Johnny, I don't think you should have apologized. You used the word exactly the way it's supposed to be used in inference. To infer.
To infer the idea of being raped,
which does not only mean raped as in physically penetrated
but raped as in pillaged, stolen from
. You said what you meant. You said it like a writer. With passionate description. There is nothing wrong with what you said,
only that some very vocal and well intentioned people insist that
the word raped is theirs now, and they claim it to mean one thing only,
hands off the word raped, apparently.
Hm. The sentence I just wrote was inadvertedly meaningful.
And I'm not sorry.
I'm sorry women are raped every day
and that this world is so confused and scared about what happens to us
we use our emotional and physical energies making a big shitstorm over nothing
when there are somethings that could use our attentions instead.
Like actual rape.
And actual assholes.
Which you are not.
i missed what happened. what did he say? who accosted him? i could google it but i'm on roller skates this morning. hope you are well, dear maggie.
I thought basically the same damn thing when I saw that apology.
I completely agree....
Sometimes, people overact and/or are imprisoned by illogical adherence to the literal.
I know -- can you believe? I think it's just a fabricated story that the media dream up -- something to feed the always ravenous maw of the populace.
Excellent post, Maggie. People need to consider the source. Johnny Depp! Though there's an element of celebrity that I'm completely and utterly fascinated by, I can't even imagine what it would be like to have pictures of my kids taken by strangers and cameras shoved in my face. Sure it's part of the package of being an entertainer, and sure, maybe Johnny could have used another word (violated?) but we're also talking about real people. Not robots. I love Johnny, end of story.
I don't think it was a poor choice of words, either. I can imagine that's enough of an approximation of how it feels to be in a photo shoot to him...who is anyone to label another's feelings?
Of course, I could say a number of very insensitive things about how I'd like Johnny to make me feel...being 'pillaged' by him wouldn't be so bad.
When I read his comment I bristled at the word choice. I thought to myself, "He means violated, not raped." I love JD and don't think he's an asshole in any way, but I'm personally glad he apologized.
Angella click the red word apologized in my post
Women do not own the word rape. men can be raped, villages and the earth can be raped and celebrities can be raped by the media, rape is psychological as much as physical. I'm with ya' on this! Language is important to use to describe ones experience. Rape is not a dirty word or calling anyone names... why we would see that as offensive?
I'm going to have to disagree and say that I'm pleased that he apologized. Part of what is now Rape Culture is using the word "raped" to mean things that do NOT mean raped. When Johnny (whom I adore to the highest degree) said that he felt raped by a photo shoot, he did not ACTUALLY mean that he physically had someone shove a body part into an orifice of his while he repeatedly said NO and that he will have to deal with the guilt and shame regarding what he was wearing and how he was acting for the rest of his life. He will not have to deal with society judging him, labeling him a slut, telling him he "asked for it" and to just move on. He will not have to take a pregnancy test and wonder if he might be carrying the baby of the person who violated him, he will not have flashbacks of being raped while he's trying to be intimate with his wife, he will not find himself afraid of the dark or back alleys or wonder "What if" for the rest of his life. He will not spend a large amount of time (perhaps the rest of his life) being ashamed and afraid of his own sexuality.
He will not do any of this because he was not raped, yet he used the word raped. I don't think it's Political Correctness, and I don't think sexual abuse survivors have "hijacked a word." I think they know all too well that rape is serious and horrific and loaded and comes with a slew of baggage put upon it by society, and it is Rape Culture that says that is acceptable to use that word casually and throw it around and take the seriousness away from it. Rape Culture is making it casual and funny and when people STOP wincing at that word, then fuck it, we have a much bigger problem on our hands.
Thanks for listening.
i agree with you maggie.
as someone who's been there, giving words so much significance is absurd.
assuming that everyone who has been raped is disabled and so, re-injured by the mere mention of it is naive & insulting.
he has nothing to apologize for.
TOTALLY agree, Maggie. Well said!
Well said Maggie.
We cannot become freaking hysterical about everything. It is truly getting to that point. You cannot say or do anything that isn't considered woefully non-PC anymore.
Good entry. ~Mary
Always liked Johnny Depp - agree with you totally
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