The Daily Mail has yet again got me riled for the day.
See here:
Revealed: The British links to internet rape site.
So they've dedicated about 75% of an article about the violent and life-threatening rape of an underage girl to the Ills Of Pornography and how the poor wittle man wasn't really responsible for his actions, it was the PRON THAT MADE HIM DO IT! BLAME THE PORN! From a newspaper that ran a story about potential changes to UK law over what constitutes rape over the weekend with a definite MRA bias, it seems pretty clear to me what their agenda is, and that hasn't got very much to do at all with preventing violence against women. In fact, in the first article, it seems to me that they're using the rape of a 17 year old girl for the purpose of publicising their anti-porn agenda. Belittling suffering in the name of authoritarian outrage. And that's ill. That sickens me.
I'll be interested to see if this crops up in any radfem blogs with a more authoritarian bent, and see how they divide up their blog space. I suspect the word-count on rape/porn may be quite similar to The Daily Mail's.
I took a look at the site they're on about. To me it just looks like any other misogynist gonzo porn, and I look at A LOT of porn sites. Doesn't surprise me at all that 30% of their members are women, though I'd be amused if the Flail started claiming the women who watched this material were potentially violent rapists, too, and I wouldn't put it past them, either.
Confusing messages.
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12 comments:
I ended up posting a comment on the article. Because they apparently edit comments or don't publish them at all, here's what I said:
"As a pretty vocal feminist who's previously been sexually assaulted but also watches a lot of porn, I find this article incredibly insulting.
There is no evidence to suggest that pornography, even 'extreme' pornography, directly leads to violence. I notice you've given the violent rape itself about a quarter of this column's space, and the rest of it is dedicated to the evils of porn. You're using her suffering in the name of conservative outrage! I'm sorry, but that's just plain ill.
And I couldn't give a shit about what kind of films the man who assaulted me watched. I care that I was assaulted. I care that a third of people, as your delightful article suggested, are still at least partially blaming women for their own rapes. Please, let the responsibility lie where it should. If you're suggesting that media can affect attitudes of men towards women, a media as sexist and occasionally misogynist as The Mail would have to start taking some responsibility, too."
Yeah, I still remember when a certain well known radical feminist blogger linked approvingly to a Daily Mail article--something or other how Spice Girls ruined feminism, or women, or something. It is sort of fascinating how some of the supra-radicals can sound astonishingly like yer average crusty old Tory.
It is sort of fascinating how some of the supra-radicals can sound astonishingly like yer average crusty old Tory.
Ohhh, where is this post? Which blog is it on? I've seen Twisty, for instance, dissect a Daily Mail article in exactly the same way I would, but there are certainly other radfems who loooove Mary Whitehouse's mates at Mediawatch. I thought the press release OBJECT put out (which has miraculously disappeared) about the Ladyfest furore was pretty tabloid-esque. All it needed was an appropriate 'DISGUSTING TURBO SLUTS POSE AS FEMINISTS' shockaaar title. Yeah. Still bitter.
Also, do you have an equivalent of the Daily Mail in the US? I find the 'femail' section of the Mail quite entertaining.
probably. i mean--probably that's
our mainstream news by now. try the New York Post, say.
article in question--guess it's not linked here
...here you go:
http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2006/07/22/she-blames-the-spice-girls
It will come as no great shock that I concur with Sarler; women’s liberation from the Sexy’n'Stupid Mandate appears to have taken enormous, mind-blowing strides backwards. These days young women wish to emulate America’s spokes-ho Paris Hilton, whose glittering, anorexic, trust-funded blonde emptiness demonstrates the ample rewards awaiting those who agree to wear the nation’s jizz on their faces. The fellatiolution will be televised.
...ah yes. god be with the days.
sorry, link didn't work. google "she blames the spice girls" if you want the whole thing in all its insane glory.
...all i can ever think these days, if/when i look in over there, is
"I DEFY you, Miss Havisham!"
The original Daily Mail article is here.
And it is a stupid and asinine now as it is then.
First off..the Spice Girls never, or so I noticed during their brief flameout, ever though of themselves as being "feminist" to begin with. "Girl Power" was more of an empty promotional slogan to sell records, not some national anthem.
I would guess that The Pussycat Dolls would probably be the closest equivalent to The Spice Girls in terms of being fluffy pop sexy divas who tend to be a bit overrated in real signing talents.
As for an equivalent to the Daily Mail as far as right-wingnuttery....I would have said the NY Post, too; but they have a sometimes libertarian streak that sometimes shows up in defenses of porn that do buck the prevailing trend. The New York Sun, while much smaller, is probably closer to the Daily Mail in terms of hardcore right-wing tabloidery.
Anthony
huh, as a gal that loves the gonzo porn, yeah, lets blame, oh, THE RAPIST for a change?
Marilyn Manson did not Cause the Columbine High School shootings.
David Berokowitz was not told to kill by a dog.
Porn does not make men rape, not even really degrading gonzo kind.
BD: You know, I wouldn't mind ending up like Miss Haversham. I bet she drank a lot of gin.
Anthony: Thanks for the carcrash tips!
Ren: I REALLY REALLY resent having to bring up sexual assault in order to 'justify' my interest in porn in the face of the "well, you've never been.. bla blabla" I've seen you have to talk about that to 'defend' yourself too.
Verte: I look at it this way, and it may sound odd, but...
By a lot of peoples standards, I am pretty "masculine", in that traits normally ID'd as male, I have. I am very aggressive, both socially and physically, I am highly competitive, I am very outspoken. I have an insanely high sex drive. I am very physical. I am also a diagnosed anti-social....and yeah, a lot of folk would say I am violent.
I watch and make a whole lot of really brutal porn...have some generally twisted fantasies, and get off on it.
I've never raped anyone, sexually abused anyone, molested a kid, so on, so forth...because the levels of hate and need for power that are often in a rapists head aren't in mine....nor do I think they are in the minds of most porn consumers....so there is something else other than the porn going on there...
Hi.
I agree with all the points raised in this post.
I've lately come across quite a few feminist blogs that are really worth reading and I'm really excited about it.
Just as I was beginning to despair that feminism had fallen to those who believe that calvinism dressed in radical rhetoric is emancipating.
I'll add you to my roll.
Hi Korakious,
Glad you discovered some feminist blogs you like, and welcome! Thanks for your contributions.
I think it's far too easy to play the blame game and point the finger at any number of stupid causes. It's just sad that a lot of feminists do it as much as the right wing press.
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