Angela Walker on Tara Reade's Book Release
Channel: Howie Hawkins
Date: 2021-02-21

Angela Walker speaks as part of Tara Reade's book release on 2/20/21.

Transcript:

I want to thank Tara Reade for her courage, because it is no small thing to have to stand in your bravery day after day. I thank you, Tara, for your continuing work to create spaces for those of us who are living under the weight of rape culture to speak, to be heard, to be safe. It is my honor to be a small part of this necessary event. 


I say that rape culture is a weight because it is. Wikipedia defines rape culture as “a sociological concept for a setting in which rape is pervasive and normalized due to societal attitudes about gender and sexuality”. There is a lot I can say about this, but I’ll keep it pithy. To move about the world with this awareness, that because you are viewed as “less” or somehow “weaker” you are fair game to be preyed on- that’s heavy to hold. And I know that everyone who is participating in and sharing in this event this evening knows intimately what I’m saying. I’m thinking of the mosaic of strategies we create to go about our business safely and project that we are no one’s prey: the keys clenched between the fingers, the headphones turned up whenever we have to take the train or bus, the sending out of angry, don’t-try-me energy five feet ahead of us, the mean-mugging in all public spaces so folks know to stay back. And all the while, we’re hoping it will be enough. I do these things. Y’all do these things. It’s exhausting, it’s demeaning, and it’s heavy. We deserve better than this, and we know it. Knowing it is a very powerful thing.


We call out patriarchy as a system of oppression that creates and sustains rape culture. We demand that those who participate in and benefit from patriarchy and rape culture take the reins of the work to address and dismantle them both. We demand that those who participate in and benefit from patriarchy and rape culture look within themselves and work to unlearn the dehumanizing lessons they’ve been taught by this culture, because to be very clear, the hard work of ending rape culture does not belong to those who have been victimized by it. Those who perpetuate it, if they wish to be fully human and in right relationship to us who are surviving an insidious culture that seeks to diminish our personhood and bodily autonomy, MUST DO THIS WORK. There are no shortcuts. 


For all of us who are survivors of all of the harms rape culture inflicts on us, I say this: keep moving. Take up space. Keep raising your voices, refuse to be cowed or silenced. The shame isn’t yours, so don’t hold on to it. Keep dancing. Keep loving. Keep writing and sharing. Know that you are loved and supported and held. We will keep fighting against patriarchy and rape culture until we are free of them both. Know that I am one spirit standing with you.

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