As have many others, I'm taking this opportunity to address the Chrissie Hynde article we read in class today, and how we view the ramifications of it. Specifically, I want to look at how the political ramifications of the article (how her comments play directly into the creation of a 'perfect victim' of rape in conservative circles.)
Now, obviously Hynde's comments in the article were problematic at best. The assertion that she, as a victim of rape, 'deserved' what happened to her either because she was hanging with bikers at the time or because she was wearing 'slutty' clothing runs directly in opposition to contemporary feminist theory and rhetoric. In spite of the backlash she has faced from these comments, Hynde has not backed down from her belief that she somehow earned her rape (whether that is because this belief is how she has survived her trauma we cannot definitively say) and as feminists I believe we must accept her story while still addressing the problematic aspects in a broader social and political sphere.
But this personal account, due in no small part to Hynde's celebrity, does directly impact political rhetoric, which fuels our judicial and social systems as well. As I mentioned in class, Hynde's narrative does fantastic things for conservative talking points -- she was admittedly associating with a well known criminal element (biker gangs), imbibing illicit substances (quaaludes), and wore provocative clothing, thereby (ignoring the massive logical leap that I in no way agree with) put herself in a position to be raped. This is, essentially, her punishment for engaging with dangerous behaviour, and her admittance of her 'guilt' or 'deserving' her assault is the cherry on top of the cake -- hence why it is being celebrated as 'finally' finding a rape narrative that fits into an ideal rape victim for conservatives, even while she's not a 'good victim' for feminists as we discussed in class.
Chris Hynde's article was very hard accept as a feminist. I read it before the class and remembered thinking then that this is just what backlash feminists would absolutely love to hear; not the rapists fault again, back to how she was dressed and where she was. I agree with you that as feminists we should accept her story and at the same time address the problematic aspects in a broader social and political sphere.
ReplyDeleteHynde is absolutely allowed to have her comments heard even if I find them to be taking us backward in fight against rape discourse. When she says that because she was wearing revealing clothes it is her fault, it makes me cringe. Have we not come far enough in this narrative that this argument is just ludicrous? How can someone still say that, especially a woman? Where is the blame on the bikers who felt it acceptable to force a woman to perform sex acts under threat, and now will continue to find it acceptable especially with her article. I see Alcoff here, this discourse is being inscribed into hegemonic structures which are legitimating a way of thinking about rape that is still acceptable in many circles. We haven't moved away from this discourse, that it is something a woman did that caused her own rape. As mentioned in another blog, Pamela George says that certain bodies occupy certain spaces, marked as degenerate or respectable and this can influences how we feel about the victim. The women who are marked as "degenerate" are thought of this way because of a certain discourse that has constructed this image and made it acceptable to think this way. As feminists, our work is definitely not done and continues to evolve and we have to be able to evolve with it. The discourses that support this narrative has to change in every space. It can't be that the only space where vicitm's are understood to be innocent and not be blamed for their assaults in any way is in Women and Gender study classes.
Hey Andrea,
ReplyDeleteIt was weird to feel angry at someone who was seemingly just trying to find some agency in her rape. At least, this is the way I saw it; as her way of maintaining some form of control over something she effectively had no control of. I definitely agree that as feminists, we do have to accept her story and her reaction to it, but I'm wondering how it's possible to support a rape survivor when they don't narrate their experience in a way that invites support? It seems she wants us to agree with her, wants people to say "yep, you certainly deserved that one." When supporting rape survivors, we're told over and over that we have to listen, that we have to believe them, but what happens when someone is asking you to believe that their rape is their own fault?
I think this turns the idea of what the "ideal victim" looks like on its head. Within patriarchy, Hynde sort of is the ideal victim. She doesn't make trouble for anyone. She takes the blame. But I think it's interesting that she decided not to stay quiet, but rather to use her celebrity platform to speak out about her experience. I wonder why she chose to do this instead of quietly living with this burden that she believes she caused.
Anyway, sorry I have more questions than answers, and sorry my thoughts are a little all over the place. Hynde has seriously confused me!
I have an extremely hard time with her statement. She is a public figure, therefor her words are heard, therefor they have political impact whether she intended for them to or not. She absolutely has the right to think and feel anyway about what happened to her. My problem is that being sexually assaulted is not like spraining your ankle because you were wearing shoes that were too high. You chose to wear those shoes and your careless walking caused your ankle to get sprained. Hynde chose to hang around a group that is viewed as dangerous but a crime was committed against her. Another person or people chose to sexually assault her. I cannot accept that because she made questionable friends, she asked for it. She obviously did not literally actually ask for it because she does still call it sexual assault.
ReplyDeleteI feel guilty for basically rejecting her feelings towards her own experience but I genuinely feel that her statement set us back a little bit. She gave the conservatives some fuel but she also divided the feminist community. I automatically want to support all survivors but when they talk about it in a way that I view is wrong am I no longer supporting her? So much inner conflict.