Tag Archives: rape

Today’s Lady News: Belvedere Vodka’s Rapey New Ad

Jessica WakemanMarch 23, 2012 //

Not all advertising campaigns are sexist and offensive. Read More »

WTF Hair Removal Ads

Hair removal ads leave little to the imagination. 7 Photos »

Retro Douche Ads

The history of douchey vag products. 9 Photos »

Stupid Period Ads

These menstrual product ads are dumb. Period. 9 Photos »

Belvedere Vodka tweeted an ad recently where a man pulls an open-mouthed woman down onto his lap with the headline, “Unlike some people, Belvedere always goes down smoothly.” The company tweeted later that they were sorry “if any of our fans were offended,” although not for the actual creepy ad. The ad appears to have since been pulled. [Jessica Valenti]
Pennsylvania’s Governor Tom Corbett dismissed criticism of the state’s new forced ultrasound law for women seeking an abortion, compassionately stating, “You just have to close your eyes.” [Huffington Post]
PA state senator Larry Farnese has introduced a bill that would require men seeking Viagra to first undergo a prostate exam, a cardiac stress test, and sex therapy. [Nerve]
You know things are bad for women’s rights in America when a Republican Congressman is urging women to donate their money to Democrats, who he calls “people who speak out on our behalf.” [Daily Kos] Keep reading »

The Soapbox: On Consent Culture

Holly PervocracyMarch 22, 2012 //

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

New "Rape" Definition

A new definition of rape has been approved by the FBI. Read More »

Rape Checklist

A handy checklist of things that cause rape. Read More »

Kinky Sex Tips

For vanilla girls who want to try a little kink. 8 Photos »

Today I’m going to fulfill a promise I made quite a while ago, and talk about what a consent culture would look like.

A consent culture is one in which the prevailing narrative of sex — in fact, of human interaction — is centered around mutual consent. It is a culture with an abhorrence of forcing anyone into anything, a respect for the absolute necessity of bodily autonomy, a culture that believes that a person is always the best judge of their own wants and needs.

I don’t want to limit it to sex. A consent culture is one in which mutual consent is part of social life as well. Don’t want to talk to someone? You don’t have to. Don’t want a hug? That’s okay, no hug then. Don’t want to try the fish? That’s fine. (As someone with weird food aversions, I have a special hatred for “just taste a little!”) Don’t want to be tickled or noogied? Then it’s not funny to chase you down and do it anyway.

The good news is, there are things you can do to bring this about. Things beyond just “don’t rape people” (although that’s an excellent start). Keep reading »

New App “Circle Of 6″ Can Prevent Sexual Violence

Jessica WakemanMarch 21, 2012 //

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

CDC Sex Assault Data

Adolescent girls and preteen boys are at the highest risk for sexual assault. Read More »

Drunk Is A Feminist Issue

Why women everywhere should be concerned about binge-drinking. Read More »

I’ll admit I was skeptical when I heard that the White House was holding a technology challenge for developers to create an app that would help prevent sexual violence. All of the stuff that I believe can change the prevalence of sexual violence — harsher punishments for criminals, a cultural change on what consent means, a modification of the way we use alcohol and drugs — cannot be found in the App Store. But I’m impressed — very impressed — by the contest’s winning app called Circle Of Six. Keep reading »

Today’s Lady News: Politician Suggests Women Lie About Rape To Get Abortions

Jessica WakemanMarch 20, 2012 //

The Idaho state senator who sponsored the bill that would force women to undergo a medically unnecessary ultrasound before an abortion said yesterday that there is no exception for rape or incest victims because women may lie about being raped to get an abortion. Oh, you know. Lyin’ about rape. Gettin’ abortions. It’s stuff we ladies do all the time. [Huffington Post]
Also, Idaho’s GOP will stage a live ultrasound demonstration at the statehouse. [Think Progress]
First Lady Michelle Obama told a fundraising crowd on Sunday night that any Supreme Court appointments by her husband would ensure future generations could “love whomever they choose.” [Politicker]
Colorado’s state house advanced an anti-abortion “fetal personhood” bill that would declare a fertilized egg to be a human being, therefore criminalizing abortion. [Daily Kos]
Keep reading »

Courtney Love & 10 Other Stars Who Used The Word “Rape” Insensitively

The FriskyMarch 15, 2012 //

View the Gallery / 11 Photos »

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

Geez ladies, by now we should all know that referring to anything other than rape as “rape” is just a bad idea. It trivializes what rape actually is and manages to make you look like a complete buffoon. And that’s exactly what Courtney Love did when she claimed the Muppets — the friggin’ Muppets! — “raped” the memory of Kurt Cobain by using Nirvana’s song “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in their movie.

Well, it’s a little more complicated than that. According to TMZ, half of Courtney Love’s rights to Cobain’s music was sold to a company called Primary Wave Music, which gave the Muppets movie permission to use the song. Also, the two surviving members of Nirvana, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, gave their permission as well. And Dave Grohol is in the movie. This sounds like another case of What The Hell Are You Talking About, Courtney Love? [TMZ]

Courtney Love is only the latest in a long and tacky line of celebs who’ve used the word “rape” insensitively. Click through our gallery of shame!

#IDidNotReport: A Twitter Hashtag Worth Checking Out

Julie GersteinMarch 13, 2012 //

New "Rape" Definition

A new definition of rape has been approved by the FBI. Read More »

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

Rape Checklist

A handy checklist of things that cause rape. Read More »

Occasionally, Twitter users take on a cause that isn’t just posting pictures of their cats or ruminating on the injustices of waiting in line at Shake Shack. Like today’s hashtag campaign, started by blogger and Twitter-er London Feminist. The #ididnotreport campaign (which definitely comes with a trigger warning for those who have suffered sexual assault or abuse), encourages women to share their stories of sexual assault and the reasons why they may or may not have reported their experiences. Keep reading »

Kim Novak Defends Her Comments About How Music In “The Artist” Was Like “Rape”

Jessica WakemanMarch 6, 2012 //

Kim Novak's Gaffe

Kim's publicist defends her comment about "The Arist." Read More »

Vinny's Rape Rap

Vinny debuted a rap song about "rapin' it." Read More »

Insensitive Stars

Ten stars who've used the word "rape" insensitively. 11 Photos »

“It was very painful. When I said it was like a rape, that was how it felt to me. I had experienced in my youth being raped, and so I identified with a real act that had been done to me. I didn’t use that word lightly. I had been raped as a child. It was a rape I never told about, so when I experienced this one, I felt the need to express it. … I never reported my real rape, so I felt the need to report this one.”

– Actress Kim Novak spurred a whole lot of eyerolling when she said that the music from her 1958 film “Vertigo,” being used in the Oscar-winning film “The Artist” was like a “rape.” Last month, Novak took out a page in the magazine Variety which read, “I want to report a rape. I feel as if my body – or, at least my body of work – has been violated by the movie, ‘The Artist.’” She was slammed by rape crisis groups who pointed out, uh, it’s not really the same thing. Keep reading »

Indonesia To Thoughtfully Ban Miniskirts So Female Lawmakers Don’t “Invite” Rape

Jessica WakemanMarch 6, 2012 //

Cops Warn Vs. Skirts

NYC police warned women not to wear skirts to avoid a serial rapist. Read More »

Uggs Banned By School

Uggs were banned at one middle school, but it's not why you think. Read More »

Speedos Forbidden

A UK resort has banned men from wearing skimpy speeds. Read More »

Sorority Dress Code

Get a load of the Pi Phi rush dress code beauty rules. Read More »

Thank goodness female lawmakers in Indonesia have their male colleagues to look out for them. These silly women simply thought their outfits were a fashion statement, but little did they know that their “provocative” clothing invited rape. That’s why members of Indonesia’s parliament have drafted rules to ban female lawmakers from wearing miniskirts and other “skimpy clothes” items to work. Said the speaker of the Indonesia’s House of Representatives:

“We know there have been a lot of rape cases and other immoral acts recently, and this is because women aren’t wearing appropriate clothes. Women wearing inappropriate clothes arouse men, so it needs to be stopped. You know what men are like — provocative clothing will make them do things.”

Thanks, guys! I know how hard it must be not to rape your female colleagues. Really, it’s a wonder women are allowed to work alongside you at all. [AFP]

Morning Quickies: Rainn Wilson Tweets A Date Rape Joke

Jessica WakemanFebruary 21, 2012 //

Rape Jokes On Facebook

Joking about raping women is cool with Facebook. Read More »

Vinny's Rape Rap

Vinny debuted a rap song about "rapin' it." Read More »

Evening Quickies

Prince Pierre of Monaco suffered a beatdown in a bar brawl. Read More »

What the eff? Rainn Wilson — aka Dwight Shrute on “The Office” — tweeted a date rape joke. No. Just no. On Feb 12, Rainn tweeted, “If I were ever date raped I would want it to be to ‘Whole Lotta Love’ by Led Zepplin.” Maybe he thought this was meta-commentary? [Twitter.com/RainnWilson]
A writer/comedian has offered a $1,000 prize to the first person who beats up Chris Brown. I don’t like Chris Brown either, but come on. That ain’t right. [The Gloss]
It’s a banner week for Lindsay Lohan: she’s been cast as Elizabeth Taylor in Lifetime’s made-for-TV movie “Liz and Dick.” [Starpulse]
Beyoncé reportedly moved her personal trainer into her home after Blue Ivy’s birth last month and wakes up at 5 a.m. for cardio sessions. This, women of America, is how celebs lose their baby weight so quickly. [Evil Beet Gossip] Keep reading »

Fox News Lady Who Claimed Women Should “Expect” Rape In Military Blames Feminists, New York Times

Jessica WakemanFebruary 20, 2012 //

Today's Lady News

Liz Trotta of Fox News made a WTF comment. Read More »

Marine To Fox News

Sexual assault should not be part of her job. Read More »

Military Sister

My brother joined the armed forces. Read More »

Fox News contributer Liz Trotta would like to clear up a few things. First of all, when she spoke on the Pentagon’s decision to officially open up more combat positions to women and said women in the military should “expect” to be raped by their male comrades, she “certainly did not” mean all military men. Just most of them! Okay, okay, just some of them. Well, that part isn’t clear either. The point is, men have testosterone, “testosterone rules,” ipso facto, testosterone makes men rape-y. Whatcha gonna do?

But anyway, this discussion is all besides the point. The real focus of our ire here should not be on Liz Trotta, Liz Trotta says. It should be on feminists and The New York Times.

Oh, if only I were making this up. Keep reading »