Tonight, students from Tufts and other area schools will protest against rape culture. You can join us by taking the free SMFA shuttle from Aidekman at 5:30 p.m. Here's why you should consider going:
There's a very good chance that someone you care about has survived rape or sexual assault. In the United States, one in every six women and one in every 33 men will experience an attempted or completed rape. One survey found that up to 50% of intersex and transgender people will face the same. Think about that for a minute — it's not f−−−ing funny. Yet we still see rape jokes all over sitcoms, blogs and social media. Using humor to normalize rape both perpetuates and strengthens rape culture.
Rape culture supports the mentality that sexual violence is an inevitable fact of life. Women are constantly told how to make themselves "safe" from rape; we don't educate men nearly as much about issues like consent,or even what rape is. On top of this, boys and men are socialized to equate violence with masculinity, and to see female bodies as objects of gratification. This dynamic permeates every aspect of society, from pop culture to politics. Rape culture refers to a society in which sexual violence is naturalized and the blame for such actions is shifted from the perpetrator to the survivor.
One common reaction to explanations of why rape jokes are problematic is, "I would never rape anybody. I know about consent, so it's not like I'm part of this problem." A personal commitment to not raping others, unfortunately, is not enough to end rape culture. When we fail to act or speak, we allow rapists to remain comfortable, thinking they are in like−minded company. At the same time, this silence inhibits constructive dialogue and actions and compounds the trauma of survivors.
How do we combat this kind of societal violence? We would love to believe that most students at Tufts are willing to work to reduce the prevalence of rape and the culture of oppression that sustains it. So what if we told you that you had a chance to take a decisive stand right now, today? Would you speak up? Would you try to stop an event that condones rape and creates a dangerous environment for women?
A Boston−based blog, Barstool Sports, is hosting "Blackout" parties for various universities throughout the semester. There is one scheduled for tonight, at the House of Blues, aimed at students from Northeastern University. In response to the party organizers' threatening statements against women, pro−gender equality students have organized a group called Knockout Barstool in protest. Here's an example of how Barstool crosses the line from immature humor to dangerous misogyny: "Just to make friends with the feminists I'd like to reiterate that we don't condone rape of any kind at our Blackout Parties in mid−January. However if a chick passes out that's a grey area though." This was written by editor David Portnoy, under user name "elpresidente," in a Dec. 14 Barstool Sports article. The commenters, of course, are even worse. A few sample comments: "It isn't rape if I cannot hear them over the duct tape" and "We may not be rapists, but we stalk with the best of them. I'd totally throw a potato sack over this chick and carry her home."
Proving that their disgusting excuse for humor can give way very quickly to outright violence, Barstool members have personally targeted students who speak out online against their sexism. Many students have received threats of death and rape, threats against their families, and had personal information such as photos and home addresses posted online. Barstool has clearly become a social networking platform for misogynists.
If you can't join the protest, you can still contact Northeastern and ask the administration to do three things: —Send out a safety alert, as Northeastern typically does for events where there may be an increased risk to students' health and safety, specifically stating that partygoers face a higher potential risk of sexual assault or harassment before, during, and after the event. —Make a public statement condemning Barstool Sports' promotion of sexual violence against women, along with information on the university's sexual health resources. —Demand that Barstool Sports remove the name "Northeastern" from their promotional material, as many students are under the impression that the university and its student government association support the Blackout party.
The two people to contact are Northeastern President Joseph [E. Auon] and Associate Director of Public Safety James Ferrier.
Let's send a strong message: Parties should be fun for everyone, not just sexual predators. Tell Barstool we will not "Blackout," we will knock you out!
--
