Opinion ID: 524999
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: McKee's Affidavit

Text: 104 The officers' interaction with McKee constitutes evidence that, when coupled with the Chief's statement, would allow a reasonable jury to find in favor of McKee's equal protection claim. Again, because this is case is presented in the posture of defendants' motions for summary judgment, we must treat plaintiff's evidence as true. 105 In her affidavit, quoted above, McKee informed the officers that Streetman had beat her, and that she feared that he would do so again because he had threatened her. McKee states: The officers present refused to drive me to my parents' home and refused to arrest Mr. Streetman. Instead, they said that I was exaggerating the threat Mr. Streetman posed to me and suggested that I talk matters out with him.    They also indicated that after I had calmed down I probably would not want to file a complaint. At this time, Mr. Streetman threatened to burn my belongings if I went to the station [to file a complaint]. The police did not respond. (emphasis added). 106 The treatment McKee received calls to mind the archaic and stereotypical usage of the word hysteria. The Oxford English Dictionary, finally published in 1933 after 70 years of compilation, defines hysteria as follows: 1. Path[ological] A functional disturbance of the nervous system, characterized by such disorders as anaesthesia, hyperaesthesia, convulsions, etc., and usually attended with emotional disturbances and enfeeblement or perversion of the moral and intellectual faculties. The OED goes on to state: Women being much more liable than men to this disorder, it was originally thought to be due to a disturbance of the uterus and its functions. The officers' accusation that McKee was exaggerating the threat, and their suggestion that after she calmed down, she would not want to file a complaint, remind me of the mores of the century preceding even my birth. 107 In the linguistic history of our society, it is common to find women referred to as hysterical; it is uncommon to find references to hysterical men. Two thousand years of Western Civilization's stereotypes are not easy to undo from the hearts of its people. McKee probably was upset. Such a response is extremely rational and understandable if Streetman had beat her and threatened her physical safety to the point of death, and the police stood by and did nothing to protect her. 6 There is nothing hysterical about such a response. In contrast, Streetman threatened in the officers' presence to burn her belongings. The officers, who are all male, treated McKee's expressions in a condescending manner, while not responding to Streetman's threat. See Balistreri v. Pacifica Police Dept., 855 F.2d 1421, 1427 (9th Cir.1988) (officer's comment that he did not blame plaintiff's husband for hitting her because of the way she was 'carrying on'  suggests an animus against women). 108