They line up in front of a courthouse in southeastern France, from morning to evening, and have gathered in the thousands in cities across the country. They hold signs reading, “one rape every six minutes,” “not all men but always a man,” and “giving in is not consenting.”

They chant: “Rapist we see you, victim we believe you.”

Women across France are rallying in support of Gisèle Pelicot, a 72-year-old reluctant icon whose husband is on trial in the city of Avignon for systematically drugging her and inviting dozens of men, 50 of whom are now his co-defendants, into their home to rape her over nearly a decade.

The shocking case has sparked what many women in France call a long-overdue reckoning over “rape culture” and systemic sexism in the way the judicial system handles sexual violence.

  • @pyre
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    4 hours ago

    uhh, no. “always men” doesn’t lump you in. “all men” does. this entire thing is about a sign that says “not all men”…

    and if you “will not have this conversation”, you’re doing it entirely wrong by having this conversation, you half-inflated dingy! if that what we’re doing now?

    • @[email protected]
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      23 hours ago

      Right it’s not the usual, it’s just excusing the women who raped me (well, so is the law in my area, which is also an issue) because “it’s always men.” Forgive me if I don’t care to make the distinction lmao, the sign is wrong and you are wrong.

      Wrong x2 because I’m not engaging with the “oh we’re raped more no we’re raped more…” because the goddamn statistics are skewed by the virtue if the legal definition excluding woman abusers from the charge of rape by default, I’m engaging with the “and that’s why you don’t matter” portion. I don’t fucking care who is raped more, speak about all of it instead of hand waving away male victims of female abusers.

      It’s bonkos to me how you are sitting here being all smug feeling good about attempting to silence rape victims. How can you not see you’re part of the problem?

      • @pyre
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        3 hours ago

        I don’t remember silencing you mate. as I said, it’s embellishment and pointing to a societal problem. same with the bear question. you’re not supposed to take it literally.

        maybe go counter protest with a sign that says “make your signs more precise and less attention grabbing” I don’t know. then we could be talking about that issue as well, because it is an issue. “men can’t be raped” is the result of our patriarchal society, and part of the problem with toxic masculinity. we should indeed talk about that too. systemic sexism hurts everyone.

        • @[email protected]
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          2 hours ago

          Don’t make me tap “the sign.” Y’know, the one you keep defending? The “always men” one? Idgaf if it’s supposed to be literal or not, fuck that sign either way.

          If it’s an issue why attempt to silence me on the issue? If you agree it’s an issue why are you not calling it out when you see it? Would you agree racism is an issue? Do you also police when victims of racism can speak or only victims of rape?

          Sure it does, so stop trying to get me to stop speaking against an example of it right now. If you don’t have anything good to ad don’t add anything at all.

          • @pyre
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            12 hours ago

            you keep saying “silence me” while you’re clearly very much the opposite of silent. no one’s silencing you. go protest.

            • @[email protected]
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              11 hour ago

              You’re attempting to and I’m refusing, in protest. Go bother someone who cares about your opinion or something.

              • @pyre
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                01 hour ago

                you’re giving yourself too much credit. I didn’t know you exist; you’re the one who replied to me. you have a weird way of showing you don’t care about my opinion.

                • @[email protected]
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                  121 minutes ago

                  You’re trying so hard lmao. Just give up, your attempts to insult and bully me quite clearly don’t keep me from speaking. You’ve devolved from telling me why I should shut up to “Nuh uh, you do too care!” My guy, it’s sad. Quit while you’re behind, for your own sake.