Trigger Warning

Age of consent is a perfect example of how what is LEGAL & what is MORAL is not always the same. In the most states, the legal age of consent is 16. Meaning, a 55yr old man could legally sleep with a 16yr old in high school. So what. It’s still IMMORAL. 1/

A lot of sexual predatory behavior is, in fact, “legal”. Unsolicited nudes for instance is currently legal in 49 states...even though common sense tells you a random dude airdropping a picture of their junk is SEXUAL HARASSMENT. 2/

Let’s all be honest. Just like racism, our culture has normalized & legalized sexual abuse, harassment, and rape. Have you watched an 80s comedy recently? It is so bad that a US Congressman said the phrase “if it’s a legitimate rape” in the 21st century, with a straight face. 3/

Hell, #KateWinslet won an Oscar for a movie where her MUCH OLDER character had an affair with a 15 yr old boy. This movie is still described as a romantic drama! Pretty messed up! The sad reality is our culture is so toxic when it comes to sex, ppl regularly defend abusers 4/

Of course there are varying degrees of sexual abuse. Just like a microaggression isn’t the same as a lynching, a catcall isn’t the same as rape. But the point is, it’s coming from the same place of dehumanization. This is what intersectionality is all about btw! 5/

All races have to deprogram racism. All genders have to deprogram rape culture. But white ppl are in power. Men are in power. White ppl are killed by cops. Men are sexually harassed and assaulted. But it disproportionately happens to black ppl & women respectively. 6/

Men have a lot to learn. Alcohol & sex are common, despite it being dangerous. Sex without verbal consent is common, despite it being dangerous. We’ve been programmed by media to believe spontaneously grabbing a woman and kissing her is romantic instead of predatory. It sucks. 7/

But instead of getting defensive, we can take the time to hear women and understand these things are not ok. You can still be masculine and not harass or assault woman. Dare I say, it makes you LESS masculine to treat women like garbage. In fact it makes you an insecure prick. 8/

It’ll take time. I know I have made mistakes & I will probably make them again. All white ppl won’t stop racism today and all men won’t stop sexism tomorrow. But humility, contrition, listening, and growing can help us make this world safer & better for all of us.