A couple weeks ago, I decided to watch the movie “Wedding Crashers” with a couple of friends. This was not my first time viewing it. When I was fourteen, I distinctly remember thinking it was funny and that I was extremely cool for seeing an R-rated movie. However, the second time around I noticed something very disturbing that I hadn’t six years ago. I’m referring to the scene where Isla Fisher’s character ties up Vince Vaughn while he is asleep and proceeds to rape him. This is, of course, played for laughs. I mean, she did physically tie him up while he was unconscious, but hey, she’s cute and he must have enjoyed having sex with her even if he repeatedly told her he did not want to, right? Even more disturbing was when Vaughn tells his friend, played by Owen Wilson, that he was raped by Fisher’s character. Wilson does not even acknowledge what Vaughn has revealed to him. Now, it may be a bit stupid to complain over a scene in movie made almost 10 years ago. Surely, our sense of humor has evolved and rape and/or sexual assault is no longer something to be laughed at.
Well, some recent events have proved otherwise. At her concert in early May, Miley Cyrus was recorded as saying to her audience, “You know, everyone’s a little bit gay … It’s the truth. Everyone’s gay, all it takes is one cocktail. And if that doesn’t work, sprinkle something in their drink. That’s what I always do.” Not only does this statement promote the erasure of bisexuality (a whole other topic in itself) but it treats date rape drugs as a joke. Perhaps Miley Cyrus is simply ignorant of how her statement directly attributes to rape culture. That being said, she is a public figure and should be held accountable for what she says.
America’s sweetheart Jennifer Lawrence also recently made a rape joke at a Cannes film festival party. “I broke out my rape scream for you,” Lawrence was heard saying to director Alfonso Cuarón upon meeting him for the first time. Many people have been rightly offended by Lawrence’s comment, as it makes light of a serious issue and she has yet to issue a public apology.
Unfortunately, these are not the only celebrities who have used rape as a topic of humor. Comedians Daniel Tosh, Sam Morril and Sarah Silverman are just a handful of relatively famous people who have used rape as a source of humor.
In short, it is never okay to make rape jokes. You never know who has been affected by sexual assault, and your “joke” can be triggering to that person. One in six women and one in 10 men have been sexually assaulted, making it more than likely you know someone who has been a survivor. Think about that the next time you or someone else decides to say something along the lines of “that test raped me so hard.”