We live in a strange and terrible time for women. There are days when I think it has always been a strange and terrible time to be a woman. Womanhood feels more strange and terrible now because progress has not served women as well as it has served men. We are still stymied by the issues our forbears railed against. It is nothing less than horrifying to realize we live in a culture where the "paper of record" can write an article that comes off as sympathetic to eighteen rapists while encouraging victim blaming.
Roxane Gay, in her book "Bad Feminist," reflects on the challenging reality women face today, suggesting that feelings of strangeness and distress regarding womanhood are long-standing. She argues that while some progress has been made, it largely benefits men more than women. This persistent inequality underlines the struggles women have fought against for generations, as many of these issues continue to plague society.
She expresses particular horror at the media's portrayal of sexual violence, highlighting the disheartening tendency of influential publications to favor narratives that lean towards sympathy for perpetrators rather than supporting victims. This dynamic reflects a broader societal problem where victim-blaming remains prevalent, showing that the fight for women's rights and dignity is far from over.
