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Would you rather encounter a man or a bear? Women in Singapore weigh in on the US TikTok trend
The US-based TikTok trend had most women there preferring to encounter a bear rather than a man if they’re lost in the forest. Do women in Singapore feel the same way? CNA Women finds out.
Women in Singapore share their thoughts on whether they'd rather encounter a male stranger or wild animal when stuck in the forest.
Izza Haziqah Abdul Rahman
23 May 2024 08:14AMWould you rather be trapped in the woods with a male stranger or a bear? That’s the hypothetical question women are being presented with in one TikTok trend.
The debate went viral after an American pop-culture account called Screenshot HQ posted a video in April asking the question – and seven out of eight women chose the bear.
The trend has sparked numerous conversations about violence against women and the lack of safety females feel around men.
CNA Women asked women in Singapore, most of whom have not met a bear in real life, which they would choose and why.
A BEAR – A SAFER CHOICE THAN A MALE STRANGER
The Singapore women who chose meeting a bear over a man in the woods said a wild animal was more predictable.
(Photo: iStock/CandyRetriever)
“I’d definitely choose the bear,” business owner Nurulashikin Natasha, 26, said. “With a bear, the worst outcome would be death, but with a man, there is so much unknown – I’d rather die than take the risk of facing trauma for the rest of my life.”
Marsiat Jahan also chose the bear. She told CNA Women that the worst thing a man could do is often unimaginable, whereas the worst thing a bear could do is likely just kill you.
Said the 28-year-old assistant editor: “A man can cause psychological trauma, assault and abuse [you] emotionally, sexually or physically, plus so much more. These traumas don’t heal as easily as physical or superficial wounds.
“Also, if I were to survive a bear encounter, I’d be hailed as a hero, but coming out of the woods after being with a strange man for an indefinite amount of time would give rise to speculation. “Some people would even question my character and dignity, and it’s likely that the man would be saluted as the reason for my survival.
“I can even imagine having to provide an extensive account of the events that unfolded in the woods to my own family, otherwise they would automatically suspect some sort of foul play,” she said.
Michelle Chan said it would be more difficult to escape from the psychological, physical and social implications of encountering a strange man versus a bear. “I could stay really still or quiet, and not react if the bear came near, but with a man, it’s so much more complex and stressful,” said the 45-year-old deputy director of business development.
Kristie Ng, a technical copywriter, chose the bear partly owing to the media she consumes and the stories she hears.
“Every few days, local media would report crimes committed by men towards women which are often horrific, violating, and shocking,” she said. “I know – and hope – that these incidents aren’t the norm but they still leave a lasting impression.
“In an ideal and perfect world, I’d choose a male stranger, and we’d get out of the woods safely together,” the 28-year-old added.
“But even on public transport surrounded by many people, I get jumpy if a strange man stands too close to me, so as a petite city girl who doesn’t encounter bears, I’ll take my chances with a bear.”
A MAN – TO INCREASE HER CHANCES OF SURVIVAL
Conversely, some women in Singapore opted for the man, preferring the company of another human in the forest and deeming it a more practical choice for survival. While she acknowledged that a strange man could be unpredictable, Haira Hairu is confident she could survive in the woods with one, compared with a bear.
“As a lover of the outdoors, I’ve watched lots of videos on bear encounters overseas and how to prepare myself in case I see one,” the 25-year-old engineer said. “It’s really, really hard to outrun a bear. I’d very much want to survive so I’ll choose the man.
“Plus if the man ends up being decent, even if he doesn’t have adequate skills to survive the wild, I believe two human minds could increase the chances of making it out alive together.”
Anna Ang, a 47-year-old data analyst, said that based on her experiences as a seasoned hiker overseas, a man is the safer and more sensible choice. “I’m more afraid of bears in the woods and more comfortable to go on a hiking trip with a strange man,” she said.
Most of the men she has come across while hiking were also courteous and pleasant, she added. “I’ve met countless male strangers on my trips and most of them help people like me who may face challenges along the way,” Ang said. “That would be a lot better than a bear.”
For wealth advisor Trish Sng, the answer lies in who she’d rather meet to get out of the forest alive.
“I can befriend and communicate with a man – he can take care of himself, we can think of ways to work together to get out of the forest or find ways to make the situation better,” the 33-year-old said.
“With a bear, I can’t communicate with it nor can I work with it to survive, it’ll likely just eat me and I do not want that.”
BEYOND THE TREND: WHAT WOMEN SHOULD ACTUALLY FOCUS ON
Beyond the black-and-white answer of man versus bear, some women flipped the question back on itself.
Marsiat, who chose the bear, said what’s more important is to look at why women picked “bear” in the first place.
She said: “It shouldn’t be normal that so many women choose bears, a wild animal that could literally kill you. What does that say about men? What does that say about the way women see them? And why?
“Both men and women should find ways to work together to make sure we can all feel safe.”
A 25-year-old researcher who wanted to be known as Ella questioned the trend and the implications that came with women choosing the bear.
“Social media trends, especially on short-form platforms like TikTok, tend to oversimplify complex issues to make a point,” she said.
In this case, Ella explained, while the trend raises how unsafe some women feel around strange men, its critics – men and women alike – question the validity of these women opting for the bear.
“They argue that such women probably lack firsthand experience with bears and that’s why they would choose them, but that’s missing the point,” Ella said.
“The fact that many women would choose the bear means that many have had enough bad experiences with strange men – or have heard about them – that they’d rather choose the unknown rather than risk reliving the experiences they’ve had with men.”
“That is the more pressing concern that people should look at, rather than fixate and debate endlessly on man versus bear, without going anywhere,” she added.
https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/women/man-vs-bear-tiktok-trend-singapore-390656
How interesting...
