To People Who Believe Womens’ Bodies are Property: You're an Ass AND You Can't Even Use Your Own Analogy Right

Last week, I saw someone argue that if you want to keep your shit safe, the only reasonable thing to do is put it in a safety deposit box. This was in the context of one of many, many debates over the celebrity nude photos debacle. What happened to those women was a sex crime, and the case has been well-argued by others like Anne over at the Bellejar so I won’t elaborate further here. 

It has bothered me that sex crimes are often compared to property crimes. My vagina is not comparable to a wallet (although I suppose if I really want to, I could store some stuff in it). My body is not a purse that I could leave unattended on a park bench, or an unlocked car at the curb. I would argue that my body is in fact under 24 hour guard by me, because for most humans, except those that have mastered astral projection, we are with our bodies ALL THE TIME. I don’t know what bank the safety deposit box lady goes to, but I have not been able to find a safety deposit box for my vagina. 

I think the fact that we talk about women’s bodies as property reflects the rape culture in which we live. A culture in which women are not people, but instead a commodity to be consumed by men. We are not entitled to safety, because we are not really people; at least, not as much as men get to be people.

The irony is, people don’t even talk about women’s bodies as particularly valuable property.

Years ago, my house was broken into. I came home to my front door unlocked and complete chaos inside the house. Two laptops were gone, our wedding rings, some other jewelry, a camera, and a guitar were taken. I was really creeped out, knowing strangers had been in my home. It felt like a violation.

People were so supportive. These are the kinds of things they said:

“Oh my God, that’s awful. Are you okay? What can I do to help? Do you need me to come stay over for a few days?”

“Do you think the police are doing enough? Are they dusting for prints?”

At no point did anyone ask me if I had left my doors unlocked, or said that I should have had a security system, or really, any responsibility implied on my part whatsoever.

But what do we hear when someone is sexually assaulted, or harassed on the street, or have their nude photos stolen?

“If someone wants their shit secure they should keep it in a safety deposit box!”

“Well, what do you expect, she was dressed like a slut!”

I don’t agree with people who compare women’s bodies to property. I think it is extremely dehumanizing and women deserve better, so much better. But for people that do think of women’s bodies this way:

CAN’T YOU AT LEAST EXTEND THE SAME COURTESY YOU WOULD WHEN TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL VALUABLES? YOU CAN’T EVEN BE CONSISTENT WHEN USING YOUR OWN SHITTY WORLDVIEW TO TALK ABOUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE! YOU CAN’T EVEN USE YOUR OWN CRAPPY ANALOGY RIGHT. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Note: in case it is not brutally obvious by now, I think that if you believe women’s bodies are equivalent to materials goods, you are a misogynistic asstoupee. My point though, is if you’re going to see the world through such a terrible lens, you could at least be more consistent in your sick views.