Tag Archives: rape culture

January 23

Does listening to Bowie support rape culture?

posted by

When I heard the news that David Bowie passed away last week, I posted this status to my Facebook: Throughout the morning, I shared updates of what Bowie album I was currently listening to, posted my favorite classic Bowie photos, and enjoyed seeing the same from others in my circle…until the news hit in mid-afternoon […]

»»
December 23

Baby It’s Cold Outside: A Feminist Anthem?

posted by

Every year in recent memory, I’ve seen a plethora of articles, parodies, and hashtags calling out the Frank Loesser song, “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” for being a prime example of rape culture. The first time I paid attention the lyrics of the song, I too became disgusted by it. Even years later, I’m still thumbs-downing […]

»»
August 21

My Very First Cat-Call

posted by

I remember the very first time I was cat-called like it was yesterday.   My friend opened up her swimming pool for the season, and I went along with some other friends to swim. I didn’t really like swimming—I hated my body, and I hated the feeling of being surrounded by water. I didn’t even […]

»»
August 13

Should campus rapists remain in the university system?

posted by

Part 1 of this blog stemmed from an article interviewing, Hanna Stotland, a college admissions consultant and lawyer who “gets students accused of rape back into school.”   When questioned about campus sexual assault, people tend to fall into two camps regarding their opinion of perpetrators: either they’re monsters who can never be redeemed and […]

»»
August 01

Who are campus rapists and what should we do with them?

posted by

Part 1 of 2.   In the past two weeks, the media has focused a flood of attention on the perpetrators of sexual misconduct on college campuses. Who are these people? Why do they assault? What happens to them if they get caught? A long-held belief is that most sexual assailants are repeat-offenders—that a vast […]

»»
June 02

Grounds for Outrage

posted by

Journalist Emily Yoffe has tried to “disprove” just about every story of rape that is publicized, especially if it’s related to a college campus. She blames anyone but the perpetrators to show that this “rape epidemic” is really just college kids drinking too much and doing things they regret or are confused about. She believes […]

»»
May 31

A Commentary

posted by

I share a lot of current news articles about sexual violence, especially those on campus rape, and I almost always include a caveat to “not read the comments.” As usual, however, I don’t always follow my own advice, and I’ve found myself posting a slew of responses to certain…uninformed…comments on these articles lately. I’ve included […]

»»
April 28

Where the Sidewalk Ends

posted by

When I graduated high school eleven years ago, I vowed to never step into a high school again. Especially not one with the same mascot as mine—TROJANS. And definitely not to talk about how I was raped in high school. But I did just that at the East Lansing High School board meeting tonight.   […]

»»
January 18

To Poo in Peace

posted by

Everyone poops. Since the late-70s children have been learning this reality of life with a particularly insightful book. I have no idea how people found out about poop before then, but I’m sure it wasn’t as colorful. For me, pooping is a highlight of my day—a cherished moment of peace usually followed by what my […]

»»
December 16

The politics of rape and the science of statistics

posted by

There is a media frenzy that the 1-in-5 rape statistic is a “hoax” and there is no “rape culture.” I never expected rape to suffer from such a disgusting political twist, but many reports attempting to debunk this 1-in-5 statistic claim that the “rape epidemic” is a liberal ploy to make conservatives look like rape apologists. […]

»»