Father of UCSB Shooting Victim: “When Will This Insanity Stop?”
As you can probably tell from the above links, there has been another American University Shooting, the fact that I can say “another” with such causality is truly disturbing, however, that’s another topic and I don’t want to get side-tracked.
The shooter of this particular incident was misogynistic young man who felt that he was entitled to the attention of Women, he felt so entitled to the attention of Women, he decided he would punish Women for rejecting him
One of the responses on Twitter was the #YesAllWomen hashtag in reaction to the #NotAllMen hash-tag. Here are some of the tweets:
Tweets from Women
#YesAllWomen means YES for ALL women. No exceptions. All women need respect. All women need their boundaries.
— Kaye M. (@gildedspine) May 24, 2014
#notallmen practice violence against women but #YesAllWomen live with the threat of male violence. Every. Single. Day. All over the world.
— Soraya Chemaly (@schemaly) May 24, 2014
Because we’re prudes when we don’t sleep with you and whores when we do. #YesAllWomen
— Erin Campbell (@OriginalOestrus) May 25, 2014
Because the biggest statistical threat to men is heart disease and the biggest statistical threat to women is male violence. #YesAllWomen
— Jess Kilgannon (@JessKilgannon) May 24, 2014
Because every single woman I know has a story about a man feeling entitled to access to her body. Every. Single. One. #YesAllWomen
— Emily (@emilyhughes) May 24, 2014
Because rape is blamed on alcohol, clothes, being too friendly or too pretty, etc. & not on the rapist. #YesAllWomen
— Ava Jae (@Ava_Jae) May 24, 2014
For having to fear being myself publicly. Because I can get raped if some men find out I like women. #YesAllWomen
— Davia Ashley A. ॐ (@indianchic94) May 25, 2014
#YesAllWomen because I can’t remember a time I wasn’t terrified of walking down the street alone even during day time.
— Mandee (@staylikethis4vr) May 25, 2014
Because a bruised ego and extreme sense of entitlement should never be an excuse for retaliation, let alone murder #YesAllWomen #UCSB
— Marissa Feldman (@marissa_heather) May 25, 2014
A long and important read. #UCSB RT @anne_theriault: Elliot Rodger And Men Who Hate Women http://t.co/xd64UltMdv
— LadySnarksalot (@LadySnarksalot) May 24, 2014
Tweets from Men
For all that I’ve said online, no one has threatened to rape or kill me over it, unlike the women I’ve worked with. #YesAllWomen
— Kyle Kallgren (@KyleKallgren) May 25, 2014
.#yesallwomen is a heartbreaking indictment of how assigning morality to biological imperatives results in the worst treatment of humans
— Stephen Toulouse (@Stepto) May 24, 2014
The #YesAllWomen hashtag is a damn tough read, but it’s a must-read one. It’ll be eye-opening for a lot of men. h/t @joshacagan
— Phil Plait (@BadAstronomer) May 24, 2014
Because I’m sick and tired of male attackers being excused by their past and female victims vilified for their gender. #YesAllWomen
— Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) May 24, 2014
I’d like to recommend every guy read the #YesAllWomen posts. Don’t comment, don’t defend. Just read and think about living in fear.
— David Slack (@slack2thefuture) May 25, 2014
#YesAllWomen Have to deal with the fact that the male gender hasn’t come to terms on how to treat the female gender as human beings first
— Rod Green (@thetheRedundant) May 25, 2014
#UCSB #YesAllWomen “He wasn’t misogynist, he was crazy” line doesn’t work. Not mutually exclusive.
— David Palumbo-Liu (@palumboliu) May 25, 2014
#YesAllWomen Because I find it necessary to make sure my wife not only has pepper spray but that she keeps it handy & ready to be used.
— John Julitz (@JohnJulitz) May 25, 2014
To my mind, Elliot Rodger’s misogynist hate crime is a failure of masculinity not a failure of feminism #UCSB
— Martyn Bradbury (@CitizenBomber) May 25, 2014
Now, whenever one of these University shootings occur, the issue of Gun Control is always brought up:
The Daily Show: John Oliver Investigates Gun Control in Australia – Part 1
The Daily Show: John Oliver Investigates Gun Control in Australia – Part 2
The Daily Show: John Oliver’s Australia & Gun Control’s Aftermath
While I won’t argue that Gun Control is an issue and an important factor in mass shooting cases. However, there are some statistics that need to be taken into account. Sure Gun Violence in Australia is down 60 to 80 percent and there has have never been another mass shooting in Australia like at Port Arthur, however statistically 1 woman a week in Australia is dies because of Domestic Violence. That’s 52 women a year because of Misogyny, the same type of Misogyny that Elliot Rodger displayed.
We’re looking at the symptoms (such as possible Mental Illness, lack of Gun Control, Poor University Security) but not the Root Cause, which in this case (and many others) is Misogyny and this perceived privilege that white heterosexual cis-gendered Males have over anyone who doesn’t fit into the white heterosexual cis-gendered male label.
One of the good things and bad things about University is that whenever a media campaign or social media activity and/or trend occur, I hear the voice of my Tutorial teacher inside my head, gently reminding me, “Who is Included and who is Excluded?” and while I participated in the #YesAllWomen Twitter trend, I couldn’t help but notice that perhaps one of our most vulnerable minority groups (that are highly affected by Misogyny) were being excluded.
I’m speaking of the Transgender people. I found it difficult to find #YesAllWomen Tweets that included Transgender people
Because trans women are regularly arrested for simply “walking while woman.” http://t.co/f34DYialo3 #YesAllWomen
— Maya Schenwar (@MayaSchenwar) May 25, 2014
Women’s lives are threatened by the patriarchy. Especially the lives of WoC and trans women. #YesAllWomen
— Hana Shafi (@HanaShafi) May 25, 2014
#YesAllWomen because trans women are either a joke or a threat despite being disproportionately victims of violence http://t.co/JQhH2MuocM
— Elise Ringo (@veliseraptor) May 25, 2014
Because misogyny is at the root of the oppression trans/gender-variant people face, especially transgender women. #YesAllWomen
— LavenderKitchenSink (@lkscollective) May 25, 2014
Misogyny affects EVERYBODY. It’s the reason why Women don’t report Rape or Domestic Violence incidents where they are the victims, it’s the reason why Men don’t report Rape and Domestic Violence incidents where they are the victims.
This has to stop.
And although I will not proclaim to know or have all of the answers, however, one of the ways that people can help end Misogyny is stop invalidating someone’s harassment or assault experiences (sexual or otherwise). If someone gathers up the courage to tell you about an incident of sexual harassment or sexual assault, just listen to them, try to comfort them (if possible). Don’t start saying things like “What were you wearing?” or “Did you ask for it?” or even worse “Well that’s never happened to me.”
That last one, Women especially, dismissing Sexual Harassment or Sexual Assault because it hasn’t happened to them, is like me saying that just because I’ve never been outside of Australia, Europe doesn’t exist. Just because you haven’t personally experienced Sexual Harassment or Sexual Assault, doesn’t make Sexual Harassment or Rape less real.
Rape is Real. Sexual Harassment is Real. Transphobia is real. Misogyny is Real.
Ambiguous Pieces 