Still Not Shutting Up

Dear Facebook:

When you allow people, be it humorously or in seriousness, to promote raping and abusing women, you imply that it is okay to rape and abuse women. Therefore, to me, you imply that it is okay to rape or abuse me, my sister, my eight-month-old niece, my friends, my acquaintances, my fellow students, my coworkers, the woman who sells me coffee in the morning, the woman I check books out from at the library, my teachers, the lady in line ahead of me in rush hour, and every other woman I know. I disagree. I do not think it is okay to rape or abuse any of these women, or anyone at all.

Stop telling the world it is.

I stand in support of Feminist Admins’ Global Protest: May 29-31. I stand against rape and abuse. And I am going to stay right here and keep telling you so until those of you who are in control get it into your heads that rape and abuse are not okay.

Facebook has such a broad influence on contemporary life. We use it to connect with friends, tell each other how our days went, plan parties. Those who make decisions about what is allowed on Facebook have an unprecedented opportunity to influence mass culture by telling the world that violence against women is not all right.

So because you’re so powerful, Facebook, I’m asking more from you. I’m not asking you to just pull this offensive, horrific content from your website.

I want an affirmative statement that Facebook supports equality for women in all forms of speech, including humor.

I don’t want you to just stop being negative; use your power and do something positive. Make a change. You have the power to do it.

What exactly is stopping you?

Signed,

I.

From the new blog Still Not Shutting Up