11 October 2016

The justification of rape culture

Trump: Yeah, that’s her. With the gold. I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.
Bush: Whatever you want.
Trump: Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.

I originally posted the following as a Facebook status, but felt passionately enough about it to copy it over here. I have included above the chunk of the Trump interview that I am referring to above, in case there was any question.

I try so hard to stay out of political conversations (other than posting funny memes now and then), and I'm going to reiterate that I think we are absolutely screwed no matter who takes office at this point (unless by some magic someone other than these two front-runners wins), but I needed to share this. After a conversation last night where someone tried to justify these comments to me, I had to walk away, in tears, because I couldn't believe that someone would say to ME of... all people that this was okay.

Just days after having a panic attack that had me shaking for hours, sobbing, and questioning more than I care to admit just because someone who smelled like the guy who raped me ten years ago was in my presence, I had a "friend" telling me that these comments made by Trump were not only normal, but that he would say and do the same thing if he had Trump's money.

I'll never understand how people can't differentiate between the two. Dirty talk and the talk of sexual assault are not the same thing. Looking at women (or men for that matter) with lust, fantasizing about them, etc is completely different than admitting that you grab them - without their consent.

The thing is, whether you support Trump, Clinton, Johnson, Sanders, or a baked potato - I really don't care. I don't care if after what Trump said, you still support him because you still think that overall he would be the better choice for this nation - that's your choice, your right, and I would never try to take that from you. HOWEVER, please try to understand how these comments were NOT OKAY. Please stop finding a way to justify comments that actually condoned sexual assault. Stop justifying by saying that it's okay because other men are creeps, too.

Statistically, something like one in four women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. Statistically, this means there's probably quite a few men out there doing the assaulting. When you justify comments like this, you're further blurring lines about what is right and what is wrong. Please stop teaching our girls that it's normal to be assaulted, and please stop teaching our boys that it's okay to do the assaulting.

Sidenote, because I know I'm going to get comments about it - yes I am aware that boys and men can be victims as well, and that women can do the assaulting.

Second sidenote, since again, I'm going to get comments - this has nothing at all to do with who I would or wouldn't vote for in this election. This is not about that. Please don't turn my comments into a "but Hillary/Bill..." shitstorm. This post is simply about these comments, and how they are NOT OKAY. Whether you're Donald Trump, or my next door neighbor - they're NOT OKAY.

1 comment: