Newstalk ZB has interviewed Family First's 'Family First's Bob McCoskrie supports the protestors' message, but thinks the rally's shock-value title is taking away from the real issue.
' "I think their cause is a completely justified one," he told Newstalk ZB. "I'd just like them to do it in a family friendly way so that the message gets across rather than with a negative connotation."
'Bob McCoskrie says the way women dress is irrelevant, as there's no justification for rape.'
Having got over my astonishment that I totally agree with that last thing there that Bob said, it seems to me that Mr McCoskrie is totally missing the point of Slut Walk.
Slut Walk by its very nature rejects the notion that the way women (or indeed men) dress is relevant. It's been very clear to me, from all that I've read and seen about Slut Walk, that the idea is that you come along to walk in solidarity on the issue, and that what you wear on the Slut Walk itself is irrelevant too. If you want to dress in a revealing manner that would disconcert Mr McCoskrie then you can do so, and you should feel safe. Equally if you want to wear full burka, or a demure Victorian outfit buttoned up to the neck with full-length sleeves, a skirt down to your ankles and no waist, or a sweatshirt and jeans, you will be welcome.
I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the Auckland event, but I will be trying to. Not sure what I'll wear. And it doesn't matter what I wear. What matters is that I agree with the cause, as McCoskrie says he does too, and that I act in a way that doesn't undermine the issue by raising irrelevant objections.
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6 comments:
Just so, Julie. And very well said.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139962719410171
This one, Julie?
Thank ye kindly Caitlin, ETA now :-)
And thx also Deborah. Apparently his full interview was on Radio Sport and brought a lot more awful than the Newstalk ZB report suggests, but I'm just going to pretend that the silly quotes above (i.e. the ones I disagree with!) are the sum total of his idiocy on the subject.
Great post Julie. And thanks Caitlin - I was wondering about the Welly one too.
I really can't get over some of the comments about the Slutwalk - so many people just don't get it.
And I really, really want to work on my post on comments - on how they really are more disturbing than some of the original articles being commented upon.
Just gotta track down the original articles I want to refer.
Come on, one thing this event is designed to do is pull out the bottom crawlers. So it's no real surprise to see the bigots having a field day. That's kind of the point.
I'm just entertained at how much editing was required to make Bob McCoskrie seem half-way reasonable.
What I would like to do is to somehow convey to him that his point about rape being bad is excellent, and we're pleased that he's made it this far. But it would be even better if he could make it the rest of the way.
Complicated, of course, by my preference to have more modest dress in society at large. But to get there by positive encouragement rather than bringing people down further.
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