I take it back, at least for today, thanks to this awesome rant from Melissa McEwan (Shakespeare's Sister.) It was a throwaway line from Jerry Seinfeld that set her off.
"This is one of those jokes that really tends to highlight what a different life one lives as a man in our culture than one lives as a woman. “A little rape isn’t that bad” might seem uproarious if you essentially never, ever have to worry about being raped. But if you’ve spent your entire life being told to be careful what you wear, how you wear it, how you carry yourself, where you walk, when you walk there, with whom you walk, whom you trust, what you do, where you do it, with whom you do it, what you drink, how much you drink, whether you make eye contact, if you’re alone, if you’re with a stranger, if you’re in a group, if you’re in a group of strangers, if it’s dark, if the area is unfamiliar, if you’re carrying something, how you carry it, what kind of shoes you’re wearing in case you have to run, what kind of purse you carry, what jewelry you wear, what time it is, what street it is, what environment it is, how many guys you sleep with, what kind of guys you sleep with, who your friends are, to whom you give your number, who’s around when the delivery guy comes, to get an apartment where you can see who’s at the door before they can see you, to check before you open the door to the delivery guy, to own a dog or a dog-sound-making machine, to get a roommate, to take self-defense, to always be alert always pay attention always watch your back always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down for a moment lest you be raped, “a little rape isn’t that bad” doesn’t seem all that funny. Maybe."
Bracing, no? See her entire post here.
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5 comments:
Hi Gracie, I couldn't get that link to work for me but not to worry, the point is well made and well taken. Boy, haven't I given my daughter endless reminders to be careful of everything on that list and more. Endless! Ad infinitum.
I like to think I have just as good a sense of humor as the next person, but that little "quip" is like a pie in the face, it stops being funny when it starts being you.
Ugh. And I LIKE Seinfeld! Now, maybe not so much.
I couldn't see it either, and here's this note left at Shakespeare's Sister:
Shakesville Down
| posted by Melissa McEwan | Friday, June 22, 2007 | permalink |
In case anyone happens to stop by over here to see what's going on with Shakesville, here's the deal: We appear to be under a DOS attack. We are in the process of trying to move to a dedicated server, and we'll be back ASAP.
I don't know what a DOS attack is, but I'll check back later to read the rant. I'm sure it's gonna be good.
Thanks, Renee. I'm sure some wingnut is after Shakesville. How dare anybody left of center get a hearing these days?
Terry, it's so true, I got the same thing from my own mother, and I'm sure she did from hers. It's so frustrating, because you hate to teach fear, and yet the world is as it is. BTW, MM loves (or loved) Seinfeld, too, which is what set her off, I think.
That comment from Seinfeld was nothing short of waving a red cape in front of my face....I mean srsly, where does he get off saying something like that? And the way the press "second paged" it? Puhleese.... Paris Hilton's hair extensions got more press than Jerry's heinous and near unforgiveable comment... He was not called in front of the press to make extended apology for his mysogynistic spew.
Me thinks a bit of "rehab" for the boy would go a looooong way.... in some place like San Quentin...without the gift of a soap on a rope.
Sorry to sound so visceral on this but too many lovely women I deeply care for have been scarred by this most despicable violence to their persons.
Couldn't agree more, FF. And sad to say, Shakesville is still down under a DOS attack, which came right on the heels of the Seinfeld post. Could be just a coincidence, but it wouldn't shock me if there's a connection.
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