posts tagged "sexual pressure"

ninja-suffragette:

Scotland really seems to be getting good at the whole ‘blame the perpetrator not the victim’ part of campaigning against rape (I’m reminded of this campaign which takes a similar tact). Which is far more than I can say for the English police force.

From the campaign website:

What can you do to help stop rape?
 1. Take responsibility … »
Find out about the law regarding rape and understand that no matter what the circumstances are, sex without consent is rape.
If there is any doubt about whether the person you’re with is consenting, don’t have sex.
2. Respect your sexual partner … »
Listen to the other person and treat them with respect – effective communication is key to healthy sexual relationships. It’s important to talk to your partner and listen to their wishes. 
Any kind of sexual act must be consensual – both partners should agree to it and be happy with it. 
3. Question your own attitudes … »
Consider the messages you hear about how men should act and think about your own actions, attitudes and behaviours. 
Understand that behaviour, such as pub chat about a woman ‘asking for it’ because of what she is wearing, can perpetuate harmful attitudes towards sexism and sexual violence. 
Work towards positively changing attitudes. Choose what kind of guy you want to be. 
4. Stand up for your beliefs … »
It’s easy to look the other way or keep quiet about your opinions. Don’t. Challenge attitudes that disturb you. For example, if a friend makes a joke about rape, tell them it’s not funny. More often than not you’ll find others share your opinion. 
5. Be proactive … »
If you’re with friends and become aware of a situation developing, don’t stay silent. For example where one or both parties are too drunk to have consensual sex, go and have a quiet word with your friend. It might feel awkward and difficult to intervene, but you are looking out for them in what could potentially be a risky situation. 
Also, if you see a similar situation arising outwith your group of friends, tell someone in authority, for example a bartender or door steward. 
6. Be supportive … »
If you know or suspect someone close to you has been abused or sexually assaulted, gently ask if you can help, offer them your support and encourage them to contact the police. There are also a range of support organisations which can help. 

7. Speak up … »
If you know someone is abusing their partner, don’t ignore it. If you feel able to do so, talk to them and urge them to seek help. There are many support organisations that can offer advice. 
You can report abuse by contacting your local police office or anonymously via Crimestoppers. In an emergency always dial 999. 
8. Get involved … »
Support the campaign.
Display ‘we can stop it’ posters in your college, university or workplace – contact us for materials
info@wecanstopit.co.uk(This address is not for crime reporting - in an emergency always dial 999)
Tell us why you support the campaign – we are always looking for fresh testimonials 
info@wecanstopit.co.uk(This address is not for crime reporting - in an emergency always dial 999) Rape is a difficult subject to talk about but it’s only through raising awareness that attitudes will change. 
Sex without consent is rape. We can stop it.
Look at that. Not a ‘don’t drink too much’ or ‘be careful when you’re walking alone’ in sight.

More campaigns like this please.

[Via The F-Word]

(via takealookatyourlife)

Female bodies as “distracting”: Another quick thought on dress codes & sexism

jessicavalenti:

I’ve been amazed at the number of comments that just don’t get it over at my post at The Nation on the way dress codes can discriminate against women. (And the way school administrators and faculty can use said code to sexually harass young women.)

What’s been truly interesting to me is the way that commenters continue to make the same argument that Stuyvesant’s principal did: that the way some young women dress is “distracting.” That men can’t help but look at these young women and their supposedly scandalous attire - and that this overwhelming desire to ogle young women means that school work isn’t being properly paid attention to. 

This “distraction” standard for a dress code sets up a model in which the default student we are concerned about - the student whose learning we want to ensure is protected - is male. It presumes that female students are a distraction to male students’ learning, and therefore it’s young women’s actions that must be policed.

But what about the way that the young women of Stuyvesant are being “distracted” from their studies by a school that harasses and slut-shames? What’s more distracting - glancing at a girls’ legs or being pulled from class, humiliated, and made to change outfits before you’re allowed to learn?

fuckyeahsexeducation:

rapeculturerealities:

nothatsstupid:

radicalfeministquotes:

lacigreen:

here’s my sex+ guide to having safe, pleasurable butt sex!  leave your taboos at the door :P

remember:

-butt sex should not hurt.
-lube! lube!  more lube!
-never go straight from anus to vag
-only do it if you want to
-everyone has a butt!  anal play is not inherently “gay”

<3

(Sex+: Laci’s Guide to BUTT SEX)

This is one of the big problems with sex-positivity. Laci Green says she received an “alarming amount of messages about people being pressured into anal sex”. I think we all know that by “people”, she means women. Her solution is to make a video giving advice on how to have anal sex. How does that help those women? “Just don’t do it if you don’t want to”. No shit, Laci, I’m sure that idea had already occurred to those women. It’s easy to tell women to just not do things they’re not comfortable with, but that doesn’t do anything about the GUYS PRESSURING THEM TO DO THOSE THINGS. They’re still in the same boat they were before, trying to figure out what to do with a guy who wants to fuck her butt in a world that says women will die alone if they don’t let guys fuck their butts. There’s not a moment in this video where she is reprimanding these guys or telling em’ to knock it off, because OMG THAT MIGHT HURT THEIR FEELINGS AND MAKE THEM FEEL ASHAMED OF THEIR SEXUAL DESIRES. On the first fucking page of Youtube comments, there’s a guy saying that he’s “too big for her butt”, so he’s gonna buy her “anal relaxers”. That makes perfect sense if you’re a misogynist! Her body is rejecting his penetration despite their best efforts, so he will numb her ass instead so she can’t feel the pain and tearing that comes with forcing your penis inside a rectum that is not receptive to penetration.

P.S. putting numbing gels and relaxers on/in someone’s butt before anal play is a huge NO-NO. It’s very dangerous for the aforementioned reasons. You need to be able to feel pain to make sure you’re not injuring yourself. This is safe anal sex 101, and I wish I wasn’t so well-versed in this doodoo. No pun intended.

Fucking thank you Eli. I’ve had this problem with her for a while but didn’t quite know how to articulate it. She’s far too passive. Her videos all make sense if you are in a loving open relationship with someone who’s not a douche. Her videos all seem like the perfect Ta-da solution FOR A PERFECT WORLD. The sex+ attitude excuses a lot of things that are fucked up purely because they are sexual in nature, and sexuality is not to be shamed. This attitude leaves no room to call out misogyny and rapey situations. She’s far too passive. Tbh, men don’t need anymore encouragement to want to try buttsex. They don’t feel shamed for it, the porn industry fixed that problem a long time ago. 

Excellent commentary!

yeah I’ve had quite a few asks about people wondering what to do if their significant others (remember not just guys can pressure not just girls in to any kind of sex) pressure them into sex and I’ve had messages asking how to get their partners to do a certain sex act for them. THIS IS A HUGE DEAL. You HAVE to respect people’s boundaries. It is never okay to pressure anyone in to sex. It can be difficult to remember that this needs to be said when you’re used to dealing with totally consensual relationships but it’s something that needs to be said over and over again.