marc

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By marc • 13 years ago

Citing unreported rape cases and honoring women’s experiences

(A note: while I recognize that sexual assaults happen to both women and men, I use the gender pronouns I do because rape is, indeed, a gendered epidemic that affects an overwhelming majority of women. If you disagree, all you have to do is look at the statistics; if you want to discuss pronouns regarding rape survivors, we can do it at another time, but not here and not now.)

Those of you who have known me for any extended period of time know one of the central tenets of my feminism – and one of my life’s passions, is to end rape culture. This is because of the women in my life who have been affected, and because of the many others in my life who could could be affected. I’ve sat and cried with a date as she told her story; I’ve seen first-hand when friends go through flashbacks, and I continue to be touched by the impact of sexual assaults everyday.

This, then, may seem a bit different coming from me. While I do not deny rape statistics nor do I doubt that there are survivors of sexual assaults who have chosen not to report the incidences, what I do take issue with is whether it is appropriate for the feminist movement to label rape what many women might consider bad sexual experiences.

With an ...

By marc • 13 years ago

More than just “that girl”: on the treatment of sexual assault survivors

I sat there at the familiar coffeeshop basking in the presence of old friends and well-wishers, gulping down copious amounts of the bitter liquid while reliving memories with old friends and sharing thoughts with new ones, our conversations ranging from the Tea Party to our favorite foods to three-legged babies.

As with most of our conversations, this one took a turn toward gender equality and, in the course of the conversation, a woman I’d just met revealed to me she is a survivor of sexual assaults. Until that moment, I simply could not tell — she is intelligent, well-adjusted, charming and possesses various thoughts and dreams that seem just as “normal” as ...

By marc • 13 years ago

Brandon Marshall, gender violence and the unintended victims

Advanced poker players use a technique called the “block bet” in which they lay out a small bet before an opponent they believe has superior cards will bet. They do this in hoping that the opponent will only call their bet, and thus allowing them to see another card at a cheaper price. Because I’ve been in the feminist movement long enough and have seen incidence after incidence of gender violence being constructed and deconstructed, this here is my very own block bet regarding the Brandon Marshall stabbing incidence, before anyone else — and particularly so-called “Men’s Rights Advocates” can spin the news, pointing out that men are also victims of ...

Advanced poker players use a technique called the “block bet” in which they lay out a small bet before an opponent they believe has superior cards will bet. They do this in hoping that the ...

By marc • 13 years ago

Solution to 11-year-olds getting raped? Dress codes

Some things don’t need feminist deconstructions or applications of feminist ideas. This is one of those things. See the below link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/16/texas-gang-rape-aftermath-florida-law_n_836841.html

I don’t usually get outraged by the things politicians say, but this is a good opportunity for action. In the wake of the gang-rape of the 11-year-old girl in Texas, Florida State Representative Kathleen Passidomo speaks out in support of a bill that requires students to wear uniforms, saying in part, the 11-year-old was raped because she was “dressed like a 21-year-old prostitute.”

Politics aside, legislators like these show a profound lack of human decency and grasps on reality, and need to be kicked out of office, be they Democrats or Republicans (she happens to be a Republican.)

Grassroots action ...

Some things don’t need feminist deconstructions or applications of feminist ideas. This is one of those things. See the below link.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/16/texas-gang-rape-aftermath-florida-law_n_836841.html

I don’t usually get outraged by the things politicians say, but this is a good ...

By marc • 13 years ago

Just because they’re pro-life doesn’t mean they’re sexist

Nope. The title isn’t a joke. In fact, it’s been on my mind as of late. It keeps me up at night. It creates friction between me and the liberal activist friends whose circle I used to run in — and most of all, it increasingly brings my farther away from the liberal activism movement and more into in-party politics.

Let me explain: in the recent legislative attacks on Planned Parenthood and reproductive rights, a state senator from Ohio was quoted with the familiar rallying cry of the liberal movement: “if men could get pregnant, abortions would be a sacrament.” It’s goes along the same line as Gloria Steinem’s “If Men Could Menstruate” piece that, as a freshman taking my first women’s studies class, I thought was brilliant.

Yet, ...

By marc • 14 years ago

Christine O’Donnell’s pubic region, comprehensive sex ed and feminism

Prior to the elections, when the Gawker article regarding a supposed one-night stand then Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell had – to include claims that O’Donnell did not shave her pubic region, was published, it was met with a landslide of condemnation, from both the left and right. While feminists were justified in defending O’Donnell against sexism and misogyny, the right’s defense of O’Donnell, it seems, lacked the foundation – and was based on getting sympathy votes.

More than anything else, it also showed the right’s hypocrisy as well as a lack of thoughts – particularly in regards to comprehensive sex education. Rather than talking about real issues, the right reverted to, as it has historically done, claiming feminism while not doing ...

By marc • 14 years ago

Why ending DADT must wait

Earlier last month, when the Obama administration decided to challenge a ruling that effectively stopped Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, I was critical of it for not being in touch with the American public and its liberal voting base. I was wrong. After giving the issue much deeper thoughts, I’ve come to the conclusion that the White House, from both a practical and intellectual perspective, did the right thing.

In short, DADT must and will end – for a myriad of reasons that have been succinctly argued by LGBT advocates, but it must be ended via the proper channels, and more importantly, ended with everything considered, and the proper pieces put in place to support LGBT servicemembers. Unlike the corporate world – ...