In a week with a lot of major stories, the one that jumped out at me wasn’t the most significant. But symbolically, it was a such a perfect encapsulation of taking a major issue and completely missing the point. An Argentine company has a new product: the “consent condom,” which requires four hands to open the box. According to CBS, it “makes a powerful statement about consent.” It does, but not in the way they claim.
There are exactly zero rapists who are going to be deterred by not having access to a condom. The company acknowledges this, but says they’re trying to make a point about “yes means yes,” and their advertising supports this. But.
One underlying message of this product is that consent is an obstacle to get past, rather than a continuous state needed for any sexual activity. It’s possible to say yes, and later say stop.
The deeper message, though, is the suggestion that the real problem is not sexual assault, but accusations. Its main appeal is to a subset of men with wildly exaggerated fears of “false allegations.” But just like the “consent apps” that came out a while ago, this product can also be manipulated to keep actual rapes from being reported or charged. Nothing stops a rapist from bringing along an already-opened box, or forcing /threatening a victim to help open one, or getting the victim to consent to one act and then forcing something they hadn’t agreed to, etc.
If we could focus on women’s safety rather than men’s discomfort, maybe we’d come up with better solutions than commercialized gimmicks?
As always, this diary is a group effort. Thanks to Angmar, officebss, elenacarlena, SandraLLAP, noweasels, Besame, and ramara for links and discussion. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly this week:
Reproductive Rights:
Ohio passed the so-called “heartbeat” abortion ban, forbidding abortion after 6 weeks, which is before many women even know they’re pregnant. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
Texas debated reclassifying abortion as homicide, which would make it subject to the death penalty. Rep. Jeff Leach, the committee chair who quashed the bill, is now facing death threats from “pro-lifers.”
South Korea reverses its abortion ban.
Violence:
It’s been shown in earlier studies, but a major new study confirms that the majority of campus sexual assaults are committed by repeat offenders. Nearly half were committed by individuals who had committed ten or more assaults. And, men belonging to fraternities or sports teams were more likely to offend — largely, I’d argue, because the circle-the-wagons effect makes it easier for them to get away with it.
The International Socialist Organization has voted to dissolve, in the wake of the discovery that their governing council covered up an alleged rape by one of its leadership.
The Dept. of Justice has decided not to defend a law against female genital mutilation (FGM). Which can have grave consequences for refugees coming here to escape getting mutilated.
Man killed his pregnant ex-wife with a crossbow.
The nurse tracking America’s epidemic of murdered women.
Nigerian women stand up against street harassment.
Intersectionality:
Women making clothes for the West face sexual harassment and abuse at work.
16-year-old Dnigma Howard refused to put her cell phone away in class. Chicago police beat and tased her, dragged her down stairs, and stepped on her — then arrested her for battery. When surveillance video contradicted the cops’ story, they dropped the charges against her. So...we’re going to have outraged statements from the mayor and demands that the cops reimburse the cost of the investigation, right???
Media:
How old is 37? Depends on your gender.
The media has learned nothing from its 2016 election coverage debacle.
Actor Geoffrey Rush successfully sued the Daily Telegraph for defamation over claims that he was sexually inappropriate toward women he worked with.
Italian artist Gaetano Pesce wanted to create a statue condemning misogyny. The result was...a woman’s body as an armchair pierced by arrows?
Good News:
Meet Dr. Katie Bouman, the scientist who created the algorithm behind that awesome black hole picture.
Action items:
Petition to Netflix to move out of Georgia in response to Georgia’s version of the the “heartbeat bill.”
Dyma Loving called Miami-Dade police for help after being threatened by a neighbor. Instead of helping, police assaulted and arrested her. The video went viral, Ms. Loving is suing, and the officer has been suspended. There’s a petition to fire the officer.