Monday, September 24, 2018

Trigger Warning Week

Listening to the news today, I noticed that every broadcast on NPR and some on CBS had content warnings due to sexual content surrounding the Kavanaugh nomination. I kept thinking, “This is not normal. This is way beyond the Clarence Thomas shitshow.” This entire week needs a trigger warning.

I’m going to take a moment to address trigger warnings- a certain breed of asshole, typically male, uses the term as an insult. My take on it is that trigger warnings are for SURVIVORS, they are meant to protect people who have lived through traumatic incidents. I’d be willing to bet that the typical conserva-bro using the term in disparaging fashion would not be able to handle such trauma.

It’s been a rough week, and it’s only Monday. I know that some commentators at blogs I visit are having bad time with the misogyny on parade in the media. The news reports are carrying trigger warnings, it might not be a bad time to take a breather. We’re going to need all of our strength in the coming weeks.

3 comments:

Now Am Found! said...

hey bbb, good post. i am a survivor, now 69 years old. first abuse in a catholic orphange, then serial incest with in my irish catholic family. i can attest to trigger warnings effectiveness. it is disturbing when all the news is about rape or sexual assault, and it seems i am always on edge, and even the air surrounding me is disturbed. i don't think most men can understand it. but , imagine yourself a young girl, waiting for a bus, walking to your car in a dark parking lot or at a party. now think of what your own experience is. were you, are you fearful? do you move away if a man approaches? clutch your keys? walk faster? start pressing 9-1...on your phone. look around for someone to help you? no. i don't think you do. do you have a daughter? how do you explain her peril, her risk because everywhere she goes she has her vagina with her? do you tell her? would you blame her if she was raped, was she in the wrong place, her skirt to short, her jeans to tight? blouse cut too low? or was she just out in public and had her vagina with her and oopps! here comes a guy and guess what he has? more muscles and his penis

mikey said...

Actually, I think the media's doing a pretty good job with Kav.

Hell, without congressional oversight, with the investigative agencies blocked from doing their job, the media is pretty much all we have at this point...

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Thanks for the comment, Now Am Found. It takes a lot of courage to tell a history like that.

I am waiting for the next round of accusers to step up, mikey. These incidents are never isolated.