Opinion: Misogynistic ravings inspire a powerful Twitter response
By Petula Dvorak, Washington Post
Yes, all women have been harassed.
Yes, all women have been judged by our looks, not our merit.
Yes, all women have been around men who have discounted, denied and demeaned us.
Yes, all women are outraged by the misogynistic ravings of Elliot Rodger, the narcissistic 22-year-old who went on a killing spree in Santa Barbara because women didn’t respond to him the way he believed he was entitled to have them respond.
Rodger vowed to slaughter the magazine-beautiful blondes who didn’t want to have sex with him. He posted rants in online forums where — surprise, surprise — that kind of misogynistic bile was unremarkable and other men ratified his hatred.
Women heard Elliot Rodger. And they began flooding Twitter by the hundreds of thousands with their responses, using the hashtag #YesAllWomen.
“I’ve spent 19 yrs teaching my daughter how not to be raped,” one mother tweeted. “How long have you spent teaching your son not to rape? #YesAllWomen”
“Because I wasn’t ‘asking for it’ when he hit me,” another tweeted, “and I shouldn’t have to defend myself a decade later. #YesAllWomen”
“#YesAllWomen b/c we are called fat, ugly, and ******/threatened w/rape all the time online, & we are told to ‘just ignore the trolls.’”
Publisher’s note: Petula Dvorak is a 1988 graduate of South Tahoe High School.
I was raised by the most incredible mom a kid could ever want. As a result deep within my psyche I desired to treat girls respectfully, though being respectful and chasing went hand in hand for me. As an added bonus I was given a barometer of the type of woman I would marry as well.
It paid off. :)
I’m sure your mom is smiling upon reading your message. Congrats to her!