Comments on: Some thoughts on rape & hate crime

By: Nita Rosel

Nita Rosel — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:50:17 +0000

That is really attention-grabbing, You’re a very professional blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and sit up for searching for more of your great post. Additionally, I have shared your web site in my social networks!

By: Meesh

Meesh — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 07:34:59 +0000

in light of Green Butch’s Statement, I have to say it’s a step in the right direction when an atrocity such as this can be recognized as a hate crime and pursued as such. However, we here on the east coast are not as fortunate.

By: Nolabelfits

Nolabelfits — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:06:02 +0000

I agree with you here. Rape is still prevalent in our society and goes largely unreported. I saw one news article in a mainstream newspaper that said something like: “30% of teenage girls reported that their first experience with sexual intercourse was involuntary.” WTF? That means some asshole raped them, right? I know thats probably not as extreme as a violent attack by four strangers, but STILL, we live in a culture where men still think on some level they own women.
My heart goes out to this woman and I hope they catch the assholes.

By: green Butch

green Butch — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 17:44:02 +0000

I was at the rally last night. It was well attended. About 150 to 180 folks showed up with candles. And the media was there too being a bit intrusive with cameras in their faces and noisy generators.
Thanks to all the people who spoke. And it was really brave for the partner of the victim to come too and talk.
I was wondering also about why this rape was getting so much attention. And my conclusion is mixed and just speculation. It is my gut feeling that this has happened at a time when the LGBTQ community is focused on supporting ourselves. It is post prop 8 defeat and we can not take for granted that we will have our rights taken into account by the total community. We now realize it is up to us to get into the streets, news papers, media, and faces of everyone we know and speak our truth and claim our space. And we know there are a lot of us out there. So the numbers in nor cal are good.
But also let’s look at the response by the cops. Hey let’s celebrate the fact that the Richmond police are aware that lesbians exist and that they believe the victims story. The police actually are willing to go after these guys extra hard because they called her a dyke. Its phenomenal that we have the support of the justice system. Let’s keep talking about this. Let’s keep in touch with the police and use this an opportunity to further our cause and our rights. Let’s expose the bigotry and hate really loud. Let’s do it now.
It is a moment in time when things get crystallized. And this is the case where a new leaf has turned over. It is just time to refocus our energy and priorities. And it is time for the LGBTQ community to rally, be out, and fight for our lives.
-

By: lesfriendly

lesfriendly — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:23:43 +0000

i wonder how people, especially warren, can sleep at night

By: alphafemme

alphafemme — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:56:46 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Liz, and for passing on Gregory Herek’s name. This is definitely something I am interested in so I plan on reading some of his work.

I guess–and this is before reading his work so maybe he addresses this–but I guess I would press and question *why* it is that women who are rape victims do not perceive themselves as being victims of hate crime? And is this added complexity and further adverse psychological affects of hate crime truly objective, or is it a result of rape already being so normalized that even women who are victims of rape have been brought up to see themselves in a particular way as rape victims?

I know that I felt dirty and humiliated, so much so that it took me years to be able to tell anyone, because I thought it was my fault, that somehow I’d done something wrong. But if I’d been cultured to think of it as hate crime, I might have felt more empowered and more entitled to feel rage and anger. As I said in my post, I’m sure that the psychological affects of rape on account of being gay and rape on account of being a woman are different, but I would be really skeptical of any research that attempts to show that the affects of one are *worse* than those of the other. To me, that would just be further emblematic of a society that normalizes sexual violence against women.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:37:47 +0000

Although I agree with you that all rape is hateful and incredibly destructive, there is an added dimension when it is a hate crime. I strongly recommend Gregory Herek’s research on stigma which demonstrates the complexity and effects of hate crimes on the individual, the community and society. Most of his articles are published on his website.

Liz