BGD
  • About BGD
    • BGD Press Books
    • Opportunities at BGD
    • Submit Your Work To BGD
    • Reposting from BGD
    • Get Free: A Summer Program For Queer and Trans Youth of Color
  • DONATE to Support BGD
  • Bring Us To Your School or Event
  • About BGD
    • BGD Press Books
    • Opportunities at BGD
    • Submit Your Work To BGD
    • Reposting from BGD
    • Get Free: A Summer Program For Queer and Trans Youth of Color
  • DONATE to Support BGD
  • Bring Us To Your School or Event

BGD

On Rape, Cages, and the Steubenville Verdict

March 18, 2013

by Mia McKenzie

Today, the two 16-year-old football players who were accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio were found guilty. The boys’ emotional reactions to the verdict, including crying in court, led several different CNN personalities to lament that their young lives have been ruined. That’s right. With no mention of the rape victim and how her life has been affected by being raped (and having the assault photographed and videotaped and tweeted about by the people who watched it all happening and did nothing), CNN went all boo-hoo for the boys who did it.

Now, I’m no fan of CNN, and I wouldn’t have expected much. But this is beyond the pale, even for them. And it’s a continuation of the rape culture that exists in this country and in this world that has been so highlighted by the Steubenville case, a case which “polarized” Steubenville because, while many folks seem to know that rape is bad, many people there, and elsewhere, seem to think that football is more important than 16-year-old girls not getting sexually assaulted. Rape culture has us always blaming women for rape, whether it’s because of how we’re dressed or how much we drink or whatever. Somehow, underneath it all, it’s always kinda the woman’s fault. After all, men and boys have penises and those things are just so hard to control, it can’t possibly be their fault. So, women and girls have to take on the responsibility of not getting raped. Because, you know, boys will be boys and stuff…

READ MORE

previous post
Dear Humanity: A Note
next post
What’s Wrong With the Term ‘Person of Color’

You may also like

Boy Story. Or, What Having A Baby Is Teaching Me About Gender

The BGD Podcast 3.23.17: Get It Together, Chimamanda!

Why Claudia Jones Is The Black Feminist Hero We Need Right Now

How Cis-Centric Science Drives Violence Against Trans People

adele beyonce

On Adele, Beyoncé & Solidarity

The Women’s March and the Difference Between Unity and Solidarity

I Feel A Responsibility To Help Create An Awareness About Trans Lives: BGD’s Crush of the Month Featuring Actress Alexandra Grey

QTPoC in Comics: Power and Magic Anthology

Live Your Authentic Self And Be Free: BGD’s Crush of the Month Featuring CeCe McDonald

How White Trans Women Repelled Me From Trans Day of Remembrance

NEW QUEER FICTION

Support Our Ongoing Work & Archives

Give to BGD

The BGD Blog still needs your donations for ongoing projects and to keep our archives free and accessible for years to come! Click DONATE or go here for more info!


BGD PRESS BOOKS

Kick It With Us On SM

Facebook Twitter Youtube Soundcloud

Tweets

  • Need a break from traumatizing patriarchal garbage? Join me and @LavandNoir for our Twitter chat about Black queer… https://t.co/PKIlWt03BG

    27-Sep-2018

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • BGD's Media Mentoring Program mentors QTBIPoC who are looking to start or expand blogs and/or podcasts. Today at 11… https://t.co/s5WINxOeMe

    27-Sep-2018

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • BGD's Media Mentoring Program mentors QTBIPoC who are looking to start or expand blogs and/or podcasts. Tomorrow at… https://t.co/4eaVR4kSCh

    27-Sep-2018

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • The BGD Media Mentoring Program is ongoing and you can still apply! https://t.co/SNtMGUwEuu

    09-Aug-2018

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • Are you a QTPoC creator? Are you in need of mentoring to create/expand a blog or podcast that centers our communiti… https://t.co/NH0X8WrQxR

    06-Dec-2017

    Reply Retweet Favorite
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Soundcloud

© 2019 BGD Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.


Back To Top