Why Men Like Kavanaugh Are Frightened of Dr Ford
“Both Brett and Mark were drunkenly laughing during the attack. They seemed to be having a very good time.”
This is one of the most striking moments from Dr Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, who she says sexually assaulted her when she was only fifteen. It is striking, because it perfectly encapsulates the experience of so many women who have found ourselves acting as the unwitting punchlines for the actions of men.
And it’s for that reason that men like Kavanaugh are so terrified.
The Pervasiveness of Rape Culture
For both men and women, patriarchy is the water we swim through every day. It touches everything, but above all, it ensures who has power, and who they get to wield that power over. Until very recently, for men like Kavanaugh — men who are white, wealthy, well-educated, and well-connected — it has meant never having to face consequences for their actions, for one simple reason.
Their behaviour is considered to be the norm among people just like them, and the people just like them are also the people in charge.
