So, a few hours ago, an online acquaintance whom I like and really admire posted a two-sentence thingy on why the #mooreandme protest is "not serving anyone" and is "distracting." After a comment from me (and maybe others?) zie took the post down until zie could give it consideration and discuss zir thoughts in a more thoughtful way. And that's cool. That's something I can respect.
But for everybody out there who's like #mooreandme, why does it matter? How is it trying to make things better? Who is it serving?
Please, please, please read this.
Let me excerpt:
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So no, no I do not think this is a distraction. I think it's something that NEEDS to be forefront, that people NEED to see so maybe bullshit like this STOPS happening. To women whose attackers are media darlings. To women we know who are afraid to speak up because you fucking know some asshole is going to tell her that it was her fault because she consented some other time, or she wore a short skirt, or she flirted. Or maybe it'll be "she's lying for attention," or "the timing looks suspicious," or "maybe it didn't happen the way she said it did," or any myriad number of things that make women afraid to speak up, because people-- from our friends and neighbors to our "progressive" mouthpieces-- have essentially proven that either she'll be publicly picked apart or flat-out disbelieved and maybe mocked. She may have her job endangered, or her life endangered by assholes who think it's cool to post her name and address. She may have more rape threats directed at her. And the icing on the shit cake? Someone out there will inevitably chime in with "but what about the men who are falsely accused of rape?" as though that were the real problem we should be worrying about.
So is it any wonder that only 40% of rapes are reported? When even the progressives and liberals are chiming in with all the bullshit above, the answer is nothing short of a resounding "FUCK NO."
If #mooreandme is one of the things that brings how fucked up our culture deals with rape accusations to the forefront and even A FEW MORE PEOPLE get it, it's not a distraction. It's a victory.
But for everybody out there who's like #mooreandme, why does it matter? How is it trying to make things better? Who is it serving?
Please, please, please read this.
Let me excerpt:
( Cut for long excerpt.Collapse )
So no, no I do not think this is a distraction. I think it's something that NEEDS to be forefront, that people NEED to see so maybe bullshit like this STOPS happening. To women whose attackers are media darlings. To women we know who are afraid to speak up because you fucking know some asshole is going to tell her that it was her fault because she consented some other time, or she wore a short skirt, or she flirted. Or maybe it'll be "she's lying for attention," or "the timing looks suspicious," or "maybe it didn't happen the way she said it did," or any myriad number of things that make women afraid to speak up, because people-- from our friends and neighbors to our "progressive" mouthpieces-- have essentially proven that either she'll be publicly picked apart or flat-out disbelieved and maybe mocked. She may have her job endangered, or her life endangered by assholes who think it's cool to post her name and address. She may have more rape threats directed at her. And the icing on the shit cake? Someone out there will inevitably chime in with "but what about the men who are falsely accused of rape?" as though that were the real problem we should be worrying about.
So is it any wonder that only 40% of rapes are reported? When even the progressives and liberals are chiming in with all the bullshit above, the answer is nothing short of a resounding "FUCK NO."
If #mooreandme is one of the things that brings how fucked up our culture deals with rape accusations to the forefront and even A FEW MORE PEOPLE get it, it's not a distraction. It's a victory.
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