Porchlight privilege
I've always left my porch light on, as long as it is dark/dusk, and I am awake. Since I go to bed between midnight and three am, that pretty much means it's on 'all night'. I considered this both good manners, because it lights the street, and lets people know I'm home and makes it safer, in general, at least from a criminal psychology standpoint, for people (in particular women) to walk down the street at night.
But I got to thinking about this the other day. I mostly think of myself, and the majority of my habits were formed, when I was functionally a bachelor. I lived alone most of the time or with a roommate who didn't really have input into it. If I were a single woman, leaving my porch light on lets people know I'm home. It lets them know I'm awake, or not. And it singles me out, if I'm up later than other people around me.
Plus, not so much myself, but the general societal idea of 'you turn your porch light off when it is bedtime for you', connected with the anti-crime measures inherent in leaving a light on, or turning it off (witness the success/wide distribution of motion sensitive out door lighting, for proof), also means 'anyone up later than me deserves whatever they get for being out after dark'.
I render this without real comment, because it is...a pondering, more than a thought or conclusion. But it was something I saw/realized the other day and since I promised you all a more significant post, I figured I'd post about it. I've been thinking a lot about self-defense and women's safety issues lately.
K.
But I got to thinking about this the other day. I mostly think of myself, and the majority of my habits were formed, when I was functionally a bachelor. I lived alone most of the time or with a roommate who didn't really have input into it. If I were a single woman, leaving my porch light on lets people know I'm home. It lets them know I'm awake, or not. And it singles me out, if I'm up later than other people around me.
Plus, not so much myself, but the general societal idea of 'you turn your porch light off when it is bedtime for you', connected with the anti-crime measures inherent in leaving a light on, or turning it off (witness the success/wide distribution of motion sensitive out door lighting, for proof), also means 'anyone up later than me deserves whatever they get for being out after dark'.
I render this without real comment, because it is...a pondering, more than a thought or conclusion. But it was something I saw/realized the other day and since I promised you all a more significant post, I figured I'd post about it. I've been thinking a lot about self-defense and women's safety issues lately.
K.