The long-overdue arrest of Jeffrey Epstein was a step in the right direction, but some of the media coverage is painful to watch, as they straw-grasp for euphemisms like “sex with underage women” to describe child rape. The #MeToo movement has been followed by a zillion articles on the allegedly life-ruining effects of being “accused” of sexual misconduct — but Epstein’s crimes were well known, and the consequences for him and his clientele were effectively nil. Alex Acosta, who gave Epstein a cushy deal, is now Secretary of Labor, and wants to slash 80% of the funds to the agency that fights human trafficking. As Sady Doyle notes, the issue is nonpartisan and the rot runs deep:
Like the downfall of Harvey Wenstein, the Epstein story exposes a large-scale system of exploitation and sexual violence. It reveals the horror of how power has always worked: Any man who amasses enough wealth and influence has the presumptive right of sexual access to whatever woman or girl he sets his sights on. Female bodies are routinely presented as trophies for men, whether that’s spring break frat boys doing Jell-O shots off a girl’s stomach, businessmen eating sushi off a naked lady, or, in this case, the enforced sexual servitude of dozens of young girls. We tell men the reward for success is sex, and we don’t particularly emphasize that the sex needs to be consensual, then we recoil in horror when something like Epstein’s alleged sex ring surfaces even though it is the inevitable result.
Doyle may be optimistic here: as Amanda Marcotte notes, rapists don’t even have to be rich or powerful to get away with it.
As always, this diary is a team effort. Thanks to mettle fatigue, elenacarlena, SandraLLAP, karij,
Violence & Harassment:
R. Kelly arrested on federal sex crimes charges.
Gwen Snyder, researcher who studies the far right, reports harassment by so-called “Proud Boys.”
Reproductive Rights and Health:
Appeals court rules in favor of the domestic “gag rule.” Organizations like Planned Parenthood (where abortions are 3% of its business) will be deprived of federal funding for any services — including the STD testing and treatment, contraception, and cancer screening. More here.
Kansas judge refuses to okay telemedicine abortions, despite another Kansas court finding that abortion is a fundamental right.
More women are needed for clinical trials in medicine.
Politics:
Trumps’s bullying continues to motivate women to vote, and to run for office.
Mississippi candidate for governor Robert Foster proudly announced that he refuses to be alone with a woman reporter. And he pointedly made his problem into her problem: he won’t bring along an aide, SHE must provide the chaperone, who must be male. Alexandra Petri gives this garbage the treatment it deserves.
Intersectionality:
The women who pick your food for $3 and hour.
Migrant children describe abuse and retaliation.
The first female head of the Border Patrol was part of a secret Facebook group that exchanged racist and misogynist images.
Uncategorizable:
American Airlines has apologized to a woman after a (female) flight attendant demanded that she cover up her outfit with a blanket before boarding the plane. Pictures of the “offending” outfit at link. I can’t help noticing that the woman who was singled out was African-American — and that the articles criticizing the airline mention that she is a doctor, as if this was needed to prove her “respectability.”
Good news:
US Soccer’s Megan Rapinoe celebrates success for herself and her team. The usual whiners like Jesse Watters and Peter LaBarbera can go kick rocks.
For the first time since 2008, women’s softball will be at the Olympics in 2020.
German sea captain Carola Rackete was released by an Italian court after forcing her way through a blockade to land a boatload of refugees safely ashore.
Saudi Arabia plans to ease travel restrictions on women. (Yes, sadly, this qualifies as good news.)
Action Items:
Petition to US Soccer: Pay your (winning) women’s team equally with your (losing) men’s team.
Petition to US Congress: It’s time to close the wage gap for all of us!