Analysis of “They Told Me to Change My Clothes. I Changed the Law Instead.”
Question
SOC
111 Application Essay Option 5
Requirements:•
Cover page (doesn't count as a page of the paper)
2 to 3 pages (at least two full pages of text)
Double spaced
Introduction, 3 body paragraphs, and conclusion
Reference page (doesn't count as a page of the
paper)
At least 2 citations from class-assigned readings
At least 2 specific references to the video
Topic details:
To complete this assignment, you will need to
watch the TED Talk "They Told Me to Change My Clothes. I Changed the Law
Instead." The link to the website is on Blackboard. It is also here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= K n-x-W7pY
The purpose of the assignment is to connect
concepts from this week to Gina Martin's talk about upskirting and the process
of creating a law to label it a criminal offense. Some of the key concepts you
need to discuss include rape culture, contradictory rape myths, and himpathy.
Make sure that you define and explain what upskirting means and why it is
considered harassment. You should spend most of your energy focused on using
these class concepts to explain and analyze the content of Martin's talk. Some
questions to consider are how did people's reactions to Martin and to
upskirting support rape culture, and how did Martin experience himpathy?
Explaining the article or class readings shouldn't
take up the majority of your paper. Center the paper on a sociological
analysis, not a recap of the chapter or article.
There is a rubric for your reference on the
following page.


Solution
Analysis
of “They Told Me to Change My Clothes. I Changed the Law Instead.”
Gina Martin’s story of being upskirted and the process
of creating a law to label it a criminal offense is an important one to discuss
in light of the concepts we have covered this week. Rape culture, contradictory
rape myths, and himpathy are just a few of the key topics that can be used to
help explain why upskirting is such a problem and how we can begin to address
it. Rape culture perpetuates the idea that sexual violence is acceptable, which
can have harmful effects. For example, it can lead people to downplay or dismiss
acts of sexual violence and make it harder for victims to come forward and be
believed. In Martin’s case, we see rape culture when people tell her that she
should have been more careful or that she was lucky the man didn’t do anything
worse. These reactions place the blame on Martin and imply that she was somehow
responsible for what happened when in reality, it was the man who committed the
act of upskirting, and he is the one who should be held accountable. The essay
will explore how rape culture, himpathy, and contradictory rape myths support
upskirting and make it harder for victims to come forward.
Himpathy is defined as undue or excessive sympathy for
a perpetrator of a crime or wrongdoing (Sweeny, 2020). In other words, it is
when someone feels more empathy for the person who committed a crime than for
the victim. In Martin’s case, we see himpathy at play when the police officer
she spoke to told her that the man who upskirted her was probably going through
a hard time and that she should have some empathy for him. This is an example
of how himpathy can be used to downplay or dismiss an act of sexual violence. Empathizing
with the perpetrator takes the focus away from the victim and makes it seem
like the act wasn’t that bad (Sweeny, 2020). This can be harmful to victims
because it can make them feel like they are not being taken seriously or their
experience is not valid. It is important to remember that himpathy is not the
same as empathy. Empathy is when you understand and share another person’s
feelings. Himpathy is when you have too much sympathy for a crime or wrongdoing
perpetrator.
Contradictory rape myths are attitudes and beliefs
that justify and excuse sexual violence (Canan, Jozkowski, & Crawford,
2018). These myths can be harmful because they make it harder for victims to
come forward and be believed. They also blame the victim and excuse the
perpetrator’s actions. In Martin’s case, we see contradictory rape myths when
people tell her that she should have been more careful or that she was lucky
the man didn’t do anything worse. These reactions imply that Martin was somehow
responsible for what happened when in reality, it was the man who committed the
act of upskirting, and he is the one who should be held accountable (Canan,
Jozkowski, & Crawford, 2018). It’s important to discuss upskirting in light
of these class concepts because it can help us to understand why it is such a
problem and how we can begin to address it.
The first step in addressing upskirting is to create
awareness about what it is and why it’s a problem. This can be done by having
open and honest conversations about the issue. It’s also important to educate
people on consent, respectful behavior, and how to support victims of sexual
violence. By doing this, we can start to change how society views upskirting
and clarify that it is unacceptable. We can also begin to hold perpetrators
accountable for their actions and create a safer and more respectful environment.
For example, the UK has recently made upskirting a criminal offense (McGlynn &
Rackley, 2017). This is a positive step in the right direction and shows that
change is possible. However, we need to do more to support victims and create
lasting change. We need to continue having open and honest conversations about
upskirting and sexual violence. We need to educate ourselves and others on
consent, respect, and how to support victims (McGlynn & Rackley, 2017). Finally,
we need to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions and work towards a
society that does not tolerate sexual violence.
It is important to watch Gina Martin’s TED Talk “They
Told Me to Change My Clothes. I Changed the Law Instead.” In her talk, Gina
discusses her experience with upskirting and the process of creating a law to
label it a criminal offense. This is important because it helps raise awareness
about upskirting and its impact on victims. It also shows that change is
possible if we work together to address the issue. By having open and honest
conversations about upskirting, we can begin to change how society views this
issue and make it clear that it is not acceptable. For example, the UK has
recently made upskirting a criminal offense. This is a positive step in the
right direction and shows that change is possible. However, we need to do more
to support victims and create lasting change. We need to continue having open
and honest conversations about upskirting and sexual violence. We need to
educate ourselves and others on consent, respect, and how to support victims. Finally,
we need to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions and work towards a
society that does not tolerate sexual violence.
References
Canan,
S. N., Jozkowski, K. N., & Crawford, B. L. (2018). Sexual assault
supportive attitudes: Rape myth acceptance and token resistance in Greek and
non-Greek college students from two university samples in the United
States. Journal of interpersonal violence, 33(22),
3502-3530.
McGlynn,
C., & Rackley, E. (2017). Why ‘upskirting’needs to be made a sex
crime. The conversation.
Sweeny,
J. (2020). “Brock Turner Is Not a Rapist”: The Danger of Rape Myths in
Character Letters in Sexual Assault Cases. UMKC L. Rev., 89,
121.




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