The Thread of Cancellation

[jadis]

Originally Posted by The Batlord

If he still wants to use his status over women he employs to intimidate women into letting him do that **** then yes. As far as I've seen he's trying to pretend like nothing happened, which does not speak to him changing anything about his behaviour or perspective. People who abuse power dynamics aren't victims.

Not familiar with the details of this particular case but I think we can all agree that when someone of his stature forces unwanted sexual interaction on an up-and-coming comedian, there is a power dynamic at play and an abuse of that dynamic.

When a young woman knows (consciously or in the back of her mind) that she can become the focus of a news cycle and get a tell-all piece in Buzzfeed by representing an unsatisfying, “yucky”, but ultimately consensual sexual encounter with a famous person as abuse - isn't there some sort of “power dynamic” at play as well?

The benefits don’t have to be as tangible as “I’ll get X out of it”. The shot of self-righteous adrenaline we all get out of the sense that we’re telling the Truth, exposing abusers, dragging something hidden into the light, that’s a stronger motivator than whatever Buzzfeed can offer. Not to mention that obtaining the publicly conferred status of a victim is not without its benefits.