What if men disappeared from the face of the Earth for an entire day? Female internet users have imagined their lives in the event of the extinction of the male species, and it borders on the utopian. Walking around at night in skimpy outfits, jogging in the woods without pepper spray, sleeping with the windows open, going out without bras... so many seemingly simple and innocent activities that they forbid themselves in the presence of men. A sad reality, reflected in a trending topic.
A world without men… and without problems
On social media, women wondered what a world without men would look like, and they didn't have to look far in their imaginations to picture it. No more catcalls in the street, no more hooded figures tailing us in the subway tunnels. No more lingering stares or wandering hands on public transport. Without men, women's daily lives seem idyllic and serene. At least, that's what we gather from the comments left under the post X (formerly Twitter) by Em Razz, a practicing feminist .
Her question is simple: "What would you do in a world without men for 24 hours?" —a phrase thrown out like a bombshell. The idea isn't to eradicate men or send them to another planet, simply to isolate them for a day. In any case, that's not the main point of the post. The goal? To give women a voice and allow them to say out loud what they keep silent about when the opposite sex is around. And a breath of freedom blows through the pixels.
No, their first action in a " Barbieland " society isn't unlimited shopping or endless discussions over a cup of tea. That's what men imagine. Except that the answers to this scenario are much more down-to-earth and less demanding. "Walking past a construction site without having a slight panic attack," "Dancing in the city at 3 a.m. without fearing for my life," "Wearing what I want without feeling like I'm putting myself in danger." These are all painfully ordinary actions that women approach as "dreams."
@thisisvielka#pegar a video from @melissadesm if men disappeared from earth for 24 hours #blackgirl #blackwoman #melanin #panama #panameña #panamanian ♬ Life without men - thisisvielka
Men are on the defensive following this trend
Men, often portrayed as knights in shining armor and saviors in children's stories, are more unsettling than reassuring. This is the conclusion drawn from this fictional, yet otherwise enlightening, script. Moreover, many online took this trend as a personal attack and felt compelled to retaliate. They resented being removed from the narrative and having their absence celebrated.
"Buy a gun, learn to defend yourself, don't walk alone at night," suggested one internet user, while women are already taking self-defense classes and fashioning knuckle dusters from their house keys. Ironically, one of them asked, "But who would protect you?" to reinforce his sense of purpose. The term "male" here seems to have a double meaning.
More than one in three women worldwide has experienced physical violence at the hands of a man. A term has even been coined to describe the murders of women because of their sex: femicide. It's no wonder, then, that women censor themselves daily and restrict their outings as well as their wardrobe choices.
A fabricated scenario that illustrates a feeling of insecurity
Imagining the temporary disappearance of men is an almost gentle way of expressing something much harsher: constant vigilance. This mental burden of security that many women carry without even thinking about it. Sending a message on the way home, sharing their location, pretending to be on a phone call while walking, crossing the street , adjusting the length of a skirt depending on the time of day. These are the invisible micro-strategies that the trend highlights.
The "24 Hours Without Men" scenario acts as a social satire. It forces us to ask a simple yet profound question: why does female freedom seem contingent on male absence? Ultimately, this trend is neither a call for extinction nor a battle of the sexes. It's a thought experiment, an emotional laboratory. Imagining a world without men for 24 hours allows us to measure everything we hold back, everything we adjust, everything we keep silent about.
And perhaps the real issue isn't about eliminating anyone, but about creating a harmonious world where this fantasy is no longer a fantasy. Women aren't asking to live in a Care Bear world, just to have the same access to space as their male counterparts, without having to constantly be on guard. Instead of inventing new protective gear for women, perhaps it's time to address the root of the problem and educate men?
