Rape-Trial Protest May 27th, 2011, NYC

Permanent Wave is staging a protest in the wake of the acquittal of the two cops accused of raping a drunk woman at her apartment in the East Village. (They were found guilty of Official Misconduct and fired by the NYPD.)

The details: Friday, May 27th, 5-7pm; 100 Centre Street.

France, Meet the ’90s.

Nancy Gibbs, journalistic idol to me and to many, has a great piece in Time called “Men Behaving Badly: What is it About Power That Makes Men Crazy?” She provides the requisite pop-psych answers about impulse control and ego. Then she takes it to the next level with a devastating analysis of how and why powerful men give themselves permission to behave inappropriately with less powerful women.

When I was in high school reading all that shit in magazines about “Do-Me Feminism,” this was the kind of article I fantasized would eventually be standard in the mainstream press. And the happy day has come.

Very ’90s Woman, Scotland!

Broadsheet has a nice analysis. Thanks, Brendan, for the tip!

The Truth About the Antioch Rules

Shayla just posted this comment on the Antioch Rules post and it’s so awesome I’m moving it into a post so more people can see it:

Remember Riot Grrrl, and then remember how the media ran with it and twisted it and made it into this crazy thing? That’s what you should do with what you think you know about the “Antioch Rules”. As I remember it, it came about after 2 or 3 people were raped one semester. It had been in effect for 3 years or so before the media discovered it and blew it into a big, horrible, giant set of permissions and oversight.

How Much of Desire is Really about Danger?

Okay, I’m not going to embed the infamous video of Moe and Tracie from Jezebel drunkenly disclaiming on pulling out as viable birth control, unwanted pregnancy, and how it’s okay to be reckless in Williamsburg because the guys there are pussies, but I will link to it.  

Because I think it’s relevant to this conversation we’re having about sluttiness and regret: how much of sexual adventure is about knowingly putting yourself in danger?

I’m thinking: some.

That sure-I-was-raped-so-what video sparked an uproar about third-wave ladies having reckless, unprotected, casual sex and getting date-raped and not thinking it was such a big deal. 

Of course it delighted the stereotypical-second-wave finger-waggers, who finally had tape on this dubious trend they have been condemning. (*Cough* Linda Hirshman *cough*.)

RapeLay Spits in the Face of the 90s

Kara, have you seen this CNN thing about video games from Japan that let you stalk, torture and rape women and girls? There are even plots, like you are getting back at the woman who fired you by raping her. A narrative!

First of all, what the fuck is wrong with Japan?

Second of all, things like this make me think the 90s totally failed. I mean, it’s not like I thought rape would be over, or sociopathic behavior, just because of some zines. But I kind of thought there was this vibe like, “You know what’s not cool anymore? Thinking rape and torture jokes and games are good times.”

Thanks(?) to Brendan for the link.

Politics vs. Art. Also, Roman Polanski.

Jewel is a 90s Woman. Roman Polanski, Not so Much.

Kara, I think feminist culture heroes are super important because just when you need it, they remind you that you are not crazy, the world is crazy.

Speaking of which, the last two days I have been in a constant state of agitation about this whole Roman Polanski situation. Thank God Kate Harding wrote “Reminder: Roman Polanski Raped a Child” for Salon, because all the Polanski apologists have been making me furious. (My personal favorite: The L.A. Times comparing Polanksi to Jean Valjean from Les Miz, and thereby also comparing stealing a loaf of bread to drugging and raping a young girl.)