Phyllis Chesler wrote this meandering pile of rape apologist poo on Fox News recently: JFK and 19-year-old White House intern Mimi Alford — a truly shameful revelation
Read it yourself to understand what I mean.
Or enjoy these select quotes:
[19yo Mimi Alford] was “wife” material–but President Kennedy treated her in a shameful and inappropriate fashion.
Chesler describes Alford as a “virgin” and having attended the same prestigious school as Jacqueline Kennedy. Apparently this is what makes “wife” material. But losing her virginity to someone besides her husband has ruined her suitability for marriage, apparently. Also, “wife material“?? Why not describe her career or political aspirations as ruined, instead of her suitability for marriage? Oh, because she was a woman.
Girls and women make just such devil’s bargains [submitting to the sexual demands of men who have power over them] every day.
Is “devil’s bargain” what we’re calling rape these days?
They do not care about the humiliated or left-in-the-dark wife nor do they care about how little they really matter to the Great Man.
Where are these unsupported assumptions coming from? Chesler’s fantasy world?
In fact, it’s important to remember that neither Ms. Alford nor Ms. Lewinsky ever alleged sexual harassment or rape.
Why, exactly? Because only low-class whores “cry rape”?
But both young women were manipulated into feeling very, very “special,” even important. Neither dared say “no” to their commander-in-chief.
And this is supposed to be Ms. Chelser’s argument for why what happened *wasn’t* rape?
We know that many rock stars and athletes have come to expect free sex from their fans or are more than willing and able to pay “Ladies of the Night.” These days, both the fans and the “Ladies” have increasingly turned out to be prostitutes…
Is Chesler unaware that “Lady of the Night” is a euphemism for prostitute?
…who blackmail their Johns and who also write their memoirs.
WOW. THE WHORES! Tricking unsuspecting, innocent celebrities and politicians into sex with their feminine temptress wiles. Women should not be trusted. Why can’t powerful men use women as pliant sexual objects in peace?? It’s just not fair.
Chesler goes on to name a list of Democrats (and one Republican) known for sexual or rape scandals. I wonder what her political leanings may be.
The punchline comes at the end of the article, where we discover that Chesler is an Emerita Professor of Psychology (at the City University of New York).
On her own website, she describes herself as “a best selling and influential author, a legendary feminist leader, and a psychotherapist and expert courtroom witness.”
God help us.
2 comments
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February 15, 2012 at 3:13 pm
vladdo123
Your redefinition of “rape” minimizes what real victims go through. A woman who has a 2-year affair with one of the most desired men in the world cannot be classified as a victim in any sense. It’s natural for her not to want to seem like a slut later, but people like you who take her protestations of innocence literally are rabidly naive.
February 16, 2012 at 3:53 am
Havlová
This comment clearly violates my comment policy, but I am letting it stand as an example of the kind of attitudes that exist about power, rape, and sexual assault.
There is no “redefinition” of rape in my post. When a significant power differential exists between two individuals, it is very hard to prove that the less empowered person felt that they had a choice. Not impossible, but very hard. It is clearly professional misconduct when an individual with power over another person’s duties and/or continued employment sexually exploits said person.
The experience of any person who has survived any form of sexual assault is “real”. You, vladdo123, do not get to decide that.
And let’s be clear… just because a man is desirable does not make him incapable of rape or other sexual misconduct.
Who’s “protestations of innocence” are we talking about here? Oh right, imaginary ones.