On the daytime television talk show ‘The Doctors,” Jillian Michaels claimed that women were “inviting danger” (such as rape) by dressing like sluts.
The statement was made in response to the the first annual Slut Walk” demonstrations, which took place earlier this year after a Toronto police officer claimed “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.” Since then, protests have spread through cities across the U.S. and the world.
“This was an inflammatory response to a horrible thing that an actual public servant, a policeman said to women, was that, the reason basically they were getting raped was because they were dressing provocatively,” Dr. Lisa Masterson explained. “Obviously that’s not true.”
But before Coulter could say something outrageous, she was upstaged by host Jillian Michaels, who also appeared NBC’s The Biggest Loser as a trainer.
“I don’t know that, that’s not true,” Michaels interrupted.
“Wait, wait, wait. You’re saying the way a woman dresses, that actually should provoke her to get raped?” Masterson asked.
“I am not saying that it should, but the behavior you engage in, is inviting danger. You are inviting danger,” Michaels replied.
“A woman should be able to dress any way she wants to,” Masterson objected.
“We’re not saying a woman brings it on herself,” Coulter replied, taking Michael’s side. “But why would you want to celebrate sluttishness. I am for dressing a bit provocatively, but not sluttishly.”
“It’s irony,” Masterson pointed out. “They’re trying to be ironic and they are trying to make something funny that is a negative epithet.”
“Are they imagining there’s a potential rapist out there, seeing women walking by with signs saying sluts and says to himself, ‘I didn’t realize I couldn’t rape a woman because she’s dressed provocatively.’ What’s the point here?” Coulter wondered.
maybe, just maybe, there should be a stronger message sent to men who think it is okay to force themselves on a woman, and maybe, just maybe, if the courts handed down sentences that were not “a tap on the wrist” that would help, too.
The point isn’t to reach out to rapists, who are obviously beyond reason. The point is to raise awareness against victim blame–those people who are stupid enough to think it is something the victim does, not the mental illness of the rapist, that leads to the crime.
If Ann Coulter were to do even a minute amount of research before chastising something, she would realized exactly what the point is; it is stated very explicitly. To express an opinion that is so unfounded, without having any knowledge of the thing you are disapproving of, is just plain ignorant.
It’s a shame that people are allowed to provide commentary on issues that they obviously know nothing about. I am a college professor who became the lead organizer for SlutWalk Milwaukee because I was tired of having to re-explain to my students every semester that clothing plays NO ROLE in the liklihood of sexual assault. As a social scientist, and a sexual assault victim advocate, I actually do know what I am talking about. While clothing plays no role in the liklihood of occurence, it does a play a role in the liklihood of blame by the public. This liklihood has a created a social environment that promotes rape, by promoting the ability for a rapist to not be convicted, or even thought of as accountable for the rape, because we are “okay” with victimizing women using terms like slut. SlutWalk is not a joke. We call rape victims sluts everyday, and no one is accountable to that.
I am constantly having to re-teach the social reality of sexual assault for college students who watch shows like yours, and listen to the morons that are invited to speak on issues they do not research, that have not experienced and that they know NOTHING about. And, I am sure that Michaels and Coulter would state that “everyone” knows they are not experts. But they don’t unfortuantly. Your irresponsibility just blamed 1/3 of your female audience for their rape, and reminded the potential and actual rapists watching that all they need to do to gain your support is call her slut. Somewhere out there someone is being raped this evening, and their rapist just got an endorsement from you. Nice work.
Totally agree with Michele. Why do people give opinions about things they don’t even know about?
i love how travis just stays quiet through out the whole argument.