Spitting Shit || Warriors Rants/Analysis

The Ashfur-Squirrelflight Discourse: Victim Blaming

I'm sure we're all sick of hearing about the Ashfur and Squirrelflight discourse, but I felt that it was important to address something I've seen going on.

Victim blaming.

I see a lot of people blaming Squirrelflight; saying that she led Ashfur on and therefore is the villain of the hour.

Now, I like Squirrelflight. I don't like Ashfur, regardless of personal feelings and opinions, Squirrelflight did not lead Ashfur on. And even if she did, that doesn't justify the attempt at murder.

Now, there is some debate over this, but I believe that Squirrelflight didn't have romantic intentions with Ashfur. She viewed him as a friend, someone to talk to when Brambleclaw was being pissy. Simply because Ashfur had feelings for Squirrelflight, doesn't mean she was leading him on. She owed him nothing and never specifically implied, or stated that she wanted to be his mate, or viewed their relationship as anything that resembles romance.

Leading him on would've been Squirrelflight letting him believe she loved him, treating him like her mate, and then dumping him for the sole purpose of playing with his emotions. Did Squirrelflight do this at all ? She certainly did not. That would've been terrible; playing with someone like that is disgusting. But that doesn't justify attempted murder.

However the problem runs deeper than that. "Leading him on" is a poor excuse constructed by those who defend people, usually guys, who believe that a girl owes him sex or a relationship if she is nice to him and he is nice in return.

And we all know that no matter what someone does, the other is under no obligation to give them sex, or a relationship of any kind.

By saying that Squirrelflight led Ashfur on, you're enforcing a form of misogyny, that even extends to rape culture. (As some try to defend rapists by saying that what they did was okay because they were "lead on." If someone decides they don't want to have sex, no matter when, then it's their decision. They were not leading anyone on.)

It's disgustingly misogynistic. People who claim to be lead on when they really weren't, or that the victim is at fault for leading someone on are scum. It's misogynistic because it stems from the belief that men have the right to a women's body/feelings. And while sometimes it can be men "leading women on," that isn't what needs to be addressed at this point in time.

I don't like victim-blamers, rape apologists, and people who can't accept that Ashfur did wrong and attempt to justify his actions.

Get this toxic thinking out of your heads. Because it reflects heavily on real life.