The Night America Told Me that Sexual Assault is Okay

Last night, Donald Trump was elected president. I, like many Americans, couldn't believe it. My Facebook page was drowning in legitimate criticism about his policies, racism, sexism, ableism, etc. People were outraged at the people who voted for third party candidates and the people who wrote in Harambe. 

My anger, however, is reserved for the 53% of white women who voted for this man. A man who brags about committing sexual assault and is on trial for raping a 13-year-old girl.

Read More

Rape Culture is Overlooked Too Much

All over my Facebook feed I see the same meme over and over again: "I'm more worried about what Hillary has done than what Trump has said". This bothers me so much. A few weeks after the election Trump goes on trial for the rape of a 13 year old girl. At 13 years old I was still watching Nickelodeon shows, straddling childhood and my teenage years with very little knowledge about rape, abuse, or being hurt by someone who you're supposed to trust. He took away her innocence and her childhood because he's a celebrity and "when you're a celebrity they let you get away with anything". I don't understand how people can be ok with this and refuse to acknowledge that he's done more than say "hurtful things". Rape culture is so prevalent in our lives that we can overlook a 60 something year old man raping a child and that scares me.

That's just what guys do

My thoughts about consent have changed so much since I started college. I knew that it wasn't okay if a guy didn't take no as an answer when it came to sex. But, I always thought it was kind of endearing if a guy didn't take no as an answer when he tried to flirt with you or ask you out. It was what all the romantic comedies taught me. It's what Nicholas Sparks told me. The guys who really are good for you are the ones that are persistent. No one told me that this could turn into harassment and that it's not healthy. 

Read More