The Audacity of Dope

And you feel like you the only cool one left

CultureON-SET: “Remember The Time” video shoot, 1991

Botham Jean NEVER had a single ticket, a single arrest, a single conviction, or even a single behavioral note in college.

Not one. Ever.

For the police and media to attempt to insult his character and integrity today is a [predictable] disgrace.

“She deserves to be punished too.”

“I’m not saying I support rape, but-”

“Sorry to say - she deserved it.”

“She put herself in harm’s way”

“But if she was fingered, then that’s not rape.”

“She ruined their lives.”

“Yea, but did you see what she was wearing?”

“Boys will be boys!”

“She should know better than to drink at a party…”

  “He should’ve enjoyed it.”

“She must’ve lead him on.”

“But she orgasmed. That means she liked it - “

“Women can’t rape because…”

“Be grateful it wasn’t a man!”

“I’m sorry she hurt you but don’t call what happened to you rape, it’s an insult to the REAL victims…”

“You weren’t raped, you’re just lesbophobic.”

“She’s his wife, it’s her job to please him.”

“Oral isn’t rape.”

“Well he wasn’t armed, she could have walked away.”

“Guys can’t be raped, they love sex!”

“She didn’t fight back; it wasn’t rape.”

My honest words in those situations: “I want to see all of you … I want to touch all of you … You look beautiful.”

For me, this seems natural: it’s your lover, and you ought to adore them. But in each of those moments of self-consciousness I learned something, I hope, about the psychological scars we carry from a lifetime of internalizing others’ judgments to the point that we judge ourselves most harshly of all. And women get it the *worst*, especially when it comes to body image, because of deeply fucked-up standards in our society.

Porsche 356

New Images of the Aston Martin Valkyrie Emerge