"Rape culture" is a term thrown around a lot, especially in feminist articles like the ones we read in class, but does not have a clear definition. There is no brief, short and sweet, factual definition of what rape culture is; it cannot be summed up in a sentence or two. McEwan does an amazing job describing every angle of rape culture and providing all the different examples of rape culture in society. She also includes pop culture references, such as how football teams hiring a dogfighter would "elicit more outrage" than a rapist (during the last NFL draft, players accused of sexual assault and rape were drafted without a second thought while Michael Vick is considered a disgrace to the NFL). I would recommend everyone I know to read this article because it covers all the bases and does not rank rape as one concrete thing. McEwan discusses all different types of sexual assault and makes a point that rape is not a woman's issue, which I think is really important. Rape is too often referred to as a woman's issue, but men and children can also be raped. Also, women have families. They have husbands, children, parents, siblings, and friends. Why would society consider rape a woman's issue when more than just a woman is affected?
Another important point that McEwan makes is that rape culture is so saturated into our society that people cannot even point it out. It is common for rape jokes to be on TV or for a woman to be warned about her outfit before going out at night. As a woman, I don't even blink an eye at a guy yelling something provocative at me or a passing car honking their horn when I walk down the street. All of these things prove that our society is deeply sexualized and that rape culture is the norm.
People throw around the word rape like its nothing. Like you said, rape jokes are so commonly used that people don't seem to be phased by the word anymore. Rape is an issue that can affect women, men, and children, so we need to start taking the act seriously, because I don't think rape is something to joke about.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your ideas, Cassie and Kirsten. I think you both point out that importantly, the insidious nature of rape culture is that it often seems just normal--like not a big deal. The way that sexual violence is normalized makes it harder to confront and resist. Are there small ways we can resist rape culture? What would ultimately have to change to alleviate some of these issues?
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