Due to recent events not only in my life, but in the life of others, I have decided that there is no greater topic than rape and the sexualization of woman. Now, I myself am not a die hard feminist so I will not sit here and preach to you about how everyone should became a man hater. But, I am here to tell you that you should never let someone put you down for being a woman or make you feel like lesser of a person for it.
With that being said, the first issue that came to my mind is the Stanford rape case. The aspect of the case I am looking at is the fact that from the very beginning of the case, to the end, it was entirely about Brock. Not the girl that he raped. Not the girl that was unconscious when a young man stuck unidentified objects in her. Not at all. She was unknown until she decided to speak up about the situation and write a letter to her attacker. As a young woman of nineteen I would hope to God that if I was violated like she was, that my attacker would be punished rightfully. What can possess someone to think that it is okay to let someone off with a slap on the wrist for R-A-P-E! This is not child's play with five year old boys chasing girls at recess. This is sexual assault done by grown men who know better. Men who could be raping your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, and your friends. Rape can happen to anyone, and apparently these days anyone can be a rapist also. I mean if I'm only gonna get a few days in prison then probation, why not right? Wrong. Another case in Indiana where a senior at Indiana University was found guilty on two accounts of rape got ONE day in prison then a year on probation. Twenty-Four lousy hours for something that is going to be carried around with these girls 24/7? How have we gone from a world that valued sex as a virtue and now we let people take it whenever they want without permission?
In light of the previous issue, I think as women, many of us can agree that often times we are questioned about our outfits and composure when a situation like this arises. In the Stanford rape case, the actions of Turner were led back to "because both victims were drinking" (Notice how Turner is referred to as a victim), and that is why these actions took place. No. No that is not why they took place. They took place because a young woman, over the age of 21, could not drink without not being safe. They took place because a young man, not over the age of 21, took advantage of a girl who was blacked out. Without an ability to say yes or no to sex, which knowing that it was behind a dumpster in an alley, she would have said no. In other cases, women are asked "What were you wearing?" That shouldn't be an issue. I do believe that as women we should carry ourselves with respect and dress accordingly but not everything we wear is for other people. I do not dress to impress men. I dress to make myself look and feel good. If a man thinks I look "scandalous" then he needs to look at me as a person and not an object because that is what I am. I was at the San Diego County Fair this past weekend with my family, and as we began to enter the park, an adult male security guard told my father I had to change my shirt because it was "see through". I can honestly tell you my white tank top with tan bra could not have been more un see through. Men do not understand that it is hard to dress to where your bra straps never show or your shirt may never happen to be see through. Women go through a lot of trouble trying to dress themselves in a way to make everyone else feel comfortable when in reality all that matters is if they feel comfortable! Men or anyone else should not be able to dictate how I look and how I feel about myself.
