Two links and a rant.

(x-posted to Women@Brown)

Here are two great articles debunking some of the myths and accusations being hurled around in the wake of the Chris Brown/Rihanna incident (the first gives a brief summary, if you haven't heard about this awful story).

Five Mistakes We Make When We Talk About Rihanna (Newsweek)

What It Doesn't Mean (Yes Means Yes Blog)

I'm going to come right out and say that it infuriates and upsets me when I hear ignorant comments and jokes about domestic violence - on this very campus. We're supposed to be this bastion of social justice, and yet the day after the story came out in the news I actually heard a friend say, "Chris Brown is my hero because he smacked up Rihanna." I wish I could walk around and hear people talking about about how incidents like this are indications of a global social illness that is tied up in questions of gender, race, and power - not petty gossip and jokes that only perpetuate the problem.

Bleugh.

Kerry Washington had a great response to the whole Chris Brown-assaulting-Rihanna situation:

"If we talk about violence against women, my hope is we don’t talk about it as petty gossip but as a social illness that must end. So if that’s what’s going on, then we need to all be aware this is a problem that goes from the Congo to Hollywood and everywhere in between." (from People)

I guess I'm having a "depressed about the crazy amounts of misogyny that exist in our society" day. Here's an incredibly moving video about the realities of pornography and the sex trade. Rap can be such a powerful medium; it's too bad that all we hear on the radio is, well, crappy and misogynistic.




And because we need something a bit more uplifting after that, this video made me cry tears of joy rather than tears of hating the world. Heartbreaking, still, but beautiful. A late Valentine's Day treat?


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.