… At every turn I was challenged on the legitimacy of my claim of being sexually assaulted. The man held me down, attempted to take off my nightgown, and kissed me brutally, chased me around my house, and prevented me from calling help. Even so, I was told that my case wasn’t enough.
This happens every single day to women in this country, and to women that were far more brutalized than I was. If you are raped in the United States and try to prosecute your attacker, you must be willing to withstand a non-stop barrage of claims that you, in fact, asked for it.
So I wasn’t too surprised to hear Congressman Todd Akin say that in “legitimate rape” pregnancy isn’t a concern for women.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
Nope. Cecily, I really enjoy your writing and your point of view, but I seriously hate being forced to click over to another website. If I wanted to go to that website, I would just go there. I was looking forward to reading your take on Rep. Akin’s ridiculous statements, but this is a game that I don’t want to play. Won’t do it any more. Also, if I continue to get teasers like this in my reader, I will unsubscribe. I’ll miss you, and I know you couldn’t care less if I continue to read or not so my protest is pointless, but I don’t need the frustration.
I’m sorry, Lisa, really. I don’t know if this helps or not, but here’s the deal: we’re still in our home because I get paid to write for other sites. I make ZERO from this site.
For me? This isn’t a game, at all, in any way. It’s about paying my bills and feeding my child. If that’s not enough reason to click over, that’s understandable. I am working hard to have more time to update here regularly. But know that post I wrote on the other site? Well, it bought this week’s groceries.
so, first I have to click over from my reader, then I have to click to yet another website after the first paragraph? Completely ridiculous, and you just lost another reader.
Meg, please see the comment I left for Lisa; I can only publish partial feeds of what I write at Babble because otherwise I’d violate copyright. (Amy, who commented below, is right about that). And as I sad to Lisa, I do not make money from my blog, but the post on Babble bought a week’s worth of groceries.
It’s a simple click, people. Really, it’s not that difficult. Flouncy, much?
Here’s how this works: That content was produced for another site, not this one. Even though she wrote it, she doesn’t necessarily own it, and she can’t publish it in full here without running into potential copyright issues.
Don’t want to click over, because you think it’s not worth your time? Then, just don’t. Or, want to read the content on Babble Voices but don’t want to click? Then subscribe to Babble Voices. Either way, it’s pretty darn simple. Welcome to the internet.
Amy B. if you have such a problem making that wee click why are you here? If you wanted to hear what Cecily has to say it would not be an issue. Get a life.
You didn’t really understand my response, did you?
No actually I apologize to you Amy. My comment was directed to Lisa but I mistakenly hit reply after your response.
yes, really Meg and Lisa, you understand that the person who writes these words is a human being who deserves to find pathways to success with her writing, and you are willing to take the time to complain because you have to CLICK ONE MORE TIME??? You have to be kidding me. I will happily put in an extra click if it means that Cecily can be more successful in her endeavors and that her writing will reach more people.
Yeah, no, I’m with all of them. I didn’t come here to support Cecily in her many endeavors! I came for the good writing. It ain’t here anymore, and I’m not interested in chasing after it.
I’m sorry to hear that, Sara.
Wow. Amy, thank you for the “internet lesson.” And Joy, thank you for pointing out that Cecily is a human being. I appreciate Cecily enough that when I got irritated with the process on this blog, I said so in a non-condescending and non-confrontational way. If I feel that way, other people do, too. Rather than just getting mad and going away, I thought that Cecily, the human person whose career is about social media, might be interested in knowing that some people are annoyed by the multi-click bait and switch game. I absolutely understand what it’s about, and that’s exactly why it bothers me. It’s not about how HARD it is or isn’t to click ONE MORE TIME. Sheesh. I go to the websites that I support (including this one) and, generally speaking, I don’t go to websites that try to force me to go to other websites to boost their page views and earn more money. It’s manipulative and I don’t enjoy feeling manipulated. So. It’s not about flouncy or any limitation on my ability to click, and while there was an element of complaining to my comment, I hope Cecily is able to appreciate that my intent was not mean-spirited.
Lisa, I appreciated your feedback and it is absolutely NOT my intention to manipulate. I hope my responses made that clear.
I’m just completely flummoxed by how this would bother someone. I get that you feel manipula… you know what? I can’t.
Cecily, do what you need to do for your family, girl. I’ll be reading until it isn’t good anymore. So far, I’m still enjoying the content enough to justify a click.
a suggestion–not that i know anything at all: if people feel like they’re being baited and switched (which i sorta understand, but think it’s stupid) why not just say at the beginning of each of these babble posts, “i wrote this for babble-crunch, come one over and read it!”
and i have gone and i have read, even though i’m really pissed off at babble right now (check my twitterstream for the reason, it’s actually a good topic)
xx
Hey Cecily, that was a great post and definitely worth a click! Hell, I even clicked my back button so I could leave this comment. And looky there, my little internet click counter didn’t even get reduced. ;)
It’s great that this is such a warm and accepting space. I always feel a bit disconcerted when I read a bunch of comments mocking or ridiculing a human being who took the time to post a thought that was different from that of the herd. :)
I think most of us just thought WTF is the issue really.
FWIW I dont have a problem clicking over if I have an interest in what you are writing about. What I did want to mention is how impressed I am, Cecily, with your responses. You do not sound angry, upset or defensive. You are honest, upfront and approachable in your responses. I have been reading you a long time and I say nice job on working on that challenge that I know you have written about in the past! :)
Cecily,
Thank you for writing about this topic and I appreciate your column. I have read your blog since 2006 and I have no intention of stopping, no matter where you write. You are awesome. In fact, when I heard Akin’s statements on NPR one of my first thoughts was “Damn, I wonder what Cecily will write/think” only because you are a great voice for women and your voice I am grateful for. Peace and love, dear.
I for one will happily click over. Right now even. No flouncing.
(Hey, peeps, it’s a click. Big whoop. If that is the most annoying or difficult part of your day, you are fictional. In which case your argument is invalid.)
I was very delighted to discover this site on yahoo.I wished to say many thanks to you with regard to this excellent post!! I undoubtedlyenjoyed every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to have a look at new stuff you post.