Take back the night...

I often get asked by my male friends why I claim to be a feminist when it seems as though feminism (or what they know of it) seems to have died out when woman could vote and work. However we live in a culture where rape and domestic violence is not only not taken seriously, it's a punch line.

I see excuses for men who hurt women all over the place.  I am a huge steelers fan yet, I see no reason why Ben Rothlesberger should get special treatment for being accused of rape, and yet all over the place I heard things like "Well what was she doing at the bar drinking with him" oh right because drinking with a famous football player means you're asking to get  pushed into a bathroom and forced into things you don't want to do. Until the only one responsible for rape, is the person doing the raping, I think feminism is alive and well.

not only are excuses made and fingers pointed at women for what they are wearing and where they were and who they've slept with in the past people out right make jokes about it which is a sure fire way to get me to not be friends with you. it is one of my ultimate pet peeves. I hate it.  I find it incredible that I need to type this sentence but here it goes.

RAPE IS NEVER FUNNY!

ever.

I sat in a movie theatre with a group of friends watching a stupid and already unfunny movie "your highness" but the moment I knew I didn't even want to continue until the end is when they made tactless and disgusting jokes about child molestation.

how is that ever funny?

with so many people who I love dearly dealing with reoccurring nightmares, trauma and flashbacks from adults who sabotaged their childhoods, I cannot in good conscience laugh at jokes about Rape. ever.

I cant even handle it when people say "I got raped by my taxes this year"

no you had to pay more than you thought you would in taxes. you will get over it.

people who are raped, spend their lives trying to recover.

lets not make light of that.

I have been reading, "Rose: love in violent times" by Inga Musico and I was reading a chapter about how her wife, has these intense flashbacks from her childhood, and small things, like smells, and songs will ruin her entire week because she is instantly transported to a time where she was a abused and is stuck in the memory.

Lets never compare our problems to rape, only rape is rape.

and lets never make jokes about rape or domestic violence because it is under no circumstance funny for people who have been raped or abused or the rest of us who live in fear that our turn is just around the next dark parking lot.

And if you feel so inclined  come out tonight to support survivors of domestic  and sexual  violence and use your words to promote healing and love in your community. At the Will county take back the night...

I am super lucky that these are the men in my life...

for more info go to:
http://www.mencanstoprape.org/

or

http://www.rainn.org/