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My feminism, let me show you it...
Mar. 14th, 2011 08:51 pmIt is a fact of every girl’s life: we are taught from birth that what lies between our legs is something that others will try to take by force if we aren’t careful. A friend once posted to her journal: "The idea of all the things I haven't done, the experiences I passed on, because nobody wanted to go with me and it just wasn't the smart/good/safe thing to do by myself,” and this perfectly sums up the inherent problem with our society and its treatment of rape. Everywhere a woman goes, the onus is put squarely on her, all the ways in which she should protect herself: don’t dress a certain way, don’t go out after a certain time of night, don’t go out alone, don’t leave your drink unattended, etc., etc. Never is the responsibility put on the shoulders of the perpetrators themselves. While women join clubs to learn self-defense, men are excused with “boys will be boys” attitudes. It is bad enough to deal with the shame – living in the world we do, it is hard not to internalize the constant barrage of victim blaming and victim blame ourselves – but then we are forced to defend ourselves to those who are supposed to aid us in our search for justice as well as the community at large. Why is it the victims’ responsibility to protect themselves from being attacked? Yes, there is common sense, behaviors everyone should employ in their daily lives; however, even as we call out other countries’ treatment of its women, we are living in a country where a state supreme court decided that once sex has begun, I lose the right to say no and goes so far as to include such laughably offensive language as “re-flower” in the legal opinion.
It is clear rape culture is alive and well. We need look no further than our own campus with the female student who awoke to find herself the unwanted focus of a stranger’s attention in her own home. Or even more horrifying, the recent revelations out of Cleveland, Texas, and the coverage it has received. Even in so-called reputable newspapers like the New York Times, an eleven-year-old girl’s behavior is called into question, that she sexualized herself and thus has no choice but to accept the repeated gang rapes; or, even worse, a resident’s comment that "[t]hese boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.” Yes, these “boys” will have to face their complicity in not just the repeated gang rape of a child but also its glorification in both photograph and film. How about we consider the implications facing the victim? How about the fact this child has not only been brutalized repeatedly but is now living in hiding, away from her family, for her safety? That her family is still getting harassed on a daily basis and is seriously considering a permanent move, again, only as a means of the safety of their family?
It is time that we held those who commit this unspeakable crime accountable. It is time we taught our boys and men that they are the ones who are the best prevention when it comes to rape. It is time our girls and women didn’t walk around with the threat of rape forever hanging over them. I know I’d sleep better.
This was my submission to my university's opinion page. I love that I'm now a Liberal Studies Major, because I can delve into all the ways that women are screwed throughout history so I can then use it to fight against all the bullshit we face every day.
Also,![[livejournal.com profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
inlovewithnight, I hope you don't mind my reusing your quote again.
It is clear rape culture is alive and well. We need look no further than our own campus with the female student who awoke to find herself the unwanted focus of a stranger’s attention in her own home. Or even more horrifying, the recent revelations out of Cleveland, Texas, and the coverage it has received. Even in so-called reputable newspapers like the New York Times, an eleven-year-old girl’s behavior is called into question, that she sexualized herself and thus has no choice but to accept the repeated gang rapes; or, even worse, a resident’s comment that "[t]hese boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.” Yes, these “boys” will have to face their complicity in not just the repeated gang rape of a child but also its glorification in both photograph and film. How about we consider the implications facing the victim? How about the fact this child has not only been brutalized repeatedly but is now living in hiding, away from her family, for her safety? That her family is still getting harassed on a daily basis and is seriously considering a permanent move, again, only as a means of the safety of their family?
It is time that we held those who commit this unspeakable crime accountable. It is time we taught our boys and men that they are the ones who are the best prevention when it comes to rape. It is time our girls and women didn’t walk around with the threat of rape forever hanging over them. I know I’d sleep better.
This was my submission to my university's opinion page. I love that I'm now a Liberal Studies Major, because I can delve into all the ways that women are screwed throughout history so I can then use it to fight against all the bullshit we face every day.
Also,
inlovewithnight, I hope you don't mind my reusing your quote again.
