US RAP artist Tyler the Creator sings songs advocating rape and extreme violence against women. His lyrics include themes of murder, genital mutilation, stuffing women into car boots, trapping them in his basement, raping their corpses and burying their bodies. In Tyler’s world, women are sluts, bitches and ‘‘hos’’ who invite criminal acts. They have it coming. It’s what they deserve. And we just welcomed him to Australia. Many are calling on Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor to explain why he has given a platform to an artist who raps about rape as fun. The rapper’s concerts begin in Perth today. He’ll be in Melbourne on Friday. His Brisbane gig at Eatons Hill Hotel is listed as for ‘‘all ages’’. Tyler the Creator gets a free pass to promote male entitlement to do anything to women. Some of his lyrics include:

‘‘ You call this sh– rape but I think that rape’s fun, I just got one request, stop breathin’’

‘‘ F– Mary . . . keep that bitch locked up in my storage, rape her and record it’’ ‘‘ Chop her up in the back of a Wrangler’’ ‘‘ I wanna tie her body up and throw her in my basement, keep her there, so nobody can wonder where her face went’’

There’s lots more, but it’s unpublishable.

In Australia, violence against women costs the taxpayer an estimated $13.6 billion. The Australian Government says it is strongly committed to reducing domestic violence and sexual assault, and has provided funding of $75.7 million over four years via the Women’s Safety Agenda.

The Victorian Government’s action plan to address violence against women allocates $90m to the cause this year.

To violence against women Australia says . . . it’s just entertainment?

If we are serious about addressing violence against women, should a visa be granted to a man who makes a living treating it as entertainment? What’s the point of programs if we tolerate those who fuel it?

In a plea to Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor and Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr, Perth woman Caitlin Roper wrote: ‘‘As a survivor of sexual violence, I can honestly say the impact is devastating, not only for the woman, but our families and those who love us. I believe we need to have zero tolerance for those that encourage violent and dehumanising acts on women.

‘‘I realise of course that asking you to revoke Tyler the Creator’s visa is a huge ask. However, I would ask you to consider the message you could send to Australians about the serious nature of violence against women and the Government’s lack of tolerance for hate speech against our female citizens.’’

The rapper’s hate speech include gays. Tyler the Creator’s rap group, Odd Future, was banned from the NZ Big Day Out line-up after complaints about his lyrics; in that case, homophobic slurs. Tyler responds to women (including this writer) who criticise his misogynistic lyrics, with sexually intimidating comments on social media.

Australian Immigration Fact Sheet 78 on Controversial Visa Applicants refers to ‘‘people whose presence in Australia may, because of their activities, reputation, known record or the cause they represent and propagate, vilify or incite discord in the Australian community or a segment of that community, or represent a danger to the Australian community or a segment of that community’’.

Shouldn’t vilifying women and contributing to an environment that puts them in danger qualify for a reconsideration of his visa? Many of those attending his concerts will be boys forming their opinions about women. They will get a message that abusing women is cool. Inciting criminal acts does not deserve the protection of free speech.

When musicians Tegan & Sara criticised his lyrics he offered them his erect penis. They had written:

‘‘When will misogynistic and homophobic ranting and raving result in meaningful repercussions in the entertainment industry? When will they be treated with the same seriousness as racist and anti-Semitic offences?’’

Is there one political leader in this country who will declare Tyler the Creator’s brand of hatred unwelcome?

When a society doesn’t take violence against women seriously, and even considers it a form of entertainment, it has devastating results for women and girls.

The human rights violations Tyler raps about happen to real women. He is contributing to a culture that enables and excuses it. In a country that claims to care about the treatment of women, why would we give him a platform?

As published in the Herald Sun June 6, 2013

Rapper promotes rape and violence against women. We don’t want him here.

As published on Collective Shout

*TRIGGER WARNING* Graphic descriptions of rape and violence against women

Collective Shout is urgently calling on the  Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Hon.  Brendan O’Connor, to revoke the visa granted to Tyler the Creator.

Rapper ‘Tyler the Creator’ is due to arrive in Australia for a series of concerts beginning on Tuesday June 4. Tyler is reknown for  songs advocating rape and extreme violence against women, including murder, genital mutilation, stuffing them into car boots, trapping them in his basement, raping their corpses and burying their bodies.

Here are some of his lyrics:

“Raquel treat me like my father like a f*ckin’ stranger, She still don’t know I made Sarah to strangle her, Not put her in danger and chop her up in the back of a Wrangler, All because she said no to homecomin’”

“F*ck Mary in her ass.. ha-ha.. yo, I tell her it’s my house, give her a tour, In my basement, and keep that bitch locked up in my storage, Rape her and record it, then edit it with more sh*t”

“You already know you’re dead, Ironic cause your lipstick is red, of course, I stuff you in the trunk”

“You call this sh*t rape but I think that rape’s fun, I just got one request, stop breathin”

“I wanna tie her body up and throw her in my basement, Keep her there, so nobody can wonder where her face went, (Tyler, what you doin’?) Shut the f*ck up, You gon’ f*ckin’ love me bitch, Sh*t, I don’t give a f*ck, your family lookin’ for you, wish ‘em good luck, Bitch, you tried to play me like a dummy, Now you stuck up in my motherf*ckin’ basement all bloody, And I’m f*ckin’ your dead body, your coochie all cummy, Lookin’ in your dead eyes, what the f*ck you want from me?”

“You’ll be down in earth quicker if you diss me tonight, I just wanna drag your lifeless body to the forest, And fornicate with it but that’s because I’m in love with you…c*nt”

Tyler responds to women who criticise his misogynistic yrics.

And I got one too:

 Controversial Visa Applicants

Australian Immigration Fact Sheet 78 on Controversial Visa Applicants refers to “people whose presence in Australia may, because of their activities, reputation, known record or the cause they represent and propagate, vilify or incite discord in the Australian community or a segment of that community, or represent a danger to the Australian community or a segment of that community.”

Tyler the Creator promotes hate speech against women, perpetuating male entitlement to use women’s bodies, to regard women as “bitches”, “sluts” and “hoes” for their sexual use. Tyler the Creator’s glorification of rape and violence against women could be considered inciting his fans to commit violent crimes against them.

We are callling on the Minister to consider the best interests of Australia, including the safety of our female citizens.We ask him to act urgently to revoke Tyler the Creator’s Visa so that he cannot promote his misogynistic attitudes here.

CALL TO ACTION:

Please URGENTLY email or tweet  Minister Brendan O’Connor.

Minister Brendan O’Connor, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship website twitter facebook

Contact Venues hosting Tyler the Creator here

Claims to love me but I don’t think he meant it

Following our protest against 30 Rock stand-up comedian Tracy Morgan – who spread his anti-women pollution at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this week – and our calls for Regal Theatre in Perth not to give him a platform to spread his hate speech further, Morgan responded on Monday night. According to The Real Steve Gray, this is what he said:

In front of a sold out Regal Theatre in Perth last night, 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan addressed the bad press he received in Melbourne on the weekend.

“All I’m trying to do is make people laugh,” he said onstage.

Fans allegedly stormed out of Hamer Hall during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in disgust – some demanding refunds – claiming he was misogynist and lacked humour.

It was all sexually related. He said he was a pervert and this is the sort of stuff he liked and then it went on from there,” she said.

“He went everywhere, he discussed disabled people having sex, what his experiences were, everything he discussed was just disgusting.”

Women’s rights campaigner Melinda Tankard urged for the cancellation of his remaining Australian dates.

Morgan has been called out for offensive material in the past..

“Collective Shout is calling on Regal Theatre to not give Morgan a platform for Morgan’s misogynist hate speech,” Tankard posted on her website.

“It’s fear, [Tankard] doesn’t understand me,” Morgan told Perth fans. “I love her anyway,” he added.

Social media exploded with conversation after the initial MICF reviews surfaced.

“Unfunny, sexist, racist, misogynistic, disgusting rubbish,” one Melbourne attendee posted.

“I left thinking he is chauvinist pig and I can’t believe I paid almost $80 for it!” commented another.

On occasion last night Morgan made jokes at the expense of his enemies and refused the censor his material. “Go home and blog some shit ’cause you ain’t gettin’ any,” he said. “I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

See also ‘Tracy Morgan sparks outrage in Australia’ 

The deluge of apologists for Morgan’s behaviour has been remarkable, even by usual standards. I’m still processing it and will write about it further. Seems anything is justifiable in the name of ‘art’ or ‘entertainment’. Here’s the Regal Theatre’s response to a Collective Shout supporter:

Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:27:12 +0800

From: regal@iinet.net.au

Subject: Re: Tracy Morgan hate speech

Hi

I appreciate your email, but the Regal does not engage in discrimination when selecting acts for our venue.

Many thanks,

KIM KNIGHT

Manager

Regal Theatre 474 Hay St Subiaco Western Australia 6008 0448 111 308 9388 2066

That’s right folks, we allow acts at our venue to discriminate against ANYONE!

If you don’t like it don’t go?

There’s this idea that the problem with us, for being ‘offended’, not with Morgan’s speech.

My colleague Nicole Jameson addresses this really well:

‘If you don’t like it leave, or don’t go in the first place’ IS a defence of misogyny – it’s based on the false, apologetic premise that hate speech against women is only subjectively offensive. Sexism doesn’t go away if we ignore it, nor if we dress it up as ‘edgy humour’ or ‘boundary pushing’ in order to swallow it.

Related to this is this Women’s View on News piece ‘Bare boobs are now news’ 

Call on Regal Theatre to pull Morgan off the program  

How much more women-hating are we expected to endure? And this latest manifestation in the name of ‘entertainment’? 

Steve Bennett has written this review of 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan’s stand-up Performance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival  for UK comedy guide Chortle. Here’s an extract: 

So here’s the problem. There’s only one reason Tracy Morgan can fill Melbourne’s 2,600-seat Hamer Hall twice in one night, and that’s 30 Rock: a sophisticated, endearing and witty sitcom. But Morgan’s stand-up is none of those things.

This is an unpleasant, graphic, charmless 45-minute tirade – brevity being a rare redeeming feature – sharing his baser instincts in putrid detail, and very little humour.

‘Fucking women are crazy’ he tells us, with his advice to the fairer sex being both, ‘get yo’ ass in the fucking kitchen’ and ‘give that pussy up and stop this bullshit.’ For ‘bullshit’, he means ‘conversation’, I think, for as he taps his head, he warns the men: ‘Once a woman get in there, she live rent-free.’

Let us not assume he is discriminatory about ‘bitches’, though, as he shows no prejudice as to where he sticks his penis: Fat, thin, black, white, disabled – all women can be a receptacle for him. He is something of a vaginal connoisseur, sharing his informed reviews: ‘That pussy be burnt out’; ‘That crippled pussy stays wet’; ‘that pussy stink just a little bit’… there was something about the lubricating ‘discharge’ from a disabled woman too, but I was too busy gagging to write that line down verbatim. Read full story here 

It was good to know at least some people walked out. Even better would be if those planning to attend his gig at the Regal Theatre tomorrow night boycotted it. Collective Shout is calling on Regal Theatre to not give Morgan a platform for Morgan’s misogynist hate speech.

Contact details for the Regal theatre in Perth:

https://www.facebook.com/theregaltheatre

t 08 9388 2066
f 08 9388 2860
regal@iinet.net.au
www.regaltheatre.com.au
474 Hay Street Subiaco WA 6008

See also:

Lip Magazine – Fans storm out of Tracy Morgan’s MICF comedy show

News.com.au – Fans walk out on Tracy Morgan’s comedy show

‘We showed companies all over the world that rewarding rape is not just wrong, it’s a bad marketing strategy’

So happy to report some good news.

U.S based women’s protest movement UltraViolet led a massive protest against rapper Rick Ross and his endorsement deal with Reebok, prompted by his lyrics in the Rocco song ‘U.O.E.N.O’., about drugging a woman and having sex with her without her knowledge.

Ross’s segment on the song featured spiking a woman’s drink with the drug MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or molly:

Put molly all in her Champagne

She ain’t even know it

I took her home and I enjoyed that

She ain’t even know it.

Only 13-months-old, UltraViolet harnessed a groundswell of protests that forced Reebok to end its relationship with the rapper. Much of the action took place through social media, resulting in a mammoth 90,000 signature petitions, 10,000 phone calls and 2000 tweets.

Protest outside the Reebok store in Manhattan (NYT)

Here’s an email I just received about the campaign’s success.

Dear Melinda,

YOU just dealt a big blow to rape culture.

Thanks to 100,000 UltraViolet members and our allies who spoke out, Reebok just ended their endorsement deal with Rick Ross, the rapper who brags about raping a woman on his recent single. The 90,000 petition signatures, 10,000 phone calls, 2,000 tweets, the letter signed by 500 rape survivors, and the nearly 100 people who rallied at Reebok’s New York City flagship store sent a clear message: we won’t stand for a company that rewards rape.

And Reebok listened. In fact they issued a strong statement, saying “We are very disappointed [Ross] has yet to display an understanding of the seriousness of this issue or an appropriate level of remorse.”1

When a company does the right thing, it’s important that we thank them–so we’re going to send them a thank you card, signed by thousands of UltraViolet members. We’ll also send the card to the press to help Reebok get good publicity for taking a stand against rape. Can you sign the card?

Sign the thank you card to Reebok.

This isn’t just a blow to Rick Ross–it’s going to have an impact on how companies like Reebok choose their spokespeople in the future. We showed companies all over the US–and all over the world–that rewarding rape is not just wrong, it’s a bad marketing strategy.

After Todd Akin, Rick Ross, Steubenville, and far too many similar stories, it’s clear we have a lot of work to do together to end rape culture. But right now, we need to take a moment to thank Reebok, and show companies everywhere that if they stand up for women, it will pay off. Can you sign the thank you card?

Thanks for speaking out,

Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda, and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Ross part of another video eroticising violence against women

Remember Rick Ross’s part in a behind-the-scenes clip for the Kanye West Monster video which showed him eating a plate of meat between the spread legs of a dead woman?  Collective Shout, Adios Barbie and others joined together in a global campaign against the Monster video which was described as a rape scenario set to a soundtrack – and won. MTV refused to screen it.

See also: ’32 overlooked rape lyrics in rap’

On Saturday I appeared on Weekend Sunrise with Danielle Egan, US author of a new book which argues concerns about the sexualisation of girls are exaggerated.

You can watch it here

Beauty Redefined: Victoria’s Dirty Little Secret

The time-wasting, body-hating self-objectification proved to go hand-in-hand with such “bold, sexy, powerful” ideals – though ideal for an industry raking in $5 billion a year and expanding across the globe – is not a great pathway to real progress as females or as a culture

You’ve probably heard VS rolled out a line of lingerie for teens called “Bright Young Things.”As part of the PINK brand for all the teenaged “things” across the world, these undies feature polka-dot hipsters with “Feeling Lucky?” printed on them, a lacey thong with the words, “I dare you” on the front, and so much more. This isn’t some conservative “too sexy, too soon!” cry. This is doctoral research into Victoria’s Secret — a company that profits by selling sexually objectifying and limiting messages to all ages and claiming it is “empowering.” This may give words to the feelings you’ve been having about how harmful this brand is, so read on.

Melbourne will join the international dance campaign ONE BILLION RISING this Thursday 14 February – dubbed ‘V-Day’ – as part of a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. This year will be the largest day of action in the history of the campaign and will mark its 15 th anniversary.

The campaign has the support of Prime Minister Julia Gillard who last week released her video endorsing the One Billion Rising movement & the Australian events.

ONE BILLION RISING began in 1998 as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION women and girls.

The event has attracted massive global attention with celebrities, women and men from all walks of life joining in to make women visible, to bring the community together through dance and to empower people to develop respectful relationships – free of violence and exploitation.

Melbourne joins this international action and invites ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence.

The Melbourne event has the support and involvement of various organizations and individuals, including Victorian Trades Hall Council, YWCA Australia, Domestic Violence Victoria, South-East Centre Against Sexual Assault, Women’s Legal Service Victoria and Gabriela Australia.

Media are invited to attend, conduct interviews (and dance) at the event:

Event runs 6.00pm – 7.00pm, Thursday 14 February

Federation Square

Cnr Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne

Event continues in a dance across Princes Bridge to Queen Victoria Gardens

MEDIA CONTACT: Tamar Spatz, 0431 811 294 / onebillionrisingmelbourne@gmail.com

Website

PM endorsement

The gang-rape of a 23-year-old student in a moving bus on the night of December 16 in the capital city of Delhi has triggered anger, outrage and shock amongst every citizen this country.

The National Crime Records Bureau records 572 rapes reported from Delhi for the year 2011. This year 635 rapes had already been reported as of December 15, 2012, Rape is not a problem that afflicts Delhi alone. In recent months, we have seen a rising crime graph against women being reported from virtually every corner of the country including Haryana, Kerala and Bangalore.

Each time a rape is reported, civil society reacts with anger and outrage, which unfortunately dies down and is forgotten, until the next time. The question to ask: what is the inflexion point? At what stage do we say collectively and in one voice: Enough.

Many solutions have been offered in the light of this particular gang-rape and in the past. Some of these include:

1. The setting up of fast track courts (as in Rajasthan recently) to ensure speedy trials.

2. The imposition of maximum, exemplary sentence.

3. The immediate clearing of all pending cases involving crimes against women.

4. Immediate training and sensitisation of police force to crimes against women, including domestic violence, molestation and sexual assault.

5. The immediate passage of pending bills that seek to protect women, including the Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Bill 2012 and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2012

6. Consultations with the Ministry of Human Resources to see how best to address the issue of sensitising boys through the school curriculum.

7. National-level, open consultations involving civil society and other stake-holders on how best to tackle the growing misogyny and hostility against women as well as rising crimes against them.

Despite having so many women in positions of political leadership, a survey by TrustLaw found India to be ranked as the worst country in the world for women. At a time when women are increasingly claiming their rightful share of half the sky and asserting their autonomy and independence, the rising crimes against them are conducted with absolute impunity by criminals who have no fear of the law.

We are writing to you in the hope that you will direct government and judiciary to take special note of the escalation of gender violence and work together on a priority basis to implement the measures detailed above.

Lack of gender justice, lack of fear of the law, police and judicial apathy, failure of governance and shrinking public spaces is a matter of grave concern, not just for women but for every citizen of this country.

Read sample letter here

Sign petition here

Doing good instead of bingeing is all class: MTR in Sunday Herald Sun

Scarlett* (she asked me not to use her real name) from Victoria, wrote to me about her experience of Schoolies.

While on schoolies I heard numerous stories of girls I go to school with having sex in club toilets with complete strangers before schoolies to ‘get it over and done with’… They feared that if they went on schoolies as virgins, they would be deemed ‘losers’…
While on schoolies, some of my closest friends had sex or gave oral sex or hand to complete strangers as they felt it was ‘expected of them’ by the boys and because ‘it’s schoolies!’.
At clubs and bars we went to boys chanted ‘tits out for the boys’… If boys came up to the girls and chanted ‘show us your tits!’ the girls would take their tops off or show their bra, because a massive group of horny boys chanting at you is pretty forceful.
…There was also a wet-shirt competition, prizes for lesbian kisses and games which included miming a blow job. They had to take off items of clothing to stay in the game…
Many of the girls were under the influence of alcohol and yes, boys did prey on drunk girls – I overheard two boys saying to each other ‘let’s get these girls drunk and take them down to the beach’.

Courtney Mitchell, 18, wrote to me too. Her experience was quite different.

Two weeks ago I had the privilege of joining a team on a short term trip to Thailand and Cambodia with Destiny Rescue. We spent time with poor and disadvantaged children and young people and saw how life is for those much less fortunate than ourselves.
My team had chosen to spend their schoolies giving instead of getting. It was inspiring to see them exchange a week of partying to spend an afternoon levelling out a soccer field so orphaned boys could play safely or playing with little girls rescued from the sex industry.

It was touching to think that money had been diligently raised all year not to hire a three-bedroom apartment and cover alcohol costs but to fly to the other side of the world with a willingness to get uncomfortable.

What better way to start life in the real world than by visiting the real world – and gaining awareness, preparation and perspective as a result?

If ever there was a case for re-considering the traditional schoolies ritual, it’s here in the stories of these two young women.

This so-called rite-of-passage – more like a week-long binge – sees hundreds arrested for serious assault, drunk and disorderly conduct, drug possession and obstructing police. Scarce resources are deployed to mop up the mess.
Many girls suffer sexual violence. Some families are left grieving the loss of a child who died at a schoolies event.

Of course young people should be able to let off steam, have fun and say farewell after being together with the same people for over a decade. We want them to revel in freedom and new beginnings.

But has the good wish to prove and redefine oneself, to grow and move on, turned into an empty, hollow and even toxic initiation?

It appears that young people themselves think so.

In fact most wish they’d never gone. University of Wollongong research found seven out of 10 of teens attending rated the experience as negative.

Why can’t we offer them something better? Provide incentives to participate in something affirming and positive, which won’t leave them with sadness and regret?

Fortunately there are a number of alternatives already on offer which deserve more publicity so that next time girls like Scarlett will have healthy options. Here’s a sample (check in your area for other programs).

• Schoolies Revolution
An initiative of HopeBuilders International, this not-for-profit work to break the cycle of poverty. It “challenges young people to step out of their comfort zone and do something radical. By turning away from the traditional “schoolies” young people are given the opportunity to give back to world’s poor”. This year students helped build a school, visited slums, visited prisons and looked after orphans in Uganda.

• Operation Timor-Leste (Rotary Club of Kerang)
Kalamunda schools (W.A) join a team to engage in community building activities in a small East Timorese village. The aim is to help young people think and act as global citizens, develop mutual cross cultural awareness and achieve personal challenges,

• Shepparton Schoolies Alternative
Students from a Lutheran College in Adelaide work with young refugees in Shepparton. The school hopes to strengthen and grow the connections with refugee communities.

• Crossroads

Crossroads is a two-week pilgrimage for Year 12 school leavers from the Melbourne, run by the Melbourne Catholic Archdiocese. Students engage with remote communities, where they do volunteer work.

• ‘Coolies’ Program
Run by De La Salle College, the Coolies program takes 12 school leavers to for a month to work as unskilled labourers (‘coolies’) in rural villages and try to improve the lives of the poor. Students have built a new primary school classroom and toilet block.

• StormCo
STORM Co. is a youth initiative of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It sends teams of trained young people to work for, learn from, and encourage individual communities, especially in remote parts of Australia.

Published in the Sunday Herald Sun Dec 16, 2012

Please let’s import them

In I think every anti-rape campaign I’ve seen, the responsibility is on women and girls not to get raped. Do this, don’t do that, don’t go home with a stranger, don’t drink too much, don’t travel on your own, you can use your keys as a weapon, etc. And if women don’t do these things and something bad happens? Well, they just weren’t careful enough.

I’m not saying that women shouldn’t ignore the dangers. When one in three women are sexually assaulted, of course women are wary. In this environment, women are fearful and already take precautions even though they shouldn’t have to.

We live in a culture that glamourises and eroticises violence against women, as I’ve written before.  This culture gives permission to men to treat women badly and pretend that’s what they want.

But how refreshing for a change to see responsibility placed exactly where it lies. These new posters are a continuation of a campaign launched two years ago by the Edmonton (Canada) police department.

We could use some of these posters here. Especially given the AFL in its Respect and Responsibility manual, has to explain that if a woman is out of it, she can’t agree to sex. Under a section of checklist items to help a man know consent has been given, it states:

When is consent freely given? When she’s conscious – AWAKE!

Maybe it would help them to see that in pictures.

Images via Buzzfeed

See also: ‘What do they expect Kerri-Anne? They expect not to be raped’, MTR blog.

‘Not rape, just boys acting up’, MTR, The Australian.

‘Violence against women is endemic to our sick culture’, MTR ‘100 years of international women’s day: let’s end the tyranny of sexual violence’, Kate Ravenscroft.