How NOT to Talk About Domestic Violence

Posted by Tana Ganeva, AlterNet at 3:00 PM on March 12, 2009.

For the most part, the national conversation about Rihanna’s abuse at the hands of Chris Brown does nothing but demonstrate how fucked we are about gender issues.

Tabloids and gossip sites regale readers with endless, voyeuristic reports of Rihanna's activities and whereabouts. Mainstream media shoot for a more sober tone to mask the sensationalism of much of their coverage -- but, they fail. Let’s not forget, it was the LA Times that first published Rihanna’s name, despite their general policy that the identities of domestic violence victims be kept confidential.

Meanwhile, male celebrities keep topping one another with mind-numbingly offensive, sexist inanities about the situation: (e.g. Kanye West: “Can’t we give Chris a break? ... I know I make mistakes in life.")

Over at incontempt comics, cartoonist Kevin Moore takes aim at the media’s handling of Rihanna’s abuse:

Our celebrity culture has magnified the callous, indifferent and misogynist attitudes people have toward violence against women — and were the tables turned, I doubt a male victim of abuse fare any better. I am glad Oprah and Robin Givens are trying to get some lemonade out of this situation. Hopefully it will do Rihanna some good — as well as the thousands (millions?) of obscure women in a similar situation.

Then, Moore posts this awesome comic:

Tagged as: gender, abuse, domestic violence, rihanna

Tana Ganeva is an assistant editor at AlterNet.