(no subject)
Holy shit, the heat! It's in the upper 90s but with a heat index in triple digits. All heat and sun and no rain or cloud or cooling makes Kripa a very cranky girl, especially when combined with lack of sleep and underemployment. I swear up and down things will get better in fall - cooler weather, and more opportunities to earn some money.
Anyway, today was a staff meeting that involved pizza and cupcakes. I had to go pick up cupcakes, and I called a cab to go there. I always make conversation with the cab drivers. Today we complained about the heat, and he pointed out that you can only strip so much to feel less hot. I agreed, we commiserated about the searing heat. OK, cool. Then he got to talking about nudists who can't close their blinds or windows. I was like, "Yeah, that's not classy." And THEN, he adds that the women then wonder why men break in and rape them, because being naked with your windows open is "asking for it". I said, "Now wait just a minute, what you're wearing or not wearing has exactly zero to do with why someone rapes you, and no one 'asks' to be raped." Then he tried to defend what he was saying, and added that men have needs and good men are strong enough to control it but some men are weak-minded. Oh goodie. Victim-blaming first, followed by rape apologism. I pointed out that women have worn the entire goddam sartorial spectrum when raped, and that rape is about power, not attraction. I wish I'd also added that these same women who were naked with the windows open, had they worn sweats or a full body veil or whatever, would have been told something else that's crappy, like maybe that they should be grateful that they were liberated from the shackles of Islam or what the fuck ever, or that since sweats AREN'T sexually provocative, that they couldn't possibly be telling the truth because no red-blooded man is going to go for a woman in sweats, because that's not sexy. Then he said, "Fine, OK, it's true rape victims wear any number of things, but it still ain't right that women dress so indecently." And he ranted some more about how much skin women were showing. Apparently a sundress is scandalous? Fuck if I know. I wanted to tip him stingily for his being yucky about rape, but instead I gave him a good $1.50. But maybe my calling him out on his bullshit might have made a dent in his attitudes about women and violence. I sure hope so. I'm quite sure I did the right thing by saying something about it.
Oh well. At least today I ate a delicious devil's food cupcake, and enjoyed some organic jasmine green tea. Also, October 1 I'm going to a dinner from Human Rights Campaign on the dime of Lake Research Partners even though I won't still be working for them. So that's pretty nice.
Two more days of this ridiculous heat, then back to feeling better. Holy shit I'm so thirsty and tired. Good night!
Anyway, today was a staff meeting that involved pizza and cupcakes. I had to go pick up cupcakes, and I called a cab to go there. I always make conversation with the cab drivers. Today we complained about the heat, and he pointed out that you can only strip so much to feel less hot. I agreed, we commiserated about the searing heat. OK, cool. Then he got to talking about nudists who can't close their blinds or windows. I was like, "Yeah, that's not classy." And THEN, he adds that the women then wonder why men break in and rape them, because being naked with your windows open is "asking for it". I said, "Now wait just a minute, what you're wearing or not wearing has exactly zero to do with why someone rapes you, and no one 'asks' to be raped." Then he tried to defend what he was saying, and added that men have needs and good men are strong enough to control it but some men are weak-minded. Oh goodie. Victim-blaming first, followed by rape apologism. I pointed out that women have worn the entire goddam sartorial spectrum when raped, and that rape is about power, not attraction. I wish I'd also added that these same women who were naked with the windows open, had they worn sweats or a full body veil or whatever, would have been told something else that's crappy, like maybe that they should be grateful that they were liberated from the shackles of Islam or what the fuck ever, or that since sweats AREN'T sexually provocative, that they couldn't possibly be telling the truth because no red-blooded man is going to go for a woman in sweats, because that's not sexy. Then he said, "Fine, OK, it's true rape victims wear any number of things, but it still ain't right that women dress so indecently." And he ranted some more about how much skin women were showing. Apparently a sundress is scandalous? Fuck if I know. I wanted to tip him stingily for his being yucky about rape, but instead I gave him a good $1.50. But maybe my calling him out on his bullshit might have made a dent in his attitudes about women and violence. I sure hope so. I'm quite sure I did the right thing by saying something about it.
Oh well. At least today I ate a delicious devil's food cupcake, and enjoyed some organic jasmine green tea. Also, October 1 I'm going to a dinner from Human Rights Campaign on the dime of Lake Research Partners even though I won't still be working for them. So that's pretty nice.
Two more days of this ridiculous heat, then back to feeling better. Holy shit I'm so thirsty and tired. Good night!