Lanterna Rally

Author: Erin Brewer

Publisher:

Published: 2018-10-17

Total Pages: 73

ISBN-13: 9781728890708

Since the #MeToo Movement has gained momentum, we are hearing over and over that "someone should teach boys not to be rapists."This became a rallying cry after Christine Ford reported allegations that when she was in high school, Brett Kavanaugh and his friend Mark Judge tried to rape her. As a result of the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings, and allegations made by Christine Ford, the #MeToo Movement has sprouted another movement, I am dubbing the "I Believe Her" movement (the Believe Movement, or BM for short).The BM is cultivating fear among women and suggesting that because Ford's accusations were not believed by everyone as accurate and true, that women's reports of sexual violence are being collectively dismissed by the "patriarchy" and that anyone who does not accept this version of reality is contributing to the "rape culture" that is oppressing women. The BM is attacking men and women alike who suggest that we need proof of accusations before we convict the accused. The message to both boys and girls, men and women is quite simply, "females are good, males are bad." Regardless of how you feel about sexual education in schools, the BM is capitalizing on the current political climate to try to force the acceptance of a broader sexual education than we currently have. One that teaches girls they are the victims, and boys they are rapists. In order to teach boys not to be rapists, we need to explain to them that girls are not responsible for their behavior, and are unable to communicate clearly, as such, they are victims of the rape culture. Boys are responsible for insuring they have consent for any behavior a girl decides is sexual, otherwise they are rapists. In order to stop the rape culture we need to stop reinforcing gender stereotypes, and in fact should work towards having non-gendered language in schools. We need to have non-gendered language in schools for everything but our teaching boys not to be rapists curriculum, and when talking about trans-gendered individuals. This book points out the hypocrisy within the current liberal social justice culture.