“Would you say destroying the planet is just as bad as raping a person? Is putting toxic chemicals into our water just as bad as putting toxic chemicals into a person so you can rape them?”
Bombarded by these questions (plus many more) from a new acquaintance at a party the other evening, my responses shocked even myself.
I don’t know how we started talking. It began through a casual conversation on spirituality. Something along the lines of the Universe and Gandhi, Jesus and life, but—inevitably as it does with new acquaintances—conversation began gravitating towards my work, intersecting with our previous topic of spirituality.
I replied, “Yes, I think ripping down all the trees in South America is just as destructive as raping a person—I think all crimes against The Universe are interconnected. One can’t happen without the other”
Wait, what did I just say?
Something huge shifted in me, without me even realizing it. Three months earlier this conversation would not have proceeded in the same fashion. I wouldn’t have been as calm, nor would I have necessarily been stating that these crimes are one within the same. Most likely the conversation would have ended in tears, or at least with me storming off and feeling self-righteous in my justification that rape was worse than anything. Though I knew we needed to love the planet and I’ve always been on par with ecofeminism, the feelings rape gave me were so much stronger than the feelings I had of people dumping oil in the ocean. I just couldn’t hold the two topics side by side in the palm of my hand.
But everything in The Universe is connected. And that’s a connection we need to make to end rape.
When this nation was settled by raping and pillaging land that already belonged to humans—many of who loved and lived with the land as one—then why are we shocked that we have literally bred a nation that believes it can take whatever it wants to take, including a woman’s passed out body?
When we fight wars on foreign land in order to take gold and oil we believe we deserve, why wouldn’t we assume we can fight the same wars on less powerful bodies, taking what we believe we deserve?
When we destroy rainforests for timber that will give us personal gains in dollars, why wouldn’t we also believe we can take away women’s rights for our personal gains?
When we knock down forests in our own cities in order to build a giant flashy shopping mall, how are we still shocked by misogyny knocking down women’s rights to earn a salary same as a man’s?
When we constantly abuse the Earth we live on, why would we not constantly abuse each other?
Our concept of dominion allows events like Steubenville or the Delhi gang rape to happen. When Christians (falsely) believe that God gave us the earth, and therefore we have dominion over the plants, animals, and trees, we somehow begin to “play God,” believing God has given us permission to rape the land because it’s “ours.”
I’m grateful that Steubenville has allowed me to enter into this perspective. It’s a perspective that needs more tailoring and study, and is obviously more in-depth than what I’ve laid out here, but I believe it’s a perspective that is needed in this conversation. Putting out a plea for pieces on Steubenville, I was truly blown away with how many people sent me their perspectives. Shockingly there weren’t two matching ideas—everyone came up with their own focus.
And I was so encouraged by these responses to Steubenville because they’re what we need in order to end sexualized violence: collective, collaborative, and diverse ideas. One person’s idea is not enough. We can’t just look at the victim’s future as much as can’t completely ignore the boys’ roles is this event and our justice systems maltreatment of humans. We need to listen to all view points, even the ones that give us a knee-jerk reaction of condemnation. I’m not saying anything goes—we need to use strong discernment in what is truth—but we also must not shy away from challenging topics and point of views that make us cringe.
Starting on Monday, I will be posting reflections on Steubenville. I ask that you read this week’s posts with opens hearts and minds. I’d love if we could start conversations on the topics provided. Feel free to comment, challenge, and share widely with your friends. Without these conversations in everyone’s circles of contacts, we’re never going to move forward.