as women. As a young woman, she didn’t indulge in non-consensual penis grabbing even though, as she tells me, she had the opportunity and could have got away with it. How many other women would be so woke?

I asked Claire, CEO, about her childhood. She told me that her mother never beat her father, even though he was really annoying and whiny, constantly nagging about the cooking, cleaning, washing, and ironing. Indeed, she grew up surrounded by feisty men — her father, uncles, and brothers all had careers in their own right. However, Claire said it was one poignant moment that really changed her:

"Seeing a male squirrel, or at least what I think was a male squirrel, taught me how to respect men," Claire, CEO — manwhohasitall (@manwhohasitall) October 21, 2017

Another woman described a similar journey:

https://twitter.com/IngeborgRakvag/status/920998519741313030

Safiya sums up just how random life can be:

https://twitter.com/SafiyaSherrin/status/922142133838012416

I’m confident that Claire, CEO, and the other powerful women I interviewed wouldn’t dream of degrading a colleague without asking him first. I met good women from across the political spectrum who respect men, even if they show it in different ways. Left wing women use their male friends and clever writing to prove how nice they are. Right wing women demonstrate their respect in other ways, such as telling men to smile and putting them on pedestals.

However, not all women are as quick to join the modern world. As Claire says:

"We're in a different time. Men didn't used to be people. It's taking time to adjust. Bear with us during this difficult time." Claire, CEO — manwhohasitall (@manwhohasitall) November 4, 2017

Regardless of the time we are in, should women really need to have a son, see a male squirrel, or ride a male horse to learn how to respect men? Or do men deserve respect simply because, as Claire would say, they are so damn cute?

@Manwhohasitall is a satirical Twitter account that exposes gender inequality in representation, parenting, education, and media portrayal, one fierce and hilarious tweet at a time. The results are funny, unsettling, and possibly revolutionary.

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Guest Writer One of Feminist Current's amazing guest writers.