The #MANVSBEAR TikTok video has sparked heated discussions not only on the platform itself but also across the Internet, creating tension between men and women to the point of teetering on the edge of a gender war.
This whole thing seems to have started with a video on TikTok where women were asked by the interviewer a hypothetical scenario question, which garnered over 19 million views and 2 million likes in a span of two months. This quickly became a viral heated debate thus became the #MANVSBEAR a trend online. Well, what is this hypothetical question you might ask?
The question is,
“Would You Rather Be Stuck Alone In A Forest With A Man Or A Bear?”
And to no surprise to us viewers, almost without exception, all the women in the video choose the bear and you might or might not know why they choose the bear instead. Although the question did not specify what kind of man, or whether or not they know the man at all — be it their father, boyfriend or any male relative — just the thought of being alone with a stranger, let alone an unknown man is enough to trigger anxiety and fear in women. This makes them understandably cautious and hyper-aware of their situation.
Let’s also take into account the numerous news reports on harassment and assault cases that are too common for women no matter where they are. There’s no denying the reality that women face in today’s world, which makes them more vigilant about potential threats and their safety. Thus, their choice of the bear is quite reasonable.
And also, unsurprisingly, many men came charging into the comments feeling butthurt and starting to mansplain why these women were wrong to choose the bear, arguing that they would most likely get attacked and killed by a bear.
However, many women also defended their answer in the comments, reasoning that while death by a bear would be brutal, it would be quick. In contrast, being alone with a man could lead to countless ways he could hurt them, causing suffering that would never end. This suffering would not just affect the body but also the mind and spirit, pervasively stripping away their dignity and innocence. Not to mention the immense trauma that could last for years or even a lifetime, even if the woman managed to escape the woods alive.
To counter the mansplaining in the comments, many videos came up where men who are fathers and husbands were asked similar questions, but this time referring to their daughters: "Would you rather have your daughters stuck in the forest with a bear or a man?" Even the men, admittedly, would rather choose the bear. One user even argues against those mansplaining by saying that their job is not to mansplain but to simply listen, acknowledge women’s fear, and actually hold fellow men accountable for their actions.
Following this viral video, the trend has become a way for many women to connect and share their unfortunate experiences by posting their own videos about their encounters with men, some even mentioning domestic violence and sexual assault. It serves as an ode to women, encouraging them to speak up and reminding them that they are not alone in these fears.
This trend started with what seems to be a lighthearted interview video with just one harmless question soon sparked an important discussion prompting on women’s safety, harassment, violence against women and the need for creating a more respectful society.
Final words
The underlying truth of this Man vs Bear virality and the widespread reactions is the grim reality of what women face daily: hostility, gaslighting, denial, and human convenience over accountability. Rather than labelling women as irrational for choosing the bear, we should acknowledge the serious issue at hand and work towards creating a safer future for women.
What are your thoughts on this Man vs Bear issue?
Ari is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.