*Disclaimer*
This post contains a more serious side of We’re Just Here Pretending..
Before another month is over and done with, I most certainly wanted to put my two cents out into the blog world about this month’s awareness theme. As you all may recall, I have dedicated a post a few months ago, to spread the importance of Brain Aneurysm Awareness month in September because the subject sits close to my heart and because I find it to be a critical topic. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and again, this is an issue that I care about and have begun to advocate for on a smaller level. One of my close friends has gradually become a wonderful role model in regards to this issue for other survivors and victims of sexual assault. She has showed other women that this is a serious issue, that it is not okay and that there is always an outlet available for a victim in need. Even when I didn’t hold as much knowledge on sexual assault, I supported my friend and her ways to advocate no matter what. If it is something that she is extremely passionate about, all I care about is helping and supporting her and her work.
According to dictionary.com, sexual assault is defined as “a statutory offense that provides that it is a crime to knowingly cause another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat; “most states have replaced the common law definition of rape with statutes defining sexual assault.””
Over the past few months I have become more interested in the idea of female rights, values and place in the world. I believe that it is widely exceptional to stress positive thoughts and concepts about women and the fact that we do not have to succumb to a ‘man’s world’. I have recently stumbled across instances in society as to which females are wrongly presented in the media and through music lyrics.
During last semester, in one of my communications class, we previewed the trailer for Miss Representation; a documentary that displays the horrible presentations of women in movies, talk shows, music videos, and television shows. Because, how often is it that a woman saves the day in a story line? Right… Immediately after I was informed of this documentary’s existence, I used modern technology to download the piece and experience an entirely new level of our idiotic society. The film pried open my eyes to make me see all of the egotistical statements and male chauvinism that has been hidden in the media for so long, or at least just from me. Obviously if more people have been shown this documentary, they would make an attempt to change things, right? HA, terrible presumption…. Anyway, it made me want to exile all conceited males from my life and generate a ‘no boys allowed’ group. But, this clearly wasn’t the case.
Next up, annoying and terrible rapper insinuates rape in song lyrics. Rick Ross stated the following few statements in a new song with another rapper Rocko titled ‘ U.O.E.N.O.’ (You Don’t Even Know It).
“Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it
I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it”
For those of you who do not know what Molly is, it is a slang term used for MDMA, or a popularly consumed party drug in hopes to experience the similar affects of ecstasy. I find it so fantastic that these younger generations look up to so many irresponsible rappers, especially ones who seemingly encourage date rape…. Rick Ross apparently did apologize for acting as if he condone’s rape in a MTV article via his twitter account. Further more in that article, it states that a certain radio station has pulled Rick Ross and Lil Wayne’s music from rotation due to its highly inappropriate (and awful, ahem) ‘music’.
Basically, this is what a majority of our society has come to. No respect for women. Rapper’s who could care less about what they say in a song because as long as they make money, what’s the difference? And young boys who view this behavior and assume that it is perfectly fine to do what a rapper does just because he is famous, has money, fans, and barely catchy lyrics. Besides the music and media industry, women still are not getting their deserved rights through unequal pay, and regular/day-to-day communication in the world. Meaning, the snarky comments that can so easily flow out of a male’s mouth and hit a female square in the chest like a bullet. Statements such as, “Well, women belong in the kitchen” and “Cool story babe, make me a sandwich”. Whatever it may be, along those lines, times are changing, and a majority of strong females couldn’t be caught bowing down to this narcissistic male-run society.
Today, there are plenty of female based organization put together to make a change in this world for the better concept of full equality in all areas of life. Such organizations include, but are not limited to, Feminist Majority Foundation, National Organization for Women, and several local and college run clubs and groups that are open to join.
To finish off this sincere post, I would like to make a point in that sexual assault is an incredibly well-known subject, but does not necessarily mean that people are fully aware of what it consists of. Plenty of sexual assault victims remain in denial or shock at the fact that something like this could even happen to them. In order to make a stand against such actions, awareness must be spread in order for more and more people to understand what exactly sexual assault is and what it entails. Despite my female focus within this post, I do not deny that sexual assault can happen to anyone and not just the female gender. Find time to educate yourself and take a stand by spreading awareness and helping others. Just like any other cause, this issue deserves to have awareness brought to it, so that anyone in danger can take precautions and fundamentally avoid an attack.
Help-spread the word.
For more information on SAAM, check out the Joyful Heart Foundation, National Sexual Violence Resource Center, and Project Unbreakable.