By Cami Gore
The terror in Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s voice during her testimony continues to echo in the minds of women across the country. Dr. Ford is the perfect representation of a selfless, powerful, and accomplished woman with everything to lose, and nothing to gain. Risking everything and putting herself before the eyes of the public, Dr. Ford did what she felt was her civic duty to protect our country. Nevertheless, the Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on October 6th, 2018.
Knowing that this outcome was a strong possibility, on October 4th, I protested in Washington D.C. During the protest, I photographed signs that stuck out to me. What I want people to notice, is that while this was a protest against Kavanaugh’s nomination, the underlying issue is the frequency of sexual assault, women not being believed, and therefore, the reluctance of women to come forward.
This first sign emphasizes that Dr. Ford, like a vast majority of the women making sexual assault claims, is telling the truth. Additionally, the sign discourages victim shaming.
This sign is definitely worth the read because seriously, Trump? Kavanaugh’s confirmation has left American far from great.
This strong woman’s sign pinned to her back suggests that she greatly sympathizes with Dr. Ford.
Something that unfortunately became immensely evident in the Kavanaugh hearings, is male privilege. It’s 2018, and it seems as if we have come so far. Yet, a man accused of sexual assault gets confirmed into the Supreme Court, and the victim gets mocked by the President of The United States.
Isn’t it wonderful that drinking beer and asking for consent are not mutually exclusive? Let’s not forget that!
I wish the Senate was kidding. Unfortunately, a popular reaction to this event is that it is a scary time to be a male in today’s society. This brings me to my sign from the protest…
If you are afraid, you are in the wrong. If you are in the wrong, I hope you live every day in fear of your victim coming forward. If you need help determining what constitutes consent, it is as simple as tea.
This sign was one of my personal favorites because Dr. Ford has become a face of bravery for the nation. Coming forward is one of the most difficult things for a victim to do. Dr. Ford came forward and was forced to do so in front of the entire country. This is bravery.
This sign was propped up against a stone ledge, and its simplicity spoke volumes. Thank you, Dr. Ford, for telling your story.
To begin to sum things up, here is me and Jemma Lehner, a junior business and dance major from the University of Maryland. The backs of our signs explicitly express how many Americans are feeling right now: we’re MAD!
As unfortunate as this entire situation is, I truly hope that Kavanaugh’s confirmation does not stop victims from coming forward. I encourage victims to use Dr. Ford as an example of bravery and strength. I hope that people are more cautious when asking for consent, and respect the answer of their partners. This may not be the result we wanted, but we do not have to settle. Register to vote. Make yourself heard.
National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 1-800-656-4673
Featured Photo Credit: Courtesy of Cami Gore, Bloc Reporter.
Cami Gore is a freshman journalism and dance major and can be reached at camgore13@gmail.com.
