[meta]: rape and responsibility
Today, as I was scrolling my way through Tumblr, I came across a blog called Women Against Feminism. Being curious, I clicked on the blog, and was instantly baffled by the multitude of things being discussed and derided by these women. Some of these attitudes are just so confusing, such as this one:
Excuse me, but what?
Let me give you an analogy to better prove my point. Let's say you get drunk at a party. While you're drunk, and possibly passed out, someone comes along and takes your watch. Have you been irresponsible? Well, yes. Has the other person committed theft? Yes. They have.
Being irresponsible does not excuse something bad that has happened to you. Forgetting to lock your door at night does not excuse somebody coming into your house and murdering you. Regardless of your irresponsibility, they have committed a crime. You may or may not have agreed to that person taking your watch; but you are intoxicated, and somebody who takes you at your word re: sex while you are under the influence is committing the crime of rape. Why is this so hard for people to understand?
By posing the issue as it is the woman's fault for being drunk/irresponsible, you are essentially taking all responsibility off the man. (Or the woman, since it is possible for a woman to rape a woman; the problem here is with rapists, not with men in general.) You are saying that a woman drunk is a free pass, because the woman has already committed the irresponsibility of getting drunk; whatever you do to her doesn't matter. You are saying that the natural state of woman is to keep out of situations that place her at risk of rape. Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but: it is not our fault that you, whatever gender you are, made the decision to rape us.
It is society's responsibility to foster social attitudes which help make the world safe. Punching somebody while drunk is a bad thing and constitutes assault, regardless of whether you are drunk or not. So why the double standard for sex-related crimes? Feminism isn't a case of women vs men; it is a case of changing societal values and beliefs, not just about women, but about men as well, so that everybody - man or woman - can all honestly say that they feel safe.
And this should mean that a woman can happily get tipsy without having to worry that she'll be raped.
Excuse me, but what?
Let me give you an analogy to better prove my point. Let's say you get drunk at a party. While you're drunk, and possibly passed out, someone comes along and takes your watch. Have you been irresponsible? Well, yes. Has the other person committed theft? Yes. They have.
Being irresponsible does not excuse something bad that has happened to you. Forgetting to lock your door at night does not excuse somebody coming into your house and murdering you. Regardless of your irresponsibility, they have committed a crime. You may or may not have agreed to that person taking your watch; but you are intoxicated, and somebody who takes you at your word re: sex while you are under the influence is committing the crime of rape. Why is this so hard for people to understand?
By posing the issue as it is the woman's fault for being drunk/irresponsible, you are essentially taking all responsibility off the man. (Or the woman, since it is possible for a woman to rape a woman; the problem here is with rapists, not with men in general.) You are saying that a woman drunk is a free pass, because the woman has already committed the irresponsibility of getting drunk; whatever you do to her doesn't matter. You are saying that the natural state of woman is to keep out of situations that place her at risk of rape. Well, I'm sorry to break it to you, but: it is not our fault that you, whatever gender you are, made the decision to rape us.
It is society's responsibility to foster social attitudes which help make the world safe. Punching somebody while drunk is a bad thing and constitutes assault, regardless of whether you are drunk or not. So why the double standard for sex-related crimes? Feminism isn't a case of women vs men; it is a case of changing societal values and beliefs, not just about women, but about men as well, so that everybody - man or woman - can all honestly say that they feel safe.
And this should mean that a woman can happily get tipsy without having to worry that she'll be raped.