VIDEO: http://www.adviseshow.com/russell-simmons-harriet-tubman-sex-tape/
ARTICLE: http://www.racialicious.com/2013/08/20/the-rape-of-harriet-tubman/
Rape.
During slavery, for a female slave, it was not a matter of whether or not this would happen, it was a matter of at how old and how many times. History books do not emphasize the amount of pain that female slaves underwent; rather, the emphasis is directed towards verbal and physical abuse, which is mostly portrayed as abuses suffered by the male slaves. All the aforementioned cruelties are evil; none is worse than the other. However there is a unspoken silence that hides the culture of rape that Black female slaves endured.
This leads me to Russel Simmon's outlandish video spoof titled: "Harriet Tubman Sex Tape". This 'entertainment clip' displays Harriet Tubman luring her slave master in a sexual encounter in hopes of framing him and using another fellow slave to record the encounter as a means of blackmail so that he could fund the Underground Railroad.
Disgusting.
This video makes a mockery of the history of abuses female slaves went through.
Dramatizing the sexual relations between the slave and the slave master is absolute nonsense. Slavemasters were not lured or seduced by their "property". No. They dictated when they wanted to have sex and either used physical force or mental torture. Some people reading this may be saying. "But surely some females slaves agreed to having sex with their owners. Yup; sure they did. After being told that her husband and children won't be separated if she agrees to sleep with him she agreed. After being told that her daughter won't be raped for awhile if she slept with her master she agreed. After being told that one of her children will receive a chance at freedom she agreed. Oh yeah. She definitely agreed.
It is crucial to understand that, historically, it was legal for a slave master to rape female slaves. So this whole portrayal of Harriet Tubman somehow suggestively influencing her master to sleep with her just does not make sense. A slave did not initiate sexual activity; rather, he or she was subject to it. They did not run the "show", the master did.
The knowledge issue that is present is the extent to which serious issues are allowed to be "made fun of".
In the case of Harriet Tubman's Sex Tape Parody, I do not find any room for comedic commentary. The effects of rape culture are still felt in today's society. Women of color who are raped or sexually assaulted by white males will not readily receive justice; black women are at the bottom of the social hierarchy, white males are at the top.
Russel Simmon's Rape Parody is an absolute shame filled mockery of black female subjugation that has gone on and continues to persist in society.
Rape is not a joke.
YES! YES! YES! Definately spot on, we rarely hear about this in textbooks and this is never mentioned in history class, unless you do your own research. And another point, when a male rapes a female, he just isnt prosecuted no matter what her skin color is, males are a dominant group and females are a subordinate group.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah. Males are the dominant gender. Statistically proven, 5 out of 6 rapists will never see a prison sentence. WHY? Because there is a universal notion that women are the instigators of any sexual harm they endure. Females are "responsible" for the actions of men. Rapists have sympathy
DeleteI find this appalling that people actually considered this a joke. I like how you hit on how we rarely speak about these types of situations within history. Does this mean that just because we don't discuss it that it never happened? No! This is just another example on how people try to sweep issues such as these under the rug in because it is per say 'acceptable.' But if we never discuss it, how can we expect for the problem to be solved.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said. I agree with you one-hundred percent.
DeleteT