“Feminist” author Jill Fillipovic took advantage of Arizona Sen. Martha McSally’s recent claim that she was raped by an Air Force officer while serving in the U.S. military to shame the Republican lawmaker for her politics.
In an underhanded attempt to acknowledge McSally’s story like a good, pro-woman advocate while simultaneously dragging her for being on the wrong side of the political fence, Fillipovic linked the senator’s account of sexual violence to conservatives at large, whom she accused of being “staunchly anti-feminist, deriding many women who talk about sexual violence as having a ‘victim mentality.’”
“This [McSally's rape account] is complicated by the fact that McSally is a member of the exact movement that is hostile to sincere and holistic efforts to combat violence against women, and that folds misogyny into much of its politics,” Fillipovic tweeted...just before oh-so-graciously offering, “But feminists do want all women to benefit from our gains.”
This is brave. It's also important. The conservative movement in the US has been staunchly anti-feminist, deriding many women who talk about sexual violence as having a "victim mentality." As a result, there can be a cost to prominent conservative women who speak out. https://t.co/NlrXb2A8d3
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 6, 2019
This is complicated by the fact that McSally is a member of the exact movement that is hostile to sincere and holistic efforts to combat violence against women, and that folds misogyny into much of its politics. But feminists do want all women to benefit from our gains.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 6, 2019
I think sometimes we don't pause to recognize how far we've come, and how partisan feminist issues of the past are now mainstream & widely accepted. If we can add sexual violence to that list, all the better. Right-wing women speaking out about their experiences is a good thing.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 6, 2019
It would be better, of course, if those experiences led to more humane policy positions (and a tougher look at men in power who stand accused of sexual assault, like Kavanaugh, whose confirmation McSally supported). But things don't change overnight. This is a sign of progress.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) March 6, 2019
Of course, Fillipovic also invoked the recent tale of one Brett Kavanaugh to back up her claim, pointing to the now-SCOTUS Justice, who was accused without evidence and without corroboration of sexually assaulting a woman more than 30 years ago in high school, as an example of how conservatives allegedly protect sexual assaulters (by not throwing them out on their heads based on an unprovable allegation, apparently).
However, the anti-conservative feminist predictably refrains from mentioning men on the leftist side of the fence who’ve enjoyed political immunity from Democrats after being accused of sexual assault, such as former President Bill Clinton and current Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, both of whom have been credibly accused by multiple women of sexual abuse yet remained in office regardless (Fairfax is still there, by the way). She also predictably fails to mention the countless men whose careers, relationships and lives have been ruined thanks to false accusations of sexual misconduct.
But sure, Jill. It’s just us “conservatives” who have a problem, and it's only the women in our ranks whose experiences with sexual violence should be used to shame them for their politics. Enjoy your "feminism." I'll stick with basic decency.
(Cover Photo: Gage Skidmore)