Monday, October 26, 2015

Silent, but sexist


I recently came across this video in my Facebook feed. At first watch (if you turn off half your brain) it may be humorous, a cop pulls over a man. Discovers a woman in the trunk, the woman begins talking through her gag, the cop shares an understanding with the man and puts her back in the trunk. There is no nudity, no profanity, and no direct violence, but this is one of the most offensive videos I have seen in a while. A police officer is supposed to be a symbol of justice, responsible for upholding the law and what is right. He is a role model to be respected and regarded with attention. The man, a father with his young son in the back seat, has decided the woman (presumably his wife) talks too much. So, he gaged and tied her and stuck her in the trunk. This is clearly similar to something a criminal would do and that is where the humor comes from. When the officer pulls her out of the trunk and listens to her thee is a moment of clear male bonding happening in the silence. Above what is right and what should happen (this woman is just talkative, what takes away her human rights and says she deserves to be tied up and gaged?!), the officer takes pity on the man and puts the woman back himself. The woman is clearly being handled like an animal, an object. And whats worse is the young boy is right there to see all of this happen.  What does this say about being a man? The father, whether he knows it or not, and the officer are both modeling behavior for the son. I wonder what his future will hold. When his girlfriend shares her opinions ten years down the road will she be gagged and stuffed in the trunk too? Or worse. Needless to say, I reported the video and unfriended the person who posted it.

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