So the other day, I was conversing with a feminist and she decided to say something that made me feel... some sort of way.
"Men can't get raped."
What happened after that is somewhat of a blur but I do believe I went on a polite yet heated rampage about how completely wrong that statement is.
Well lets look at the facts. The definition of rape which is, "any act of intercourse that is forced upon a person." So why exactly could that not happen to men?
"Well, you can't rape the willing."
"Men can only be raped by another man"
"It's his own fault for getting an erection"
"If he got an erection that means he wanted to"
Excuse me?
You cannot say a man is always wanting to have sex. If he says no, he means no. A man can be raped by a woman just as easily. Having an erection doesn't mean he wants to have sex, and definitely doesn't mean he consents.
What if he is being held at gunpoint?
What if he had drugs slipped into his drink?
Do you consider it rape then?
Anyone of any gender or sexuality can be raped. That is a fact. Saying otherwise is sexist, and I thought feminism was supposed to be about equality. hmm.
Now that we've established the fact that men in fact can be raped, lets talk about the consequences of this.
Men, when raped, often do not come forward about it. Why? because they are afraid of how people will respond. They don't want to hear "well, no, men can't be raped," or be laughed at, but this is what usually happens.
They don't get the help that female rape victims get, simply because of their gender and everyone treating the problem like it was some sort of weird mythical creature; one that they refuse to believe exists.
Is this what equality is about?
