Fucking and Punching

Hi all

Carole Pateman writes, "The patriarchal construction of the difference between masculinity and femininity is the political difference between freedom and subjection."

My friend Sarah linked me to this article: Men, Woman Divided Over Sex Bill...."The bill, which is designed to outlaw marital rape, was tabled in the House of Assembly last month." ....."Coralee Clarke told the Journal that although she is not married, she believes that a man is entitled to sex from his wifewhenever he feels like it.

"If a man wants to have sex with his wife he is supposed to [have sex with her] regardless of what the circumstances [are]. I don’t see why he should be charged with raping his own wife, she is never supposed to say no," said Ms. Clarke."

This article is from the Bahamas but don't be fooled this mindset also still exists in the US and Europe. It was not until the late 1970's that most states in the US did not consider spousal rape a crime. And up until 1993, North Carolina Law stated; "A person may not be prosectuted under this article if the victim is the persons legal spouse at the time of the commission of the alleged rapeor sexual offense unless the parties are living seperate or apart". Currently in 7 states in the US, if spousal rape were to occur, the punishment is now 2 to 10 years imprisonment whereas rape - not within marriage is 10 - 35 years imprisonment! Non spousal rape also has a shorter reporting timeframe. Furthermore, for example, in Tennesse, it is only considered spousal rape if it is committed with a weapon, causes bodily injury to the other person or if the other person has filed for divorce/living seperate.

So incredibly backward! I think it is good that we have (are) making progress in eliminating the law saying intermarriage rape is ok - but the fact that there are clear distinctions between non spousal/spousal rape is bewildering. All rape is rape. No means no by either party!

Though, I find it amusing and saddeing how some believe she (the wife) is never supposed to say no. She should want her pussy to be fucked as it is her mans right.

What I find very interesting about this article is how hyped up and amazed people get over it, yet we fail to realise that such exploitative mindset exists, interwoven into our current society whether we realise it, or not. I have been beginning to question such things like - why DO women feel incomplete without makeup, why DO women need heels in order to feel sexy? Why is our culture designed in such a way that the commodification of our bodies is so entrenched as being normal that it is never questioned? Why do we commodify ourselves and consider it empowering? Do we consider when we commodify ourselves that we are perhaps disempowering other women?

And it all comes down to this Patriarchal bullshit society of ours.

Pretty object (animal/female) vs. Woman of substance at equal level as man

Very good excerpt from 'Feminists for Animal Rights'

In patriarchal society women and animals are….

raped, beaten, hated, enslaved as pets
exploited as wives, sold for money, used
for entertainment, cheap labor, sex experiments...

In patriarchal society women and animals are
considered…
inferior, "cute," childish, uncontrollable,
emotional, impulsive, instinctive, irrational,
evil, property, objects...

In patriarchal society women and animals are
referred to as…
chicks, bitches, pussies, foxes, dogs,
cows, beavers, birds, bunnies, kittens
sows, lambs, shrews, geese, fillies,
bats, crows, heifers, vixens...

Every year in the United States alone…
Billions of animals are enslaved, tortured and murdered in
"animal agriculture," vivisection laboratories, the
entertainment industry, by hunters and fishers,
in traps and on fur farms, and by other modes of
human exploitation

*Our use of the term "animals" is a concession to common usage and is not intended to suggest the idea that humans are not also animals.