Comments on: Men’s Magazine Desires World Without Meaningful Consent

By: Cara

Cara — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 01:14:09 +0000

Drew, I would call that sexual assault. And it’s serious, and it’s wrong.

I would not, however, recommend responding to violence with violence. Has your friend told you what she needs from you? Chances are that she told you because she needs someone to talk to, no because she wants you to kick his ass (and thereby ensure that other people are going to learn about it when she might not want them to — that can only be her choice).

By: drew

drew — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:27:41 +0000

would any of you guys consider making out without the others consent rape
Im only 16 and one of my friends just told me this story and I so wanted to kick the dudes ass
would you just consider any kind of physical contact without the other person’s consent ,rape please give me some kind of feedback I want to know if I should kick this dudes ass because the girl is so skinny and such

By: Presenting a report on female reporters and presenters « Zero at the Bone

Presenting a report on female reporters and presenters « Zero at the Bone — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:16:45 +0000

[...] January, 2009 in Feminism, Media, Paid Work There’s a large, ongoing conversation about how the representation of female subjects in the media, from the focus on female [...]

By: Caitlan

Caitlan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:01:44 +0000

Maybe when it was thought up it was meant to say “in a perfect world you could interact with hot girls as proficiently as you play video games”? But yes, it reminds me of rape.

By: Cara

Cara — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:57:49 +0000

I like it, Holly :)

By: Holly

Holly — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:52:13 +0000

My knee-jerk impression upon seeing this picture was no doubt totally different than what was intended by the artist or the advertiser, but it’s a liberating reinterpretation of an image that admits of some interpretation, so I thought I might as well offer it up, in the spirit of robbing the original authors of their authority:

It’s a cybernetic sex toy that plugs into your navel and attaches itself to your nervous system, so that your sex partner can stimulate you with a controller.

Obviously I’m not blind to the other readings, which are probably more prevalent, but they didn’t strike me as quickly (and appealingly, for obvious reasons) as the consensual-sex-toy one. I’m more likely to identify with the woman than the targeted audience, and probably more likely to think about sex toys as something you do with each other than someothing you do “to” someone. Plus, in an ironic twist, my reading of a sci-fi-ish image is the version that’s already closest to reality. I guess I’m also influenced by stuff like the plug-in cyber-hallucination creatures created by Jennifer Jason Leigh in eXistenZ, which had a definite sex-toy quality.

By: Anna

Anna — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:01:37 +0000

I’ve not much of value to add to this, Cara, but I think you’re fucking awesome and thank you.

By: Danny

Danny — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:53:06 +0000

Mel:
The fact that they would need a remote says just as much about men’s insecurities and social awkwardness as anything else.

Cara:
It says a lot about how men are taught that they deserve access to all women, whether that woman is interested in them or not.

Depending on the man in question either one of you could be right. There are plenty of very insecure but respectful men that don’t take on that “teaching” and will not cross the line between acting out a fantasy and taking control of another person. At the same time there are plenty of insecure men that do take on that “teaching”, see the line, and know full well when they cross it.

Mel:
Vilifying men for what turns them on is counter-productive.
I can see where a person who would feel like their being attacked but I’m sure that wasn’t the intent.

By: Cara

Cara — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:31:58 +0000

…To avoid the I’m sure unintended implication that people the sexuality of persons with BDSM interests are not “normal” or acceptable.

Yes, of course, the consent is key. If two (or more) people wanted to consensually act out this fantasy with precautions (like safe words) in place, whatever, good for them.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:25:55 +0000

“putting the “fantasy” out there in the mainstream as though this is a normal, acceptable way to view women is a part of a misogynistic rape culture.”

Or at least putting it out there without the “fantasy” context, indicating that the persons involved are fully consenting to a BDSM game, rather than actually interested in hurting a non-consenting person is a normal and acceptable way to view women.

…To avoid the I’m sure unintended implication that people the sexuality of persons with BDSM interests are not “normal” or acceptable.

Of course that’s probably impossible to do in a picture shown to a world where we have a misogynistic rape culture….But technically…