Happy Friday! I thought we’d end the work week with some humor. Or is is truth? In any event, enjoy this video.
Note: You may have to right-click to get the menu, then click on “unmute” to get sound.
https://www.facebook.com/itisasouthernthing/videos/2025739971089347/
Denim Day?! How stupid is that! Not at all when we look at how it started and what wearing denim today means.
18 years ago the Italian Supreme Court reversed a rapist’s conviction because his victim was wearing tight denim pants. Therefore, (they guessed) she must have helped him remove them. Therefore, ruled the court, because she had given implied consent, the sex was consensual. The women in Parliament wore denim the next day in support of the victim and protest at the decision. Thus, Denim Day was born.
What does it mean? Standing up for rape victims. Saying that what a woman wears does NOT mean she’s asking to be raped. That there needs to be changes in attitudes toward sexual assault. As the Denim Day Campaign says, “There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.”
Tomorrow is YOUR DAY. It’s International Women’s Day. I’m not calling you to action or protest or even stand up for your rights–unless, of course, you choose to. I just want to wish you a joyous day in which you simply celebrate the woman you are.
I hate to say it, but these guys being accused of sexual assault and misconduct MAY have a defense strategy, saying it was acceptable behavior “back then.” I’m talking about accusations of events happening decades ago, not ones in the relatively recent past (but someone would have to define that). It definitely isn’t right or moral, but that could very well be set aside.
It happened to me—the butt pats, uncomfortable arm around me, “accidental” breast-brushing, off-color comments about my appearance. But who could I complain to? Our male boss or his male boss? The men who observed and laughed about it? It wasn’t illegal, so the police would tell me it was just boys being boys, that they were showing their affection for and acceptance of me as a colleague, and I should be a good sport. Problem is, the attitude I attribute to the police was, in general, society’s attitude at that time.
I’m not trivializing what any woman has gone through. As I said, I’ve been there and know how it feels and the awkward, even professionally precarious position it puts a woman in. But I foresee lawyers arguing their clients’ cases, with the spin they’ll likely put on it. And the greater the number of older men who are accused, the easier the spin.
Let this be a warning to all “good old boys,” which, thankfully, are no longer the majority of men: times have changed, so be a good sport about it and change your ways.
Denim Day?! How stupid is that! Not at all when we look at how it started and what wearing denim today means.
18 years ago the Italian Supreme Court reversed a rapist’s conviction because his victim was wearing tight denim pants. Therefore, (they guessed) she must have helped him remove them. Therefore, ruled the court, because she had given implied consent, the sex was consensual. The women in Parliament wore denim the next day in support of the victim and protest at the decision. Thus, Denim Day was born.
What does it mean? Standing up for rape victims. Saying that what a woman wears does NOT mean she’s asking to be raped. That there needs to be changes in attitudes toward sexual assault. As the Denim Day Campaign says, “There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.”
All too often we overhear someone laughing at or making fun of someone else’s misfortune or troubles. It’s especially disturbing to hear it among teens, who are on the cusp of an adulthood that should be more understanding and compassionate. Most of us do or say nothing, figuring that it won’t do any good and might cause trouble.
A North Carolina woman encountered this situation one day at Starbucks. Her reactions–and, more importantly, her actions–are refreshing. I wish I’d thought of that.
Read the USA Today story at “Woman gives mean girls an intervention at Starbucks.”
We’ve come a long way in banishing discrimination in hiring. Or have we? This video presents an interesting–and disturbing–picture.
Like my friend Linda, I didn’t think anything about a woman having a heart attack could be at all funny. Actually, I think it would be funny only to women, because a “typical morning” for a man tends to be very different from that of a woman. Anyway, this short video gets the message across while letting us chuckle a bit–if somewhat uneasily. Judge for yourself:
[Thanks to Linda Younts for this one.]