Right sign: Consent is sexy
Wood does not equal should
Marching up Colfax in Denver, CO
So, as you can see, there were many different people with many different awesome messages. I took many, many pictures while at the event, so these are just some of them. And, just to note, I received consent from each person to take her/his picture. Consent is sexy, right? Right!
Between the two marches that were held, keynote speaker Pamela White spoke. Pamela has worked as a columnist & journalist for 19 years and was the first woman editor of 2 different Colorado newspapers and has largely focused on covering women’s issues, including sexual assault, intimate partner violence and women in prison. In 2010, White wrote Senate Bill 193, which became law on Jan. 1 of this year and which bans the use of shackles on inmates during labor and childbirth. White is the recipient of numerous state and national journalism awards, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service, the First Amendment Award, and the 2011 Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award from Colorado SPJ for her body of work. She is a multi-published novelist and the single mother of two grown sons. Her talk was inspiring, honest, and empowering. She ended her keynote address with the following tips (which accurately place blame in the right place):
!!! Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work !!!
1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks.
2. When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone.
3. If you pull over to help a woman whose car has broken down, remember not to rape her.
4. If you are in a lift and a woman gets in, don’t rape her.
5. When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not rape her.
6. Never creep into a woman’s home through an unlocked door or window, or spring out at her from between parked cars, or rape her.
7. When you lurk in bushes and doorways with criminal intentions, always wear bright clothing, wave a flashlight, or play “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)” by the Raveonettes on a boombox really loud, so women in the vicinity will know where to aim their flamethrowers.
8. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from raping women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times.
9. Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to rape a woman, you can hand the whistle to your buddy, so s/he can blow it to call for help.
10. Give your buddy a revolver, so that when indifferent passers-by either ignore the rape whistle, or gather round to enjoy the spectacle, s/he can pistol-whip you.
11. Don’t forget: Honesty is the best policy. When asking a woman out on a date, don’t pretend that you are interested in her as a person; tell her straight up that you expect to be raping her later. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the woman may take it as a sign that you do not plan to rape her.
So, the moral of the story is that the best way to prevent rape is to not rape anyone. And, if rape or sexual assault in any form occurs, it is never the victim's fault. We must stop victim blaming and excusing behavior.
Great synopsis of the Slut Walk, Devon! What a neat event. I looked up when the DC walk is and unfortunately it's during Alyssa's wedding but I'm so glad I read about it on your blog. Can't wait to read more - I'm always so interested in your work, and proud of you too!
ReplyDeleteMore man-hating bullshit! That's ok. It's obvious that these women are out there for one reason and one reason only. Attention.
ReplyDeleteI hate rapists. I hate child molesters. I've spent time locked in cells for attacking them. I've put in my fair share of work against Sex Offenders and Sex Crimes in general.
But to assume that all men are just silently waiting for any opportunity to rape is a very scary way to live your life or raise children. People will live in fear their entire lives if you propagate this hateful message against men.
Let's not forget that when these women get raped, the first thing many of them do is go to the police station and file charges; asking male (and female) officers to protect them and arrest their attackers. They often rely upon men whose job it is to keep these rapists locked in prison.
I don't think these women realize that by taking off their clothes, they aren't taking away a predator's ability to objectify them. In fact, they're likely reaffirming the belief.
If they wanted to truly stop men from raping so much, they would gather together in private where they could discuss plans for Vigilante justice. Here's a simple 5-step plan that anyone can execute with just a few tools and some common sense:
1. Kidnap your local rapists.
(Preferably convicted, but that's not always important.)
2. Cut their penises off whilst in captivity.
(You'll have to do this yourself. Use a spoon.)
3. Make them eat said penises.
(Be advised: Kidnapping can have a profound effect on one's appetite. They may not be hungry at first. Be patient. This can be a good opportunity to clean your cages, or perhaps hunt for another Rapist.)
4. Take tons of selfies for social media.
(i.e. Instagram, FB, Twitter etc.)
5. Leave bodies hanging from telephone wires at ~4am.
(Go Organic! Hemp rope is strong and should work great for this project.)
That's it. You've done it. You're InstaFamous and all the Rapists are dead. (But now you'll need a new excuse to take your shirts off in public.)