Yesterday I wrote about women being silenced in a misogynistic way in our society (case in point: S.E. Cupp V. Larry 
Flynt). Many came back with “where were you when all the pics came out about Sarah Palin?” To which I am prepared to make my reply. I don’t really recall exactly what was done by Mr. Flynt to Ms. Palin. So I researched and when I did my research what I found was porno movies in which he hired actors to portray Ms. Palin. And I guess there in lies the difference. A ‘look a like’ is the difference; or is it?
I spoke with my brother about this the other night who was extremely worried that I was calling for legislature to come in and over-see (in other words censor). Censorship? Really? I don’t wish that on my worst enemy (even the likes of Rush or Beck). No, I am for freedom of speech. But as I have stated before, with all freedoms there are consequences. I’m told that a ‘public’ figure is ‘fair game’ and therefore people like Mr. Flynt are allowed to do with their photos as they wish.
Gone are the days where we have posters up and simply write filth over them. No, we are in an age that is so much more damaging and so much more permanent. What Mr. Flynt did was equivalent (in my mind) to gang rape. He ‘silenced’ his female antagonist by placing a photo of her (a photo that was for the taking) and placing it in a compromising position (sucking a penis)… the most vial of forms in which to be silenced.
I can only imagine that since Mr. Flynt has no way of doing this himself he can only ‘photo-shop’ as I’m sure his own doesn’t work as well if at all. It takes a mighty small mind in deed to do what Mr. Flynt did; but it takes and even smaller mind to back him up as with Ms. Barr (Rosanne Barr). To say that Ms. Cupp deserved it? As if to say that a rape victim deserved the rape because of her attire. I simply can’t abide by that.
And to all those supposed male conservative commentary cohorts, who might once have been on her side, but are now saying things like “can we just get on with this already; where were all these ‘women’ when this was happening to Palin?” To them I say, we are right here and we are not taking it any more.
Yes, we believe in the 1st Amendment and I feel for Ms. Palin; but honestly? Sarah’s worst? was on SNL! Or that Mr. Flint made her boobs appear four times bigger than they are with his ‘look-alike’. In either case, something must be done. Whose to say that just because you are a celebrity you are fair game? Why should my right to privacy be greater than a celebrities’? The point is, that that picture of her doing what she is depicted of doing (do I really need to be explicit again?), is going to be all over the internet for the world to see. And you might think that people will know that it is simply ‘satire’, a fake; and I say, IT DOESN’T MATTER!!!
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Or is it? I’m simply asking the tough question, where were the penis’ for Rush and Beck? I didn’t see any in their mouths. Why is it that when a woman, any woman, gets strong about a subject and is disagreed with; she is silenced (sexually so). A man? Oh, he’s a prick, a bastard. But a woman, we must keep them in their place.
In this 21st Century, just where is our place exactly? We women must wake up. We have our rights teetering on the wall as we back-stab each other and have our little cat fights; all the while the men get their erections (or fantasized erections) as they watch. Are we going to keep playing it for them? Or are we going to give it to them?
I say: Boycott! Boycott Larry Flynt Publications. Boycott and tell your men (or significant other) you don’t want to see anything Mr. Flynt produces (if you do; they’re sleeping on the couch… ). Regardless of what our male friends might want to think, we do have some power. Am I picking on Larry? I’d like to say I have better things to do; but baby I’ve only started.
Related articles
- Two Sides, One Cupp (takimag.com)
- Hustler’s denigrating S.E. Cupp “satire” (salon.com)
