rant

 

Have you had moments of reflection where the society we live in and are an active part of, shows itself in a mirror and you cannot be anything but gobsmacked by the bemusing and utterly disgusting face of injustice? A moment like that transpired in class today.

 

I don't know why it is in vogue to discuss rape like everybody's an expert on it, it makes me very uncomfortable just thinking about it, but today, in class, the point of discussion was rape. My professor makes an offhanded comment: "In xxx, we are more 'liberal' than so-called 'liberal' countries that have the death penalty for rape because we do not infringe upon the life of an individual under any circumstance." 

 

My mind seared red hot. Firstly, because as a woman who has existed on this planet for 27 years, I found the discussion highly triggering. Secondly, how could he? So what you mean is that in a country that doesn't deem the action of bodily violation of another individual-girl, woman, child, man, whoever- necessitates the need to have strict punishment somehow makes us 'liberal'? What use is this so-called 'liberty' if people cannot exist in a social sphere sans fear of being violated or at the very least confident that if such a situation does occur, the justice system will give justice to the victim?

 

I reject this hypocritical idea of 'liberal' and liberty vehemently. Liberty should mean freedom to live life with dignity. How can we expect progress in society when this scenario plays out in classrooms and I have to sit quietly seething because commenting would mean an end to my academic career? 

 

What use has 60-odd years of the women's rights movement and marching and empowering women been if we have to sit in university classrooms to hear such bullshit being spouted by deeply respected professors and so-called distinguished members of society? I take this moment to be one of defeat for all that my unknown companions that are women who have shed blood, sweat, and tears and fought tooth and nail to get here. 

 

I should get off my high horse and admit that at times, it is hard to unlearn all this patriarchal nonsense that has been deeply embedded in my psyche to push forward for my values. It is hard to do, so I agree that a person who has held these opinions for many many years might have a problem seeing it any other way. But we, as a collective society, need to do better.