Against Feminism's Victimist-Industrial Complex: "You Cannot Build Justice For Women On Injustice For Men"
In November of 2104, Wendy McElroy debated Jessica Valenti at Brown University. An excerpt from McElroy's statement:
The treatment of rape needs to move away from what has become the status quo assumption of feminist orthodoxy, away from rape as an expression of culture, and toward holding a small number of individuals absolutely responsible for their options. "Men" or "women" as a category do not rape - individuals do. And yet this idea runs counter to the whole idea of the rape culture. When you speak of a rape culture, you're saying rape is so widely accepted that it is a cultural norm. In short, it is a defining aspect of society.And certainly there are cultures in which that definition fits. There are parts of Afghanistan, for example, where women are married against their will, they are murdered for men's honor, they are raped. And when they are raped they are arrested for it, and they are shunned by their family afterward. Now that's a rape culture.
But that is not North America. It doesn't resemble North America. Here rape is a crime that is severely punished. Even an accusation of sexual harassment can ruin someone's career and their lives.
A few days ago I saw a sight that made me just wither inside. A man who had - a scientist behind the Rosetta comet landing - wept in apology on TV because after the biggest achievement of his life, he basically was hounded because he wore a shirt that a female friend of his had made that showed cartoon super heroines on it. And he was made to weep in apology on TV rather than revel in an incredible accomplishment.
Who had the power there? Did he have the power there? Feminists came and said that he basically should be excoriated and he wept on TV. It was a terrible sight. It was a cruel sight.
...The organization A Voice for Male Students recently issued - listed - 42 lawsuits brought by students against universities for violating their rights in hearings. The real figure is closer to 50. And there will be more. And there will be a Supreme Court challenge. Believe me. A common response to such criticism is that the hearings are not legal proceedings and though this is technically true I find it disingenuous. The hearings actually operate in a legal grey zone.
...The so-called non legal hearings can impose penalties as draconian as any court. A student can be expelled with the word "rapist" permanently in his file, tens of thousands of debt. He may have no prospect of getting a license to be a lawyer or a doctor...or whatever else he dreamed of. He is effectively barred from many other unlicensed professions - what university of quality is going to accept him? His reputation is destroyed. And having spoken to some of the men bringing lawsuits against their universities, I know the extraordinary pain they go through, then and now, and probably will for the rest of their lives.
And, yet, for the sake of argument, let me grant that hearings are not legal proceedings. The fact that an adjudication is not legal does not release people from the professional and moral responsibility to be fair. There is what we must do and, then, there is common decency. Common decency is a debt that you owe to every other human being - whether they are male or female, whether they are black or white, whether they are gay or otherwise.
She is wrong. They are legal proceedings, as rights, obligations and status are adjudicated. They are not court proceedings. However, in every state, the college Student Handbook is interpreted to be a contract between the student and the college. Fundamental in contract law are the mutual obligations of good faith and fair dealing. The Star Chamber proceedings, which apply one set of standards to men and another to women do not appear to meet the college's legal obligation.
Wfjag at May 18, 2015 11:57 PM
A minor correction: the debate was in November 2014. The transcript was posted in March.
It's also on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdlVcjYYCbs
Brad R at May 19, 2015 3:58 AM
Thanks, Brad!
Amy Alkon at May 19, 2015 6:18 AM
Corrected above.
Amy Alkon at May 19, 2015 6:19 AM
If I ever meet Wendy McElroy, I want to shaker her hand. She's the real deal.
Cousin Dave at May 19, 2015 8:40 AM
Given these proceedings are done at the expressed ORDER of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, that makes these schools de facto government agents and they are responsible for failing to ensure all civil rights are not violated
lujlp at May 19, 2015 9:42 AM
Funny thing about that shirt controversy is that it also obscured some truly amazing achievements by women on that project.
I'm guessing not a single one of the harpies complaining about that shirt 'keeping women out of STEM' would even recognize Kathrin Altwegg if they bumped into her on the street. :\
Dead Agent (@asherahresearch) at May 19, 2015 10:26 AM
"Common decency is a debt that you owe to every other human being"
Oops. Lost the feminists right there.
Jay R at May 19, 2015 12:09 PM
In November of 2104...
My goodness; I hope this isn't still going on in 2104! :-(
And yes, Wendy nailed it.
DDA at May 19, 2015 5:44 PM
would even recognize Kathrin Altwegg if they bumped into her on the street. :\
____________________________
Not too surprising, given that she doesn't even seem to have a Wikipedia entry - in ANY language.
lenona at May 20, 2015 11:54 AM
Leave a comment