Changing Minds

Photo by Charlotte at flickr.

As a feminist and an activist, I deal with a lot of ignorant and hateful people. When I tell people that I am a Women’s Studies major, I either get an eye roll or a lecture on how it is a useless area of academics. Recently, Miranda posted a great piece that touched a few buttons of men in the comment section. They don’t think men can stop rape. It was typical: nasty “you little ladies do not know what’s what and I (a self considered highly intelligent superior male) have to educate you in the error of your ways” thing, and it got me thinking about people who oppose actions taken in the movement against sexual assault/abuse/rape of women. Opponents of preventive education, anti-rape education, and ending violence against women and the social tendency to blame survivors often focus on three main myths:

1. That few women are victims of sexual assault/rape/abuse.
2. That people who are survivors of sexual violence are ever, in any way, at fault or instigators of the violence.
3. That rape cannot occur in a relationship or with someone with whom the victim has had sex with before.

If you have been reading this blog than you are well aware of this, hopefully. Getting this across to some people, however, proves problematic. It is quite disheartening at times. I do get frustrated- and at times think what is the point? Why bother when obviously some people will not change?

But some people do change. People learn and grow and get new perspectives every day. It has dawned on me that I am an activist because I believe that people can change. If I did not, there would be no reason to blog or organize or protest. And so I want to build on  a recent trend in our pieces here of leaving you with the impetus to do more, to bring about action. We will be highlighting more this September and from now on about local and national movements to end sexual violence, empower survivors, and share voices.

People change- and I believe that myths can be destroyed.

Tags: activism, consent, Education, hookups, masculinity, men, rape, respect, sex, women