The Thing About Satirical Victim-Blaming

The Thing About Satirical Victim-Blaming

As a male survivor of (likely serial) female rapist, I am unfortunately all too familiar with how quickly alleged allies turn into “satirical” victim-blamers.

Step 1, someone posts about female-on-male rape or sexual assault.

Step 2, brave activist “allies” come in and start with:

• “What was he wearing?”
• “He must have been a giant whore.”
• “That’s what happens when you drink in public.”

And so on. When you confront these activists on their behavior, they double-down with weak defenses or claims that their alleged satire is really a form of allyship and mockery. The problem here is not just the “satirical” victim-shaming directed at real survivors, but the smug assumption that male victims don’t get victim-shamed already and in other ways. Too many activists are incompetent, unwillling to learn, and utterly void of empathy for survivors who don’t fit neatly into the “correct” boxes. That’s dangerous.