Serious Biznss - Rape as a descriptor of having a bad time...

[logansrogue]

It's gone into in this article here, which I urge everyone to read. You know me. I love a great joke. I live for comedy. I also understand that languages evolve and sometimes the use of a word shifts.

But there is something deeply unsettling about taking away the horror of a word, particularly when it's the only word we have to describe such a situation. It's a word that shoots a hot, burning dart of pain and shame right through my soul when I read it. It's no joke. It's not funny. It is not equal to your team losing a game of some sort (sports or whatever), or your taxes going up or having a bad audition or whatever. It's a violation so deep and soul-destroying that it takes an entire life to heal, and even then, the scars remain.

So if you find yourself about to use the word describing something other than someone being violated? Don't. It's not funny. It's never funny.

There are very few rape jokes that are funny. One's a knock-knock joke. The other was told by George Carlin. You are not George Carlin. Not even you, Jon Stewart. I'm looking at you. BAD. BAD boy, go to my room immediately! Anyway, you guys get the idea.

Comments

[aeditimi.livejournal.com]

That was a powerful article. Thank you for pointing it out. I don't think the dictionary definition even captures the violence and violation of the act. And I don't have a survivor's perspective.

Thanks again for pointing this out; I'll prepare to go on the warpath about it now!

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I often shut up about it cause I don't want to seem like a spoil-sport, but since my assault, I call people on it now. It's a great article, isn't it? :) Thanks for sharing the message!

[snyde-remark.livejournal.com]

Can I just point out that the dictionary definition doesn't seem to include men. Can I ask them why? Men do have this happen to them too you know!

(When I say you I don't mean you I mean the dictionary)FYI

"There are very few rape jokes that are funny. One's a knock-knock joke. The other was told by George Carlin."

Everytime a joke is found funny or passed on that shouldn't really be encouraged it prolongs the offence of draining the power of the word. So if you find one offencive then all must be no matter who delivers it.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

The dictionary definition is no doubt genderless. I don't agree with this woman in denying or setting aside male victims of sexual assault.

You know, I know, logically, that if I'm going to say that rape jokes aren't funny, that I should be that way with all jokes about rape? But Elmer Fudd raping Porky Pig... it's just so absurd, you have to chuckle.

[snyde-remark.livejournal.com]

To be honest I find it more than a little repulsive!

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

I have to put up with rape joke shit and other related stuff (especially the really stupid insults - from 'ranga' to 'retard' and beyond) at school. I even explain to them 'look, you keep making this into a joke and one day someone will say 'I have been raped' for real and noone will believe them and it'll be because of what you're doing'... and the kid doesn't care. It's so dishearting.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I think the best argument is, "It's a shit joke. It was made X years ago by someone far more talented than you. For God's sakes, try to be clever or shut the fuck up."

But I think, if you're a teacher, you'll get in trouble for that. LOL!

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

Quite. Most of the dickheads think 'rape' = 'pushing' i.e. Someone gets pushed in line 'Mizzzzz, he raped me!'

*sigh*

Some of the kids demostrate what closed minds they have or how little of the wider world they understand with some of the stuff they try on me. I rememember (sort of) one year 10 trying to shock me by going "Such-and-such actor is *gasp* bisexual", expecting me to be shocked too. They weren't sure what to do when my response was "Yeah, so?"

I still am worried by my question to the year 10 girls yesterday, when they got shitty because I emphatically refused to do Twilight as the term's novel and I asked them "So is stalking suddenly romantic?"... they said yes.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

I was so utterly happy when, in JB Hifi today, when I was creeped out by a Edward Cullen standee and told the girls behind the counter, they laughed and agreed and we were all, "What happened to digging Johnny Depp, damn it?" They said "Yes, I know."

The world isn't totally overrun. Not totally.