Another drive by: Trillian Edition

Trying to drum up a response to this post at Feministing resulted in the following conversation.

(These aren't our screen names) (Also, I'm only hogging all the posts as a form of procrastination from my thesis, whereas Manafanana is actually writing hers at the moment).

[20:09] OutcrazyOphelia: It's too bad that the repressive dialogue about sex prevents the media from really looking at this crime perpetuated through the medium of sex
[20:11] Manafanana:That's a good point! I wonder how the public discourse might be changed to shift the stigma from sex/rape itself onto the perpetrators?
[20:12] OutcrazyOphelia: that would require a direct confrontation of patriarchal social mores that deem women responsible for every heterosexual sexual encounter, wanted or otherwise
[20:15] Manafanana: The problem is that the most direct and effective way of confronting these issues is to change the attitude in the media, which is one of the primary sources of sexist rhetoric to begin with. Perhaps it might be more effective to pursue more legislative efforts first? *thinks for a moment* This is a difficult problem with not a single solution.... What do you think?
[20:16] OutcrazyOphelia: Hm legislative efforts would entail acknowledging the problem, which governments are unwilling to do
[20:16] OutcrazyOphelia: all the talk of basic human rights flounders when it comes to men harming women which is normalized
[20:20] Manafanana: Maybe we could do some research on other countries that have significantly lessened the presence of sexism in their societies, such as the Netherlands or Sweden. Any of their methods would have to be adjusted specifically to address the gender, race, and class issues unique to the United States, but it may be a helpful starting point or resource for ideas...
[20:21] OutcrazyOphelia: That would require the acknowledgement that race, age, health, wealth, and appearance have anything to do with gender
[20:21] OutcrazyOphelia: this may take time
[20:21] OutcrazyOphelia: let's not even get into how black on black crime is functionally invisible.
[20:23] Manafanana: It certainly may take time. But we have to start somewhere. Perhaps you and I could approach the issues from two seperate angles, and then compare notes in order to better understand the complexities and challenges of the issue at hand.