Hey everyone, so obviously content warning here, we’re going to be talking about sexual
assault and rape allegations, so if you don’t want to or can’t hear about that stuff right
now, feel free to click away.
I know this stuff can be very triggering, especially for survivors, so it’s okay if
you don’t watch this video.
That being said, I do think it’s really important to talk about this stuff and to
voice our support for survivors, which is why I’m making this video.
For a while, I had no idea what I could add to this conversation or how I could make a
video on this topic -- because it seems very obvious to me that we should believe Brett Kavanaugh's accusers
and not appoint him to the Supreme Court.
End of story.
Like that doesn’t take several minutes to explain.
His accusers accounts are highly credible.
At this point when I’m recording this, five different women have come forward -- though
that may have changed by the time his video goes live.
The #MeToo movement has been happening for long enough that folks should know by now
to believe survivors.
So what else is there to say?
I’m not really sure there is much.
I could tell you about some of the misconceptions surrounding these specific allegations and
tell you exactly what he’s being accused of and why that should disqualify him from
the Supreme Court, but that information is out there in droves.
I try to make videos about topics like these educational and informational and sum up everything
you need to know about this topic.
But this time, more Kavanaugh accusers are coming forward every day.
Senate Republicans keep finding new ways to be shitty.
By the time this video goes up, things could have changed a lot.
So I don’t think I have anything to add there.
But I think the reason I want to make this video, and the main point of this video, isn’t
necessarily to tell you everything about the Kavanaugh situation -- it’s just to voice
my support for survivors.
Right now, it sure seems like there is a lot stacked against sexual assault survivors.
Republicans are telling them that they’re never to be believed.
Tons of people are supporting those Republicans.
Potentially triggering stories are being shared like wildfire across social media.
All of that fucking sucks.
So I just want to be one more voice saying that I believe and support survivors of sexual
abuse, harassment, and assault -- and you should too.
I know that my voice is just a drop in the ocean here, but I think we need as many people
as we can speaking up and insisting that we believe survivors.
And I think that if I really believe, I also need to say something with whatever platform
I have.
So I believe Dr. Blasey Ford.
I believe Deborah Ramirez.
I believe Julie Swetnick.
And I believe the other women accusing Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
I believe survivors.
It’s clear from these accusations that Kavanaugh has a history of assaulting women.
These women have no reason to come forward and put their wellbeing in danger if he did
nothing to them.
Dr. Blasey Ford has already had to move to stay safe from death threats after coming forward.
His accusers even have the President of the United States against them.
I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.
Nobody would do that and put themself in that situation if they didn’t have a really good reason.
And that reason is that they don’t want a man who sexually assaulted or attempted
to sexually assault them sitting on the Supreme Court.
Their accounts are credible and follow patterns that align with other sexual assault survivors.
To dismiss them outright is to say that you don’t care about survivors and that all
you care about is putting Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court, which is what Republicans are
doing right now.
It’s hard to describe this in any other way than sickening.
Republicans want to vote on confirming Kavanaugh before hearing all these women out.
Republicans don’t care what his accusers have to say.
That’s scary.
He’s not even being put on trial for his actions -- he’s just losing a chance at
an extremely powerful job.
People get denied jobs for all sorts of lesser reasons.
He should absolutely be disqualified for having these accusations against him.
Even if he doesn’t make it on the Supreme Court, he’s still a judge with a lot of
influence and power.
I just can’t believe this is even a discussion we’re having.
And to see so many women come forward and say that what Kavanaugh did wasn’t even
that bad is so saddening, because they’ve internalized the idea that men sexually harassing
and abusing them is normal.
It shouldn’t be.
We should hold men to a higher standard.
It isn’t just “boys being boys” when they’re derailing women’s lives.
Men like Kavanaugh are somehow allowed to move on from this stuff and obtain positions
of power, while the women they’ve abused have to live with that forever.
Lots of folks have been saying that Kavanaugh’s accusers weren’t assaulted because they
didn’t report at the time, but there are a plethora of reasons why someone might not report.
Go on Twitter and read through the #WhyIDidntReport tag, and you’ll see so many people who have
stories about why they didn’t report their rapist or abuser.
It’s not uncommon.
I don’t know what’s going to happen with Kavanaugh.
Right now, it’s seeming likely that Republicans are going to confirm him for the Supreme Court
regardless of the allegations.
But if we continue to speak out and support survivors, maybe we can convince them not
to?
There are a few Senators who could be swayed, so please call your Senators and urge them
not to confirm Kavanaugh.
It would just be such an insult to survivors everywhere if this man were to be appointed
to the Supreme Court.
But, I don’t know.
Maybe I’m preaching to choir here.
Maybe everyone has already picked their sides in this.
I don’t know how productive this video will actually be.
But I had to say something.
It’s hard to sit back and watch this happen without saying anything.
Please, if you’re on the fence about this issue at all, try to have compassion for these women.
They have gone through and continue to go through so much, and they need our support right now.
Think about what you would do in their shoes.
Think about the support you would want.
Believe them, and believe all survivors, even if they’re your friends.
“He’s a nice guy to me” isn’t a solid defense because people can be nice to one
person and rape another.
Rapists aren’t always the creepy, friendless person in the bushes.
Often they’re very charismatic, well-liked people who use their social power to silence
the people they abuse.
I believe Dr. Blasey Ford and the other accusers.
I believe all survivors.
I hope you do too.
Thanks for watching, everyone, and I’ll see you next time.