Without Our Consent: The Kavanaugh hearings show how power operates in patriarchy.

[Soph0571]

The bodies of young women have long been considered collateral damage on the journey to manhood. Now, panicked men are lining up to insist not just that Ford and the other accusers are lying about this assault – which Kavanaugh himself denies – but also to say that it was perfectly alright if it did happen. Boys will be boys, after all, and if we condemn Kavanaugh for a bit of after-school ultra-violence, well, shouldn’t we also condemn half the men in America? Our parents, our children, ourselves?
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None of this is an accident. Women’s sexual agency is a key voting issue for Bible-belt republicans who believe that women and girls should not be allowed to choose whether and when they bear children. The Republican Party stands or falls on this issue, as does what democratic credibility remains to the Trump regime.

There is enough evidence to suggest that without the promise to put forced-birth advocates like Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, all the Russian bots in the world could not have sent the Hog-Emperor of Rape Culture to the White House.
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And now that ancient injustice is building towards its own dreadful denouement. The struggle between democracy and tyranny and the struggle by women against male violence are one and the same. They always have been, and the Kavanaugh case makes it clear. And it is clear, also, that, there is a decision ahead of every one of us.

https://www.newstatesman.com/world/north-america/2018/09/without-our-consent

This is an excellent article - so difficult not to copy and paste it all!!! It is well worth the time to read all of it..... rather long I am afraid - but worth it... Who is the law supposed to protect? Is it more important to protect women and from violence, or men from consequences?

[Chiquitita]

1. And male LYING LIARS

We should not be awaiting the "dreadful denouement". We should be pointing out his lies (all of them! not solely the fact that he lied about committing sexual assault). The fact is, in patriarchy, we are more likely to kill his appointment because of his lies than because of his assault of a woman.

[2naSalit]

2. K&R

[niyad]

3. k and r

[patphil]

4. Something I have not told anyone

I'm a 72 year old man. When I was about 10 years old I was sexually assaulted by the son of the local grocery store owner. He was in his late 20's or so. A friend of mine was also assaulted by him.
He exposed himself to us and got us to touch his penis. We were young and scared and he took advantage of that.
I did tell my mother though...perhaps I was so naive about sex that I wasn't shamed into silence.
Anyway, he disappeared a few days later, and the couple who owned the store sold it and they disappeared a few months later.
I never knew what happened to them, and never asked.
Even back then, predators found victims and they weren't always young girls or women. All they had to be was vulnerable.

Pat

[True Blue American]

5. Thank God someone

Was smart enough to act!

[KPN]

6. Great post and article. And it poses a great question: what will you (we) do if/when

"they take power by force" which is what is currently going on.

What will we do if Kavanaugh is appointed?