Check it Out: Rape Jokes Edition

Kate Harding collected 15 rape jokes she found funny here. I didn't find all of them funny, but most of them made me chuckle. They all followed her two simple rules, "A) they’re constructed so that rape victims are not the butt of the joke, and B) they made me laugh." I do think it is sad that Dane Cook can tell a funny rape joke that isn't damaging to hear, but most other hacks can't. Get it together, comedians.


I also am going to repost the link to Lindy West's Jezebel article because it was helpful.


And in case you missed Jessica Valenti's article at the Nation, here it is again.


Curtis Luciani wrote about why only very skilled comedians are able to tell rape jokes and jokes about other very damaging experiences.


This one needs a MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING. This is another Tosh.0 video showing a "prank" that involves two teenage boys and a large dildo. I kinda want to throw up now. 

Why I Should Avoid Reddit: Arguing Against Rape Jokes [Update]

*Trigger warning: This post discusses rape jokes and insensitivity to rape survivors.*
[Update: I added two links to other relevant and brilliant articles at the bottom.]

Thank you, xkcd. You have perfectly summed up my evening.


Last night I intended to go shamelessly promote my "Nice Guys" post over at Reddit, and when I go there, I always check out some of the other posts in the hot and new sections of the Feminism subreddit. Unfortunately for me, there was a huge debate going on on several posts regarding Daniel Tosh of Comedy Central's Tosh.O. 


In case you don't know Tosh or his brand of offensive slurs and homophobic rants strung together humor, here is a brief video:

Tosh.0
Get More: Tosh.0 Videos,Daniel Tosh,Web Redemption

Source

(Reason for the outrage after the jump)

Rape and the Language of Reporting

*Trigger warning: in discussing reporting, I quote some descriptions of sexual assault.*


I've been loosely following the Jerry Sandusky rape and sexual abuse trial. Since I have not been obsessively following the coverage, I don't have a whole lot to say about how the prosecution is handling the case. I do, however, have an issue with how the mainstream media has been covering the trial.


It all started when I read this article at FoxNews from Reuters reporter Ian Simpson. (I don't know how I keep ending up at FoxNews; I blame Google News.) The first thing that struck me was how offensive the idea was that the defense would be introducing testimony claiming Sandusky's letters to his victims were the product of his histrionic personality disorder, not pedophilia. What bothers me about this is pretty obvious--just because he had a personality disorder does not excuse his abusive behavior toward minors. 


What really struck me, though, was later in the short article. Simpson writes:

Prosecutors allege Sandusky had physical contact with the boys over a 15-year period that ranged from tickling and a "soap battle" in Pennsylvania State University football showers to oral and anal sex.

 Emphasis mine. Now, the defense attorneys are simply doing their jobs by digging up ridiculous excuses for the alleged sexual predator. Simpson, on the other hand, is not doing his job; he is misleading the public by not calling rape rape. The prosecutors are not alleging that Sandusky had sex with anyone: they are alleging that he raped and sexually assaulted minors. Assault and rape are not interchangeable with sex. 


(So much more after the jump.)

Help Servicewomen Who Are Victimized

Did you know that members of the United States military cannot get an abortion at a military hospital--even if the pregnancy is the result of a sexual assault? I didn't. As Darlene Iskra over at Battleland writes:

Most rape victims are junior enlisted women who cannot afford an abortion in the civilian sector. Enlisted earn less pay, and often come from families who cannot afford to help them. If they are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, they cannot get an abortion in country and must return to the United States, if they can convince their commands to let them go. Then they must pay for the procedure itself. The policies are stacked against women who are raped and become pregnant. Congress is the only organization that can change this scenario.

Even more embarrassing for our government? This restriction is not across the board, "U.S. servicewomen remain the only federal workers denied coverage in cases of rape. Even federal inmates can get abortions." I find it unacceptable that we have thus far failed to end the culture of sexual violence that seems to be especially dominant in the military and then when the people who are victimized by this system seek help, they are denied. 


[Discussion and how you can help after the jump.]

Are you afraid of the dark?

*trigger warning* (While this post doesn't talk much about the act of sexual abuse, it does talk a bit about its aftermath.)

This post is a pretty personal one, so if you know me (I'm assuming most of my readers at this point do) and don't want to think of me in any deep way, you may want to skip this one.

Okay. Now that all the disclaimers are through, I can begin to tell you what's going on today. This morning I read an article about adults who suffer from insomnia and if they are afraid of the dark (spoiler alert: a lot of them are). As you will notice in reading this blog, most everything gets me thinking. So this, of course, got me thinking.

[Personal anecdote after the jump.]

devastating military suicide rate

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/08/suicide-rise-us-military

The above link sends you to a pretty depressing article about the suicide rate of military service members. Unfortunately it's back on the rise again and nearly one veteran has killed him or herself everyday in 2012.


I am not a military member and I have never served my country in combat. However, as a civilian looking in (and one who herself is struggling with depression, anxiety, and PTSD), there are a few suggestions I'd like to make. Obviously we need to work harder to protect our soldiers from hazing, beatings, "friendly fire," etc. We also need to provide better education and protection to prevent sexual assaults (and I don't mean educate potential victims, I mean teach soldiers how to not rape each other).


Those issues are ones that I will likely address in other posts. Today I want to focus on what can be done right now. Right now, we can make sure that VAs are fully staffed, that they don't see funding cuts while dealing with so many new veterans. Right now we can support groups trying to help veterans get and keep jobs, since financial stress is playing a major factor in some suicides. Right now we can help veterans we know and be good battle buddies for them as they reenter civilian life. Right now we can educate ourselves on the warning signs of suicide.


THEN we can put pressure on military leadership to change the culture within the military to one that supports seeking help.