What is High School?

Chapter Eighteen: Junior Year: Feminist

I do not identify as a woman. Nor do I think I am a man. I do fall somewhere on the masculine side of the spectrum. My name is still Seb. That has not changed.

That, though, is not what this chapter is about. It is my beliefs. I don't talk about this much because it should not be something that takes up my entire personality and being. Like how being trans or gay doesn't take up my entire personality or being.

I am a feminist. Yes, you heard me.

I don't mean the feminist that runs naked down the street to "defend women's rights". I mean that I believe that women can do the same things as men, therefore, I show it through actions instead of words and pointless rants.

When I identified as a woman I repaired things around the house with my dad. Paid for things. Now that I don't identify that way, I treat my girlfriends equally to my male friends.

No one gets a pass on anything just because of their genitals. Especially when it comes to them acting crazy. I'm small and I don't have muscles. So if it's a fair fight (which very rarely it isn't) I will beat the shit out of someone. Male or female.

So now that you know my view of women, you can understand how furious I get when I hear victim shaming. Nothing will make me punch someone in their mouth faster than when I hear them victim shaming someone else.

When you say bullshit things such as "She was asking for it" and "she deserved it" you are invalidating that woman's experience and telling her that she cannot say anything when her privacy, her dignity is violated. Because guess what? It doesn't matter. That is what you are telling her and you are telling her she does not matter enough to have justice.

You are excusing a pervert's sick actions.

You are telling him he can do whatever he wants to a woman because no one will believe her anyway.

If a woman wants to wear a dress let her wear the dress. Stop living in a "Don't Get Raped" society, rather we should be living in a "Don't Rape" society.

If a beautiful woman wearing a dress tells you "I should have that whether she likes it or not" there is something wrong with you. A woman should not put on a dress and feel that she cannot wear it. Because a dress is a dress and a woman should be able to express herself the way she wants. The only way a woman can be "asking for" sex is if she opens her mouth and says "I want to" anything other than that is not consensual and is rape.

Police need to stop victim shaming. This is why many young women don't come forward right or not at it.

This is why I did not come forward at all. If I tried to say something now, after five years have gone by, the first thing asked would why I didn't say anything. And I would be blamed for what happened to me.

We live in a society that protects the sick people who are doing these things, and punishing and beating the victims of such gross crimes because they thought her dress was too short. Because they thought her mannerisms were making her beg for it. Because she said yes, then changed her mind later.

Let me ask you one thing?

Did she say yes?

If not, even if no was said later, then there is no consent and it is rape.

Women are not sexual objects that mean nothing. Women are people. They deserve the same respect that should be given to men.

To debunk the whole "watch what you wear bull" really quick. When I was assaulted...I was wearing a turtleneck and sweatpants. A turtleneck and sweatpants.

That shouldn't even matter.

Whether it be a turtleneck or a mini dress, your clothes should not play a factor in you getting assaulted. In fact, women shouldn't be getting assaulted at all.

But they are, and that is awful. It is bad enough they are being hurt in such an awful way. It's even worse that they are being blamed for what is happening to them.

No...means no.

#metoo