What is the big deal about Kesha right now? And how do the implications affect you? Here is everything you need to know about the current legal battle between pop singer Kesha and her recording company Sony.
Kesha has recently released allegations that her Sony producer, Dr. Luke, drugged and raped her, causing her to endure both physical and emotional abuse. She wants out of her contract with Sony, but she legally is bound to the contract for several more years. Dr. Luke has denied the allegations, and Sony has offered to let Kesha record music without the presence of Dr. Luke, but Kesha wants to cut all ties with Dr. Luke. Wanting to make more music and feeling uncomfortable in her current bind to Sony, she has taken her case to court.
Once the case was taken to court, a New York judge sided with Dr. Luke, who can’t believe Kesha would go to these extremes to get out of a contract negotiation. On Twitter, Dr. Luke posted:
“Imagine if you or somebody you loved was publicly accused of a rape you knew they didn’t do. Imagine that. I have 3 sisters, a daughter, and a son with my girlfriend, and a feminist mom who raised me right.”
In light of these developments, Kesha fans and fellow pop stars have spoken out about the case. Taylor Swift gave Kesha $250,000 to help fund her legal fees, while Lady Gaga began encouraging the hastag #StopVictimShaming. Gaga insists that men in the business can be crooked, and people should stop shaming rape victims, accusing them of being liars. Adele has also reached out to Kesha during this time. At the end of her acceptance speech during the Sony BRIT Awards, Adele added, “I’d like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha.”
Demi Lovato took to Instagram to voice her support. After posting a picture of rape statistics, she stated:
“It baffles me that when it comes to serious issues like equality and abuse, too often women are not taken as seriously as men. All I want to see is women coming together and actually making a difference.”
Following all of this support, Kesha thanked everyone on Facebook. She wrote:
“I’m so, so beyond humbled and thankful for all of the support I’ve received from everyone. Words cannot really express the emotions I’ve gone through reading and seeing how amazing everyone has been to me…All I ever wanted was to be able to make music without being afraid, scared, or abused. This case has never been about a renegotiation of my record contract – it was never about getting a bigger, or a better deal. This is about being free from my abuser. I would be willing to work with Sony if they do the right thing and break all ties that bind me to my abuser.”
In her Facebook post, she continues by saying, “But at this point, this issue is bigger than just about me.”
Kesha’s case against Sony represent a bigger problem in our society. Often, women are not taken seriously when they speak out about being raped or abused. Too often, people label these women as liars or attention getters. And this is not okay. As women, we need to support Kesha in her battle because, as women, we deserve to win this battle. No female, young or old, should ever be afraid to report abuse, either emotional or physical. We deserve to be heard, and we deserve to be given justice.
Kesha encourages all women who have suffered rape or abuse of any kind:
“But I just want to say that if you have been abused, please don’t be afraid to speak out. There are places that will make you feel safe. There are people who will help you. I for one, will stand beside you and behind you. I know now how this all feels and will forever fight for you the way perfect strangers have been fighting for me.”
As a college girl, always remember your worth. If you ever experience something such as rape or abuse, please don’t be afraid to speak out. And whether you have been a victim or not, I encourage all women to unite and support one another. Together, we can eradicate the prominence of sexual assault in our culture.