To the boy on the Greenbush Commuter Rail...
I was sitting next to you and your two (female) friends this morning (6/30). I got on at Weymouth Landing, and y'all gave me a weird look, but whatever. You talked about some pretty wholesome things, like stealing clothes and how your friend had told you there was one store where the security cameras don't cover it well and it's really easy, making fun of/complaining other people...you know, things that made you seem like really upstanding individuals. But there was one thing you said that got me. It was something to the effect of this: "She'd be lucky to be raped, with that nasty-ass vagina..." She'd be *lucky* to be raped. Lucky. Okay what the ACTUAL fuck. I knew what I wanted to say to you right away, but instead I sat there silently, because I didn't want to be that stranger who pushes activism on other people. But it physically hurt me to keep it inside. Check your fucking privilege you little fucking piece of shit. You seemed to be obviously gay. Maybe you're not, but if you are it probably makes it less likely that you would rape a girl. But make no mistake, you ARE part of the problem. What about those two friends of yours, those girls you were spending your time with. Would THEY be lucky to be raped? Do you have any sisters, cousins, aunts, or a mother perhaps? Would THEY be lucky to be raped? And remember, men can be raped, too. I'd love you to look me in the eye and tell me anyone you care about would be lucky to be raped. That girl you were talking about has a family, and people who love her. Not only that, she has fucking feelings of her own. You can't honestly think she would be LUCKY to be assaulted...to have her dignity, humanity, sense of security, sense of control, and her right to make decisions when it comes to her own body taken away from her simply because some fucking pig feels entitled to it. Or that she'd be lucky to endure years, if not a lifetime, of emotional (and potentially physical) scars and trauma that rape SURVIVORS endure even though they never asked for it. Your little shitty conversations with your friends are exactly what perpetuates rape culture. When it's them, or you, remember what you said. Hopefully it won't ever happen to you, but seriously, grow the fuck up and respect other humans.
