August 21, 2012 by David K. Sutton
Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comment represents last bastion of white male authority
Alright, maybe it’s not the last bastion of white male authority, as there is still a lot of ground to cover in that area. But make no mistake, people like Todd Akin, who try to define what is “legitimate rape” or what is “forcible rape,” are doing so because they are part of an antiquated authority structure.
To say there is “legitimate rape” is to imply there is “illegitimate rape,” which is absurd. What they are attempting to do is define what is and isn’t rape without any regard for the victim. In their minds, women do not have the respect or authority to make that determination, so it’s a man’s job to define what rape is. They are trying to find an excuse (any excuse will do) for why a rape isn’t actually a rape.
Race can certainly play a role as well, which is why I single this out as a white male authority problem. To paraphrase Allison Kilkenny on today’s episode of Citizen Radio – Legitimate rape, as defined by someone like Todd Akin, is when a black man rapes a wealthy white woman. – I think there is a lot of truth to that. I’m not saying I know what’s in Akin’s mind, but I think there is no question that some people view rape quite differently depending on skin color. It’s yet another excuse (in their minds at least) to define levels of rape instead of accepting that rape is rape — period.
