Literature Review Draft #1

Abstract

Using a feminist lens in application to the poetry selections Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and the poetry cannon of Sylvia Plath, and music by Lorde in her second album, Melodrama, victim narratives are examined in the way that they can be created and shared as an art form stemming from an almost dreamlike place, with the art that is created representing an interpretation of their own realities within trauma, and how the acceptance or critique of this art by masculine and hegemonic power systems affects tensions in the female experience between inner and outer solipsism and victimization that distorts the woman’s place of power within her own narrative. There is a feeling of myth vs. history in this conglomeration of theoretical suggestion that examines the systematic trivialization of female experience and voice in relation to victim narratives, which is being taken one step further with the work of female artists. This eventually leads to what is known as victim-blaming, slut-shaming, rape culture, trivialization of violence and abuse, creating standards for what can count as trauma, assault, rape, oppression, etc.  

Introduction

In the construct of history and the progression we like to see within it, it is important to note the regression or stagnation as well. Devoid of nihilistic and hyper-critical intentions in the wake of existential exhaustion and depression, this must be done. Homi Bhabha infamously writes of the idea of the ‘third space’ in relation to identity and culture, which will be shifted into the idea of inner and outer space in this analysis, which will be viewed in relation to solipsism, the victim vs. hero dichotomy, myth vs. history dichotomy, female creation and performance of art, and masculine and hegemonic discourse. The focus on these elements at all shows that there are still gaps in the validity that we assign to women and their stories. More recent examples of this can be seen with the artists I have chosen for this analysis. But this language of assigning value to women and what they provide verbally, mentally, emotionally and physically into the society in which they exist is in itself an act of domination. As humans, we like to assign value in order to understand what we are perceiving, but the value that we place on victim narratives is not an organic assignment, but one that stems from patriarchal structures and discourses. The value in reality, which is different for everyone based on a variety of contingent elements birthed ads rebuked by society, should be placed by the victims and the creators of victim narratives themselves. It is disheartening that this must be a point that is argued for.   

Method

There is still an overwhelming tendency by hegemonic and patriarchal systems to remove or trivialize the female voice in the space of victim narratives, specifically in the form of sharing these narratives in art forms. This does not only happen with the means of reaching an end of religious, political, or legal control to maintain the comfort that comes with masculine privilege on an interpersonal, national, or global scale, but also in the way that we critique and perceive art forms such as poetry and music. Exploration of this trivialization and silencing of the female voice, that then goes on to distort the feale memory and experience as a victim, is necessary to examine in all realms, on all levels. Examining a victim who is also a creator of such art is naturally a more massive scale of this epidemic. One does not have to look very far to see where this has happened in similar ways before. In the music industry with the abuse and assault that Rihanna experienced due to partner at the time Chris Brown and most recently, the multiple actresses that have come forward with allegations against Harry Weinstein. All of these women are creators of different art forms and have spoken out about their own victimization to create a victim narrative in this way, but not all of them have created art on the basis of it being or being inspired by their victim narrative as we are able to see with my choice of Lorde with her second album, Melodrama, the poetry by Rupi Kaur, and the poetry by Sylvia Plath. This is made evident by both the content of their creation and historical and public knowledge that has been released by them personally.

By examining both artist that create poetry and music, there is a commonality of these women being writers, but there is also the difference of pop culture influence they both are able to have based upon what they write. This allows different angles and levels of examination of the constructs and systems that critique and oppress their voices and creation in relation to their victim narratives. To get a good idea of what this oppression looks like and what must be fought for to even release this narrative into the world of performance, the examination of the inner and outer self, how the victim narrative can be seen as a dream interpretation based on the fact that reality for those who have experienced trauma can be dissociated, the myth vs. history of discourse around the victim narrative and how this relates to female memory and identity, the position of the creator and the critiquer, modes of performance, influences of solipsism, and silence and voice in the construct of being both a victim and a hero of one’s own narrative.

I have chosen to examine Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur, Ariel by Sylvia Plath, and the Melodrama album by Lorde, for I believe they are most recognizable as victim narratives when being examined for such a purpose. This selection is pleasing in the span of time that these women have created from, and from what realm they create, both in music and poetry, which shows transferability of the hegemonic and patriarchal epidemic that is inflicted on victim narratives.

I.Tension: First Pull

1. Victim Narratives, Art, and the Female Memory

Victim narratives have an interesting function for women in society, not only for the backlash and trivialization that they are met with, but how many forms of confession one is expressing in the moment of creating and sharing this narrative on a larger platform in the way of being an artist. The female voice is one that is still not fully listened to or heard, and when this voice is used to speak to the truth of a victim narrative, this is no different. When one confesses to being a victim of trauma due to assault, abuse, or harassment, then is an immediate collateral connection to what this means in regards to being a “good”, “normal”, or “true” woman. If you have been assaulted, you are no longer “pure”. Cue victim blaming, question, and the virgin-whore dichotomy that often stems from religious beliefs and discourses. This must be rebuked all the while in an attempt as a victim to make sense of what has been experienced, which come in both pure and dissociative waves. This is used to exemplify the extreme strength victims must acquire to not only work through how they feel due to the trauma, but understanding this emotion in the wake of being questioned and trivialized, especially when this recognition of victimization is placed on a larger artistic scale of poetry or music as we see with Rupi Kaur, Sylvia Plath, and Lorde’s work as female artists; who all create their own form of what can be termed as a victim narrative. It is problematic to attempt to define a victim narrative, for one must then attempt to define the term ‘victim’, ‘trauma’, and ‘narrative’, which exudes feelings of dominance and control over those who have been victimized. This issue is recognized in works that explore the topic of victimization and the narratives of such, for there is a concern with inclusion and validation of those who participate in them.

What is allowed to be trauma and a narrative by social and cultural standards goes on to affect the female memory of this trauma both individually and collectively. This idea of female memory goes on to relate to what we know as dreams. When a victim’s reality begins to become distorted not only due to the fallout of trauma, but due to the implications that societal standards have on a victim's recollection of the trauma, whether they choose to vocalize this or not, can make their reality become dissociative or dream-like. Gaps may be filled in, glossed over, or blocked off completely.  This is internal sense of order and control, much like Kant’s “moral order within”, which can be juxtaposed with a sociological order ‘without’ (Hilbert, The Anomalous Foundations of Dream Telling: Objective Solipsism and the Problem of Meaning). This article talks heavily about the reality and fantasy of dreams, the symbolic content of such, the active connection between the dreamer and the receptive audience of when this dream is told, and how dreams are solipsistic in nature due to how reality within the dream is purely individual to the dreamer, for they are the only one who has access to such information. I would like to suggest that this can be transferred over directly to victim narratives as the dreams, the storytelling of these dreams as performance of these narratives in poetry and music, on the solipsistic basis that this is the simultaneous reality and dream that the victim has come to understand, and therefore wants to share with the public. The natural response to such theorizing is spoken to early on by Hilbert, for what it ultimately comes down to is ‘truth’ that is desired to be made into ‘Truth’ on the basis of patriarchal and hegemonic power systems. “How is it possible that, for dreamers and audiences alike, narratives can be told by solitary individuals as accurate and trustworthy representations of dreams which attendant social discourse is “about” and upon which attendant discourse depends? How is the “whatever” that which is subjected to competing versions of what the “whatever” might signify or represent, or how one should understand the “whatever”, or what one should do with it, or how one should study it--constituted in the first place,” (Hilbert, The Anomalous Foundations of Dream Telling: Objective Solipsism and the Problem of Meaning). The female voice that narrates and creates narratives from a place of victimization is still being questioned and trivialized by a group of people in power who do not have the ability to place themselves in female position in a society that is inherently sexist, misogynists, and abusive to women. Hilbert advocates for the validation of the ‘Truth” that dreamers tell, and I like to think that I am doing the same.

Victim narratives can take on many forms, but what is of most interest in this analysis is how it can take on an art form, and how this art form can be seen as an interpretation of a dream due to how society so often changes and distorts the female reality and memory, specifically in relation to victimization and how this dream projection is a way of trying to change these norms while simultaneously to heal through trauma and pain.

2. Inner and Outer Places Relating to Identity, Individualism, and Solipsism

One of the larger themes that has been noteworthy among research thus far is the moment of tension and separation between inner and outer places in the way of how a victim may understand the trauma they have experienced within themselves, how the outer places, being society, may understand this trauma, and how this clash can affect how one sees and accepts trauma realities in relation to female memory, identity as a victim, survivor, and woman, and how there may be a solipsistic cling to the reality within due to the tendency of the outer places to offer validation to victims and their narratives. In a grand view of feminist poetry as a movement throughout each feminist wave, there is a progression to the linking of poetry with politics as far as purpose and content. “The rise of the “new feminism” of the late sixties and early seventies occasioned poetic as well as political action, and, more importantly, the understanding that these were not separate endeavors. Poetry by feminists has been a powerful and essential articulation of female consciousness and concerns,” (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). The problem, is how this female consciousness can become distorted on the collective basis of hegemonic and masculine influence. This leads to the need of what Adrienne Rich calls “Breaking down the barrier between private and public”, or in this context, the inner and outer self or “Personal and collective identity merge in “the cratered night of female memory””, (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). Feminist poetry has a strong pattern of being concerned with ‘truth’ and ‘Truth’ and how individual and cultural truths collide and repel; this is where the politics come in. Jennifer Ashton makes the point in her article Our Bodies, Our Poems that poets can produce a part of themselves into their work. “And the recent reintegration of lyric into the study of “innovative” women’s poetry should come as no surprise, for there is an obvious way in which the innovation of form, reimagined as a production from the poet’s body, becomes the most literal variant of the self-expression that has been, for the last two centuries or so anyway, the hallmark of lyric,” (Ashton, Our Bodies, Our Poems). There is a unifying point of lyrical and poetical writing and expression.

Juhasz references Audre Lorde’s explanation of “places of possibility” where “we have knowledge and power that we have yet to use because they are unverbalized”, which can be viewed as “deep places” “because they are ancient and hidden; they have survived and grown strong through darkness”, which mirrors the creative process of bringing these dreams and victim narratives to the surface in the form of poetry or music (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). There is a chance to explore these places through poetry, as well as music, for both are a written creative process that depend heavily on emotion that must be turned into understandable language. There is a potential justification for solipsism and individualism, which are most often not viewed as the most common if traits or states of being, for victims must do exist within this for survival. In a society that tries to take your trauma, abuse, assault, and rape from you to then turn it into something else that is more conducive for the larger cultural and patriarchal narrative, a victim must live within themselves to find the true reality of their trauma, which in itself is not dependent due to dissociative tendencies the brain has to lower pain, PTSD flashbacks, and to increase chances of survival. This justification is seen in Hilbert’s work. He suggests that objective solipsism as a possibility to “impose order on an accountability senseless scene”, which is problematic in the way of discourse for it can suggest that these “scene” which are dreams or victims narratives are senseless and therefore not to be believed (Hilbert, The Anomalous Foundations of Dream Telling).

While on the topic of “places”. Lorde’s song Perfect Places explores this idea of in betweenness and reality that simultaneously exists and doesn’t. “All of the things we're taking/'Cause we are young and we're ashamed/Send us to perfect places/All of our heroes fading/Now I can't stand to be alone/Let's go to perfect places.”

Audre Lorde describes the female position of power as “The woman’s place of power within each of us is neither white nor surface; it is dark, it is ancient, and it is deep,” (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). The description of this place of power with the terms of both “light” and “dark” give the feeling of it being more artistic in nature by utilizing shade or color language. Victims must create their own place of power amongst systems and discourses that are not conducive to their validation. This can cause a distortion in identity. In Juhasz article, there is a moment in her language that can add to this distortion due to invalidation of the female voice that is present in poetry that speaks to bringing states of consciousness into being. “These poems that enter the space of the mind, that try to describe states of consciousness felt more than explained, often use dreams and other specifically nonrational situations as ways of reaching an understanding, and a rendering, of mental experience,” (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). By calling them “non rational situations”, regardless of authorial intent, this gives the feeling invalidation to what is being written about and told, for it is stemming from a place that is not rational, and therefore not believable. While the creative process is not the most rational one in the way of generalized definition, it is not necessarily something to be trivialized.

Art for healing’s sake. While there is capitalistic gain that is happening and should be recognized for all artists when they release their creation into the world for audience consumption, this is not the only motivation behind this creation. This is where the divides between artistic solipsism and performing solipsism.

• Modes of Performance

There is an interesting connection between the artwork that is present in both Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur and the minimalistic hand drawn artwork that is interspersed among the poems, and Lorde’s lighting setup for the Melodrama album tour that is inspired by minimal and romantic pieces that are meant to feel like hand drawn journal entries that are created by Lorde herself. It has this feeling of creating your own outer place of  reality from the perception of one’s inner place of reality. This seems to be a more physical portrayal of the dream-like quality of victim narratives.

Milk and Honey is broken down into four sections of “the hurting”, “the loving”, “the breaking”, and “the healing”. There seems to be a correlation between this to Kosenko and Laboy’s explanation of different forms of survival narratives (Kosenko and Laboy, “I Survived”: The Content and Forms of Survival Narratives) . These narratives can include optimism and growth, grief and loss, providence, self-reliance, and justice. These themes are present in both the poetry of Plath and Kaur, as well as the lyrical poetry of Lorde. For the sake of time, I won't go into detail, but these themes can in the future be applied to each song or poem to show each.

• “Good Guy” Construct

The “good guy construct stems from both patriarchal hegemony and intellectual and progressive men who may give off the perception of being “good” in their support of the female voice, experience, and the narratives that are given, until they show their ingrained toxic masculinity and patriarchal influences in their way of speaking and being. Lorde references this idea of the “good guy” in her song Writer in the Dark, with the lyric “Break the news, you're walking out; To be a good man for someone else; Sorry I was never good like you; Stood on my chest and kept me down; Hated hearing my name on the lips of a crowd; Did my best to exist just for you.” Sylvia Plath can be included in this discussion with her husband, Ted Hughes, who was also an acclaimed poet and intellectual trailblazer who cheated on Plath and was accused of being abusive, but Plath was often the one who was blamed for this

II. Tension: Strain

1. Myth vs. History; Creator and Critique

The myth aspect of this dichotomy is represented by the mythical feeling that trauma may have due to dissociation and distortion that is inspired by social biases and civilizations regarding victims. Femaleness and femininity has historically been associated with nature, specifically in poetry. As storytellers of dreams and victim narratives, women must play a role of “reclaiming woman’s mythic (and traditional) association with Nature, that role woman was forced to play to man’s Culture--her primitive, savage, childish Other to his Human--by investing it with language, hence power,” (Juhasz, Transformations in Feminist Poetry). Through creation, women are in an active role of taking back their voice from those who have inflicted the trauma, to not only change the course of their own history, but the course of the greater history for women in general. This leads to the idea of construction of history through poetry to unravel toxic myth that can be seen in Juhasz’s work. Comparing and relating this to Hilbert’s suggestion that dream narratives are often compared to cultural mythologies, one can then place this in the form of victim narratives and hegemonic control and patriarchal myth to then see how this all meshes and transfers over into one another. One is an exemplifier of the other.

2. Victim vs. Heroes; Silence and Voice

If we view these female artists as the heroes of their story and of their individual identity, we can see them progress through the toxicity to reach a platform to which we can then share and experience as an audience. There is a certain level of both silence and voice that must be and should be obtained to be both a victim and a hero. There is a level of performance that is expected to being a victim, but this is another analysis altogether.

The rest is yet to come in the next draft. There is so much more to say.

Conscious and Progressive Online Blog Presences: Tauriq Moosa

Same blog, different class, different content. This is a class-based blog that is utilized for examining content that is very much a theoretical exploration of social media, pop culture, all the ‘ism’s’, and the how's and why's of all of this interconnectedness in the way of exploring what makes our communication what it is. This transition in blog content is thanks to COMM 378 Advanced Vocational Speaking which acts as a pre-senior thesis prep course. We all must die eventually, this may just be how I go; via theoretical exhaustion. So let us begin.

Twitter for me has become a source of intellectual stimulation in a more user-friendly, relaxed setting with the occasional troll or fascist nazi...well there actually seems to be a lot of those lately. It is a space where I go to find the latest news, whether that be local or global, and am most interested in how this content is being dealt with by those that I follow, and the response that they receive from others due to their opinions and explanations.

This is not so much a matter of attempted mimicry in how to go about processing social media and being able to respond to it in a way that is progressive and just, but a chance to watch this immense amount of movement shrink and swell by the second from your usually sedentary position behind a screen. It is fascinating on that level at least. This is also a nod to the increase need for appropriate and effective rhetoric use via social media in the era of a social media President who cannot seem to keep his hands off of the keyboard at those most horrific of times, in the most skin curling of ways. Thats my lesson for today, I guess, but we all already knew this. I digress.

So the point of this first blog post starts on Twitter for me. One of the intellectual voices that I follow on Twitter is Tauriq Moosa. He does not have a Wikipedia page that I could find in order to give you the following info, which is interesting to me, but you can find all you need to know on his blog or bio for the blogging organization he now works for, Big Think. He is based in Cape Town, South Africa, has a degree in Applied Ethics, and he debated religion with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the BBC documentary, the Tutu Talks, which is cool, and has been featured on local radio shows. He also is a comic book reader and writer. It seems fitting. For this assignment we were asked to analyze the content of a blogger whose presence is relevant to the field we would like to enter into. I think the words and criticisms of an ethicist are relevant regardless of the field I enter into. The more broad topics that he represents as as writer is practical ethics, which goes on to focus on subjects like free expression, killing, sex, and religion in public life. 

Moosa is automatically an intriguing presence for me because he offers a lot of contradiction in what he writes and purposefully delves into topics that are controversial with the intent to theorize and explore. Most obviously, his focus is on ethics and atheism when you reach his blog.

The cliche view of atheism is that those who practice or identify with this stance are without moral code and are lost sheep who have fallen to the tailed and horned one dancing in hell. What may not be understood is that an atheist can still be a human being with a functioning brain that is able to discern between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’, if those binaries even exist to begin with, and may be more efficient in doling out ethical treatment to others than those who condemn them.

He is ultra critical of religion and how it relates to social and cultural life, with an overt presence of atheist lensed criticism, in how it socially grooms and dehumanizes in regards to gender and sexuality identity, race, ethnicity, social class, etc.

His personal blog is called The Indelible Stamp and has been in existence since 2009. He has taken a hiatus from this page since February, for he is now writing for Big Think, and has made a transition in blog presence. By reading some of his last posts on his personal blog and then some on his Big Think blogging area, one can see he has become more selective of what he has to deal with in regard to the backlash he gets and his reasoning for being thus. But regardless of this change, one can tell what mark Tauriq Moosa is making in the world by the content that he shares, regardless of the platform.

The Indelible Stamp focuses on social freedoms and progressions that may come into conflict with religion and the give and take relationship between the two with references to noteworthy individuals in our society who have enough broad recognition to serve asa point of reference for his analysis and exploration. Gender, race, sexuality, economic systems and theories, law, and pop culture are connected with this question of ethics and inherently religion. This seems to be a moving point of focus in which the rest of Moosa’s content revolves around. It is not so much repetitive, but there is a clear pattern as to what he focuses on to create, and he becomes a forefront member in these discussions in a way that feels reliable and consistent. I do not think that this is something that he did not have in mind when beginning this blogging journey, for we do not create without the slightest, most hidden desire to become recognized for what we produce and share.

Social Media and Society Final Project: Official Listing of References

References

Bassett, L. (2016, October 10). Hillary Clinton Eviscerates Donald Trump Over ‘Grab Them By The P***y’ Comments. Retrieved from The Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-pussy-debate_us_57faeb94e4b0e655eab54e43

Cohen, C. (2016, November 9). Donald Trump sexism tracker: Every offensive comment in one place. Retrieved from The Telegraph website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-comment-in-one-place/

The Cut. (2016, October 27). An Exhaustive List of the Allegations Women Have Made Against Donald Trump. Retrieved from nymag.com website: http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/10/all-the-women-accusing-trump-of-rape-sexual-assault.html

Farrar-Myers, V. A., & Vaughn, J. S. (2015). Controlling the Message; New Media in American Political Campaigns. New York, NY/US: New York University Press.

Foran, C. (2016, October 13). Donald Trump's Cynical Exploitation of Rape Culture. Retrieved from The Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/10/donald-trump-women-accusations-sexual-assault/504089/

Mandiberg, M. (2012). The Social Media Reader. New York, NY/US: New York University Press.

Pearson, C., Gray, E., & Vagianos, A. (2016, October 28). A Running List Of The Women Who’ve Accused Donald Trump Of Sexual Assault. Retrieved from The Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/a-running-list-of-all-the-women-whove-accused-donald-trump-of-sexual-assault_us_57ffae1fe4b0162c043a7212

Vagianos, A. (2016, November 29). 7 Survivors On What It Means To Have An Accused Sexual Predator In The White House. Retrieved from The Huffington Post website: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/7-survivors-on-what-it-means-to-have-a-man-accused-of-sexual-assault-in-the-white-house_us_583c7163e4b01ba68ac5732a

Vrooman, S. S., Dr. (2002). New Media & Society. The art of invective, pp. 51-70.

The Washington Post recording from 2005 (Trans.). (2016, October 8). Transcript: Donald Trump’s Taped Comments About Women. Retrieved from The New York Times website: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/08/us/donald-trump-tape-transcript.html?_r=0

WAVAW Rape Crisis Center. (n.d.). What Is Rape Culture? Retrieved from WAVAW Rape Crisis Center website: http://www.wavaw.ca/what-is-rape-cultu

Social Media and Society Final Project: Personal Reflection

      There is so much evidence that I simply could not get to due to the reality of social media and the amount of content that is out there. For this I apologize. I apologize to every victim and perpetrator, to every ignorant and educated mind that my mediocre research and mediocre writing could not extend forever without ceasing, in hopes that someone, at least one person, could read it and have their opinions changed for the better, if even ever so slightly.

      The interest in this subject of rape culture, sexual assault, misogyny, sexism, victim blaming, and feminism stems from such a personal place, and I have therefore taken this entire project and process of research on this topic personally, in hopes that someone else would not have to inflict or receive the things that I have personally, in what I have seen with those that I love, and simply on the basis of seeing other human beings suffering and hurting in this way.

      I knew that this project would be nothing but drawbacks and shortcomings, for you simply cannot analyze and search the the same amount of social media that is being put out even by the second.

      This is me trying to be brave. Trying to step out of that box that rape culture and every
branch that extends off of that puts you in, tells you to be quiet, to let it go, to not speak up for yourself and others. This is me speaking, in the best way I know how, in the best medium I know
how, because I have a track record of people not listening to my verbal words, they no longer have
merit, not even to me; so I choose to write instead.

      I was put into that box, and have been in that box, and this is me reaching out of it, grabbing the hands of others and bringing them with me. Into the light. Into the truth. Into the reality. This gut-wrenching reality where our future leader has so proudly and confidently stood on a platform of rhetoric and actions that support everything I denounced in this analysis. Dylan Thomas has been so over-quoted due to recent events, but my goodness, if there were ever a more perfect poem.

      This is me raging against the dying light.
   
      Quietly, uncertainly, and hopefully raging.

Social Media and Society Final Project: Conclusion

      For this analysis, there is no specific and final conclusion, but rather a look to the next steps to take. In regards to this specific set of data, I believe that this step would be to keep searching. More platforms, more people, more times of day, more trolls, more advocates, older posts, newer posts. More. There will always be more to examine and analyze on social media, but I think at some point you have to stop and examine the why. In this analysis, I was not able to get to the why of this social media behavior for the sake of time and argument, but this would be the next big step in expanding this search even further. The answer probably has something to do with the natural state of close-mindedness, ignorance, and  self-preservation that humans seem to always fall back on; this has been reflected in the followership of Trump. I get the same feeling that I did when reading the character of President Snow from the Hunger Games series, only now, it is way more real. A little juvenile, but relatable. May the odds be ever in favor? Only time will tell.

Social Media and Society Final Project: Analysis

The Women Against Violence Against Women website provides more clear insights as to how rape culture looks in the world as we know it, and many of these examples can be seen emerging due to the election. “Rape culture includes jokes, TV, music, advertising, legal jargon, laws, words and imagery, that make violence against women and sexual coercion seem so normal that people believe that rape is inevitable. Rather than viewing the culture of rape as a problem to change, people in a rape culture think about the persistence of rape as “just the way things are,” (Force: Upsetting the Rape Culture). This can be immediately connected to Trump’s “locker room talk” defense after being caught talking in a repulsively degrading manner about women and suggesting that he grab them and kiss them without asking and without their consent. The transcript of this conversation is as follows:

Trump: "Yeah, that’s her. With the gold. I better use some TicTacs just in case I start

kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing

them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you

do it. You can do anything." Bush: "Whatever you want." Trump: "Grab’em by the pussy.

You can do anything,” (Transcript: Donald Trump’s Taped Comments About Women,

New York Times).

I conducted an interview with English and Women’s Studies professor Dr. Pamela Johnston about the connection that she has personally seen between the rhetoric regarding rape culture and the election as a professional in the field of Women’s Studies and as an educator. Her comments will be interspersed throughout this section as necessary and they will begin with the comments that Trump has said above.

“When those audiotapes were first released, I was honestly shocked that anyone cared about what he was saying--I've heard similar things being said about women all my life. The election results have simply proven to me that I was right to be shocked. When I have this discussion with people, many of them say "I don't agree with everything he says, but . . ." Whatever follows that "but" is really important, because it's the thing someone cares about more than a woman's right to integrity.” (Johnston)

     This type of language happens all of the time, this has not just started with Trump, and it represents a level of power and dominance, but I think a level of surprise came when a potential and now future leader of the United States was seen saying things that were so clearly sexist, misogynistic, and playing into the very real rape culture that exists in our society. He has openly stood on a platform of speech and actions that have supported the mistreatment and derogatory language towards women and many have followed his example. “We need to notice this stuff, get outraged, and share our outrage with others. Staying aware of rape culture is painful work, but we can’t interrupt the culture of violence unless we are willing to see what it is,” (WAVWA Staff). 
     In a debate following the release of this video and comments by Trump, we see Hillary Clinton speaking to the wrongness of these comments and the clear truth of character of Donald Trump because of them and his past history of consistently acting and speaking in similar ways. Her words are captured in an article by Laura Bassett for the Huffington Post, Hillary Clinton Eviscerates Donald Trump Over ‘Grab Them By The P***y Comments. “What we all saw and heard on Friday was Donald talking about women, what he thinks about women, what he does to women,” Clinton said. “And he has said that the video doesn’t represent who he is, but I think it’s clear to anyone who heard it that it represents exactly who he is, because we’ve seen this throughout the campaign.” This is a woman, Clinton, calmly sharing her outrage with the world. She is choosing to speak up on her own platform of equality, decency, and yes, even honesty, despite her flaws as a human being and as a politician, in order to work against this rhetoric that plays into rape culture and the normalization of it, especially when it is passed off as “locker room talk”. 
      This outrage can be seen in tweets and Facebook posts. There is a level of betrayal that so many people feel because the issue of rape, sexual assault, gendered violence, misogyny, and sexism have made leaps and bounds in the normalization process. We are not progressing, but digressing, simply on the grounds that an individual with this set of beliefs was able to make it into such an incredible position leadership and power based upon the votes of the American people. This betrayal and hurt can be seen on social media in multiple ways on social media. One of these ways can be seen in the Huffington Post article by Alanna Vagianos, 7 Survivors On What It Means To Have An Accused Sexual Predator In The White House, in which seven survivors, Cassie, Jennifer, Risa, Jacqueline, Alexis, and Sarah, of sexual assault and rape come forth to describe how it feels that their country elected a man who stands for the normalization of rape culture, sexual assault,  mistreatment of women, and the fact that he is even in accusation of being a sexual predator himself. Their testimonies and explanation via social media are included in this article.   

      One of the victims and those interviewed, Sarah Ortega, 20 year old Winona State University student, participated in the social media discussion regarding rape culture, sexual assault, and the rhetoric that Trump has spewed this election cycle. In the post she states "This election was eerily similar to the rhetoric that was spewed at me when I reported my assault to police and campus authority.” This post received 230 likes, 56 shares, and 18 comments that were all “thank you’s”, praises for strength and bravery, and loving support. It was surprising to see that there were no negative comments within the mix, but this could be linked to level of publicity she has as an individual and as a Facebook presence. However, the feeds in which this post arose due to the likes and shares could have very easily aroused negativity, but it is unrealistic to be able to track down and analyze each share and like for an accurate view of what negativity this attracted. 
      The point is that conversations about rape culture are still being had in relation to Trump and are being met with positivity and understanding, it is not all negation and resistance. Ortega took her impact even further by creating a photo campaign the featured 7 WSU students, herself included, that were survivors of sexual assault; the photos were taken by a local photographer, Cynthia Porter. She used this project for her minor at WSU, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality. “The most frustrating thing I have faced through my healing process is the silence of people close to me,” she said. “Silence NEVER favors the victim... The first step in changing rape culture on Winona State’s campus is to simply talk about it. The conversation will be uncomfortable, but it must happen,” (Ortega). I think a big common thread that can be recognized throughout this is that people are not staying silent in the wake of this hurt and pain, but are choosing to speak up in an and every form possible, including social media. 
      Sarah Ortega is actively moving through the levels of activism, which move from ‘slacktivism’, which can be seen in the simple action of changing a profile picture or filter to support a national or global cause or by handing out bracelets or shirts supporting your cause, which then moves to iconic or commercial versions that are created of these picture and filter changes, to financial donations by others, rallies, and potentially violence as a backlash to this activism (COMM 339 class discussion, Vrooman). She is not simply raising awareness, but is utilizing and giving voice to multiple members of the community that she is involved in and sharing the message and campaign that they created to others on a much larger scale. Trump may have inspired a lot of hate, but he is also inspiring a lot of change. 
      In conjunction with this, there is also a running list of women that have recently come forth in admittance saying that Donald Trump sexually assaulted them in the past. This list was created by Alanna Vagianos, Catherine Pearson, and Emma Gray, for the Huffington Post article A List Of The Women Who’ve Accused Donald Trump Of Sexual Assault, and is dedicated solely to this content and the voices of those who have come forth. Included is their stories, the time in which the assault happened, the time in which they came forth, and the response, if any, that Trump gave to their accusations; Ivana Trump, Donald’s ex-wife, is included in this list. Many of these women have accused Trump years after the actual assault taking place, often just this year in which he has run for president, and this has raised suspicion by many in regards to them potentially fabricating these accusations. 

Trump bragged about sexual assault. 12+ women confirmed it. Next, he was elected president & named Time's Person of the Year. #RapeCulture

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) December 8, 2016

      The largest gap in time that is present within this article is seen with Jill Harth, who worked with Trump in the 1990s. The assault happened in 1993 and she went through the legal process of attempting to accuse him, but it did not lead to anything to the point that she dropped it, and the public was made known of this information, this year in 2016 with the rising of his “grabbing” comments in the video footage. "In a 1997 lawsuit, Harth alleged in court documents that Trump repeatedly sexually harassed her, at one point groping her under the table. (The documents were surfaced by The Boston Globe.) Though she eventually dropped that suit, she stands by her story. “How can people not believe me now?” she asked “Inside Edition” after footage of Trump saying he grabs women by the pussy emerged,” (Huffington Post). Trump’s response to this that it was, in fact, Harth that pursued him. 
      Their lateness in confession plays in directly to rape culture and the fear and hesitance that women have in coming forth because they think that they will not be taken seriously or they will experience victim blaming; both are further traumatizing and defeating. 

"There are plenty of reasons why sexual assault survivors may not immediately report an attack, including fear of retaliation and concern that they will not be believed. And it is one thing for an accused person to deny an allegation of assault. But to ask the American public to reflexively dismiss the women speaking out against Trump based on the disparity between when they say the assaults took place and when they decided to come forward is to perpetuate rape culture––a term coined in the 1970s to describe the way society tolerates a broad range of behaviors that create an environment where sexual offenders are not held accountable for their actions, and victims are blamed instead,” (Foran, Donald Trump’s Cynical Exploitation of Rape Culture, The Atlantic). 

"Why don't people come forward about sexual assaults?"

Cause they live in a country where they'll get blamed & their attacker gets support

— ⚡️blackstepfather ⚡️ (@zephaniiiah) December 1, 2016

This is #rapeculture disgraceful! This is why most victims stay in the shadows! #feminisim #strongertogether https://t.co/OQ2gwVENhZ

— Mrs.Citlalli Rdz (@citlallitita) December 1, 2016

The argument against feminism and the need for it in such “free” and “equal” times is becoming harder and harder to make due to the mass amounts of evidence via social media that is present and is continuing to roll in by the second.
      There are men who are tweeting about rape culture, what it means to them, and are in conversations with others about this with others on Twitter, which, I think, shows incredible growth and positivity. In the tweet below, this individual, Paul Hosford, a news writer with The Journal.i.e. and verified Twitter user, describes in his tweets an interaction he had with a woman and his thinking process and revelations in relation to rape culture. These tweets are from about a month ago, so it clear that the rape culture conversation is still happening. It shows a huge amount of honesty and growth that I am sure not many people would be willing to admit to, for he at first reacted to this situation in an ignorant way. He openly recognizes this fault and uses this to explain the stance that men may take in regards to rape culture. Just because you as a man wouldn’t rape a woman, does not mean that women are able to trust and treat you like you will not, for social conditioning, personal experience, and media constantly tell them otherwise. 

I get why men get defensive on the issue of rape culture. I really do. I actually had a similar experience not long ago. #CuttingEdge

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

He initially gets offended that she would even think that he would assault or rape her. 

5. And initially, I'm *fuming*. Absolutely furious, like. Does she not know that I'm clearly not going to assault her, but I'm also woke af?

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

But he quickly relays his realization that this situation is not really about he is feeling, it is about how that woman was feeling in that instance and how that transfer into how other women feel in similar instances, and even larger, how this contributes to the discussion of rape culture. 

7. But I say nothing cos it's really late and I want to get home. And when I get in, it hits me right in the fucking jaw: It's not about me.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

8. And now I'm just embarrassed for being offended. I mean, imagine living in a world where you feel you *have* to walk behind men?

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

9. Imagine not feeling safe in the three minute walk to your house? And yeah, men feel unsafe a lot. But every single day?

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

10. And *that* is rape culture. It's not that men are milling around the streets raping women left and right. It's more nebulous.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

11. And that makes it so much harder to tackle, to recognise our own behaviour impacts on women. But that doesn't mean we can dismiss it.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) November 30, 2016

Hosford is openly and unapologetically calling attention to the feelings of women, the reality of rape culture, and what men should and need to think about on a daily basis to better understand it and not contribute to it in a negative or harmful way. It truly was a beautiful thing to see unfold, especially via social media when it is so often filled with hate and argument. Overall he received 606 likes, 347 retweets, and 40 or more comments to his set of tweets. All together, at least 993 people were impacted in some way from his words and who is to know how many more were impacted due to how these 993 individuals chose to share this information. This is the beauty of social media. It creates webs of conversion that can start from something so small, but can reach to so many. 

In response to this series of tweets, some individuals chose to use his words to support their own advocation and awareness of rape culture, this one, from the beginning of December; the conversation keeps building and building. 

Don't really "get" #rapeculture? This thread explains it perfectly. It's not about you, it's about women feeling safe #16DaysOfActivism https://t.co/iD0HuX9uHJ

— Eleanor McGrath (@EleanorMKM) December 1, 2016

Then there are others that argued the point that Hosford made in a expectedly ignorant and unresolved “agree to disagree” way by the end. This is always disappointing because it shows strong people will stand with what the were raised with and with what they have alway believed, even in the face of factual and logical evidence of truth and reality. That is rape culture.

@PTHosford @Specklet The grim reality is that there will also be rapists and that women will always have to be wary, regardless of location

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet However, that doesn't necessarily mean we live in a rape culture. Cat-calling or groping culture maybe

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet And just so we're clear: unwanted groping is sexual assault.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet Yes, but it's not rape

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet Like I've said: nobody is saying rape culture means men raping thousands of women. It's a culture. More nuanced.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet Yes, but lumping cat-calling and rape into one term "rape culture" is hardly the best approach.Congo has a rape culture

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet I don't live in Congo. There's far more homelessness in Nepal, but we work to make Ireland a better place.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet Yes, but we don't claim to have a culture of homeless people. The word "rape" carries serious weight.

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet So you accept women get sexually assaulted as part of our culture, but your fight is against terminology?

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet I agree that it happens and I'm sure the majority of women have experiences some groping or cat-calling but it's not a

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet part of our culture that is distinguisable from other countries in the way that drinking is

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet Are you saying that women get sexually assaulted as part of our culture and should just accept it? I'm done.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet Do you realistically think we can stop men groping women in clubs and shouting at women in the street?

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @Specklet YES! Look, you've taken this argument as far as it can go now. I'm out.

— Paul Hosford (@PTHosford) December 1, 2016

@PTHosford @Specklet Ok, agree to disagree. Goodnight.

— Niall McGinley (@NMcGinley96) December 1, 2016

@NMcGinley96 @PTHosford @Specklet Fucking hell. Rape culture is men telling women what degree of assault is acceptable and inevitable.

— Vida Bailey (@vidabailey2) December 1, 2016

      That was a lot, but I feel that it is important to watch a conversation unfold where rape culture is so obviously being tossed back and forth and no progress is being made due to the refusal to think in a different way for even a moment. "I think most people are accustomed to patterns of thinking, and that's what they stick with. That's the easiest route to take. That's why you hear people say things like "That's just how I was raised"--they're telling you that they aren't interested in re-thinking anything. So if they've been told women make up rape allegations on a regular basis, that's what they'll believe. And if they can cite even one example that supports this idea, then they're sold on its validity,” (Johnston). Paul Gosford’s tweets received way more support, than Niall McGinley’s, obviously largely due to his followership, and he stood up for what he believed in until it truly did become a pissing match. Such maturity, such grace, such willingness to be an adult and talk it out. 

These tweets thus far have been fairly tame as opposed to what is often circulating on Twitter and can be more violent and aggressive. A lot of the aggressiveness often times stems from ignorance or misdirected anger. An example of tweets like this is as follows: 

The world will be a better place when people like @KellyannePolls die out &the youth take over. #sexualpredator #rapist #rapeculture #resist https://t.co/AwrLHueDoy

— DJ Chela (@DJChela) December 1, 2016

Obviously DJ Chela is attempting to take a stand against rape culture and the ignorant bafoons that only encourage it due to their rhetoric and opinions. However, waiting for the ignorant to die off so the “youth” can take over is not exactly a solution either. Many of the youth are ignorant to rape culture and many of the youth actually voted for Trump. Rather than wait for the extinction of Trump-esque individuals, it would be best to focus on the education of every single individual on this planet, living and heck, why not dead, about the reality of rape culture and what can be done in order to create a social shift so large that one day rape culture will not be a topic of argument or misunderstanding. Maybe then we can begin to eradicate it completely along with sexism, misogyny, racism, classism, and all other forms of discrimination.  
However, it is fair to point out the absurdity of Kellyanne Conway’s words on rape culture and who is to blame. She is contributing to rape culture in a way that pays homage to Trump himself. 
“Not surprisingly, there is little indication that the Trump campaign believes rape culture is a legitimate phenomenon. The Republican nominee’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, once said that “rape would not exist” if women were as physically strong as men, an argument that seems to suggest rape is the product of an innate impulse in all men and women’s inherent weakness,” (Foran, DonaldTrump’s Cynical Exploitation of Rape Culture, The Atlantic).

Men are raped as well. Rape is not always gender specific. #rapeculture @BryanDawsonUSA @Mama3Cubs @KellyannePolls

— Dowhatisright (@stand4all) December 1, 2016

This individual’s tweet points out another obvious fault in Conway’s way of thinking and the evidence that she has to support it.

       There is an entire page by The Telegraph dedicated solely to the sexists tweets, remarks, and 

comments of Donald Trump, some dating back to the 1980s; some track record eh? In the tweet 

below that was also listed on this page none other is directly speaking to rape culture and its reality 

than Trump himself.  

26,000 unreported sexual assults in the military-only 238 convictions. What did these geniuses expect when they put men & women together?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2013

Some of the comments and interactions to this tweet were as follows below. Some of these comments are actually quite gloriously witty and charming in the dealings with the sheer stupidity of Trump’s tweet and these are just a few of the responses; most of them are absolute gold. Some of them are highly inappropriate, yes, but it kind of helps you fight through the abrupt acidity of his ignorance. This communication in this instance is more in defense of the misinformed ignorance of Trump in regards to this topic of sexual assault and rape culture that makes the appearance via Twitter vomiting.

@tom_hawking @realDonaldTrump What were our bosses thinking! Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Perverts!

— Marina Galperina (@mfortki) May 8, 2013

@realDonaldTrump Unlike Clownface Von Fuckstick, real men can control their libido and not rape. Not so sure about him.

— J.J. McDubie (@JJ_McDubie) May 7, 2013

@JJ_McDubie @realDonaldTrump I wonder if he'd justify paedophilia the same way: "Schools? What did you expect, putting adults with kids?"

— Edwin StrattonMackay (@Eddiesilence) May 7, 2013

Reminder that Donald Trump genuinely believes sexual assault is an inevitable side effect of prolonged human contact https://t.co/piVMgbRJyy

— Glen Coco (@MrPooni) July 28, 2015

@BrianLynch @BittrScrptReadr @realDonaldTrump Been only woman in a group&nothing sexual happened. Men in my life don't get advice from porn

— Billie Jean VK (@BillieJeanVK) May 8, 2013

@RealAdamRose @realDonaldTrump this is why I love @KarlUrban pic.twitter.com/OyuodHRy06

— ℳel (@focusings) October 14, 2016

- @realDonaldTrump what the fuck you utter cocksack? You have IQ of a rocking horse

— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) May 8, 2013

      Looking to my own experience with social media ranting, flying spittle included, we take a detour to Facebook. A personal Facebook friend of mine made a post in regards to this video of 14 year old Kayley Dixon and the poetry she wrote in regards to sexual assault. I will keep names anonymous for their sake and for mine. These interaction happened in September and was indefinitely influenced by the election rhetoric. This individual is a wholehearted Trump supporter and conservative in every way. ‘Merica. 

His comment to the video was as follows: 

"Rape is something no one should ever have to go through. I have a younger sister and I can't imagine that happening to her. But to classify all men as potential rapist is no different than calling all white men racist, or all black men thugs. And just because a man says a woman is fine or hot doesn't mean he's going to rape her. And every time a man admires how beautiful a woman is doesn't mean he's mentally undressing her. The problem with this entire world is we judge an entire race/gender by the actions of a few. No one will ever get rid of rapist. Learn how to defend yourself. Carry pepper spray or a taser. And if you're 21 or older get your concealed carry permit and carry a gun,” (Anonymous). 

He is completely playing into rape culture by suggesting that just because he does not intend to rape a woman when giving her a compliment, that women should not think this is ever a possibility when receiving one or being approached by a man. We saw the clarification of this falsity earlier from a male’s perspective with the tweets by Paul Hosford. As if this was not enough for me, I went and read the comments beneath his post. He received praise for his honesty and “respect" towards women, even from his own mother. But this is where I was officially hooked and knew that I could not longer stay silent. He responded to a previous comment on his post by saying "I'm actually lucky enough to have a woman that agrees with me on all this feminism and rape culture bullcrap. I honestly don't even know how these feminist have boyfriends or husbands.” 

Take notice of the “feminism and rape culture bullcrap” excerpt from the quote above. That is rape culture. And I experienced it firsthand. I acknowledge that my argument was not as sound as it could have been, but this is how I proceeded to step in, in the most calm and educated way that I possibly could with the amount of anger and grief that I was feeling in that moment:

"I identify as a feminist and don't see why that should automatically make me unable to have a relationship with a man. For what reason? Because I want equal chances and rights as a man? I don't see why that is a negative thing. The definition of feminism regards the desire for equality, I sincerely encourage you to research it. The question you should be asking is why do women have to be prepared to defend themselves. Teach men not to rape, not women to fear this potential violence. The actions of a few ruin the lives of many, yes, but not in the way you describe. Just because you see certain things as a man does not mean women see things the same way. Calling a woman "fine" or "hot" can easily be harassment if it is not wanted by the woman. You are not allowed to say what women do or do not want just because you think that doesn't make you a rapist. We shouldn't need guns, pepper spray, and self defense to walk confidently through this life. If that is what you are saying you are only encouraging the rape culture to continue. You have no idea how many women you may be hurting by just passing off rape culture as crap. Being a feminist means being an advocate for myself as a woman and for men so we can live in equality. You should want any woman to want to be equal to you as a man. No one is less than in any way, “ (Nance). 

I went on to be explained to by multiple people of how I was wrong and ignorant of reality, and needed to “look at the statistics!” to better understand how it isn’t all strangers in the bushes that rape women (as if I didn’t already know that). I was questioned why I wanted to be treated like a man because I was a feminist, the influence of my own father was brought into the argument with "And I know for a fact that your father wouldn't want you treated like men are”, would I want to be drafted alongside the men if the time came, that I needed to accept the way things were due to biological differences and strengths, that I needed to not expect privilege because I was female and a feminist, i.e. getting custody of children in divorce, and that the reason that my male opposer was “blessed with such a great” woman as his own girlfriend because he was raised so well to believe all of these things, hence the reason why I do not have a relationship of my own. That is the shortened version. Still exhausting, right? 

My response: 

 "I am not saying not to prepare. I believe you missed my point on that one.
Feminism doesn't mean being treated like a man, it means equality. Again I encourage you to research. There is a difference. I am not afraid to fight for my country as well as for myself, if that is what you are asking, regardless of my gender.
No we do not have all rights men do. An easy one is difference in pay. Constitutional rights don't reflect the prevalent sexism and misogyny that negatively impact the lives of women, regardless of the law.
You shouldn't have to beat anyone senseless, use your words eloquently and your mind in a calculated way. Much more powerful.
Men shouldn't be held at a different standard. Feminism helps that.
Feminism will equal out the going to prison for your hypothetical beating of fellow humans.
I don't care if men are "bigger and stronger". That doesn't give you entitlement and it shouldn't affect you in a negative way either. Feminism would help once again.
Feminism would help with divorce and men gaining custody of their own children too. Equality.
Yes, let's look to the Bible. I believe my God wouldn't want me to bow to any earthly man, or be treated as a man as you seem to think I'm trying to say, and that I should receive the same opportunities as any other brother or sister in Christ. We are all equal, no matter who is weak or "strong" or what gender we are.
I'm not passing any assumptions, but rather making a point. But I daresay you have made them all for me as listed above.
Your perception of what feminism actually is is unfortunately skewed and is therefore affecting your argument.
No, my father doesn't want me treated like men are, because that is not what feminism is. I like how you make reference to a man in my life, as if that is supposed to influence me in some way. Put me in my place perhaps? And at the end of the day, my life is to be governed by me, not my father or any other man. We should all be respected, not one more than another, even if it is in the woman's favor,” (Nance). 

      This was my attempt to oppose each opposition that I was dealt with reasons as to why feminism would actually help their confusion as to why we are not equal and how equality would indeed benefit them. Biological differences were brought back up again, that I wanted to be treated like a man because I wanted equality, with a side of thwarted religious support, and a final dash of “Hilary supporter” and that I was “closed minded” (check the misspelling of her name). It truly is saddening that the want of equality is viewed as closed minded, but of course, it is not in that blatancy that they viewed it. There are so many arguable points within this Facebook post that it would take me days to work through them all individually to the extent in which they deserve. I recognized the lost cause of the situation and proceeded to remove myself from the conversation. This is rape culture. The denial that there is a problem. The viewing of rape culture as “bullcrap” and the uneducated understanding of what it is and of how you may be contributing to it. My heart and spirit was utterly broken. I personally took a stand on social media, like so many others that I have analyzed within this set of data, in hopes of changing a perception for the better. 

      The next and last personal experience I have with rape culture hits even closer to home, and I will also be keeping identities anonymous here as well.  Victim-blaming followed a particular confession on the grounds that the victim was not tied down or physically held down by their  assaulter, who was also their boyfriend at the time of almost three years, that the victim still could have said no because of this lack of physical force; a lack of understanding on what rape and rape culture truly is. This individual was aware that the victim had been in this manipulative and borderline emotionally and mentally abusive relationship, but this was not enough to take away the victim’s ability to say no to something of this nature. The victim was at fault, but would be forgiven by God. The victim sat dumbfounded and immediately regretted every word they had uttered. They hated themselves for speaking up, for telling their story that they had suppressed for years, in fear of being judged and due to self-blame. They shared their story and in turn became a part of rape culture instantaneously due to victim blaming. This is why women do not speak up. If this victim could do it all over again, they wouldn’t speak up. They would much rather carry it with them, silently, for the rest of their life, than have to feel that level betrayal and blame from someone that they thought they could be honest with. For them, speaking up was not worth it, it was only used against them, and this is the reality of rape culture. 

       When personally speaking towards these issues, misconceptions, and realities, now more than ever due to the influence that Trump has brought to our society, unless I am with likeminded people, I am told that I am angry, my evidence is wrong, I am too sensitive, and I need to refocus my priorities. I think many individuals are feeling the same way because of the election, but they are choosing to power through this resistance and make their voices heard. I think that this may be a huge reason why people turn to social media to get their feelings, opinions, fears, hopes, and concerns out in the open; they have a bigger chance of being heard. No one will cut them off mid sentence or tell them they are wrong in a hurtful tone, you can’t read that as well in a tweet. You could tweet forever and never stop until your venting was over and at least one person would hear you and probably support you; that doesn’t always happen in physical, verbal communication. Even the most absurd tweets presented in this analysis had at least one like, and sometimes that is all someone needs. Trump has been such an inspiration for people to stand up and voice what they think on public platforms about tough topics like rape culture, and these voices are appearing all over various social media platforms. 

I believe that I have come to a very different concluding point than I originally thought I would; positivity. I did not start out this analysis with strong thoughts of finding people advocating for what is right and for what is true, but I am so happy that I did. This level of positivity has a lot to do with when, how, and what I searched, but I would be lying if I said it did not minutely reinforce my faith in humanity, if even for a moment.