This Guy's Hilarious 'List of Rules for Women' Is the Perfect Rebuttal to Misogyny
After last week's nude photo leak of more than 100 celebrities, more than a few Internet denizens (mostly men) ridiculously blamed the women for their own violation. In other words, these people argued it was the victim's responsibility to prevent the crime. Not surprisingly, it's the same argument that has been used to minimize rape culture.
Confounded by this never-ending list, DJ Jay Smooth, founder of New York City's longest-running hip-hop radio program, WBAI's Underground Railroad, has come up with a "List Of Rules For Women" video: "Does anyone have a complete, up-to-date list of everything that women are supposed to do and not do so that they qualify for having their humanity respected?"
Surprisingly astute and comically tongue-in-cheek, Smooth is a guy who seems to actually "get it," according to the Huffington Post.
"In under three minutes, Smooth covers common issues women face like street harassment, victim-blaming and sexual double standards, and perfectly nails how difficult it is to avoid them," Nina Bahadur writes. "For example, what's the 'appropriate' way for a woman to conduct her sex life?"
Smooth is most effective when pointing out the double standards women face at a daily basis: "I know that women are not supposed to sleep around all the time, because then you're a slut and the reason men hate you," he says in the spot. "But you're also not supposed to turn down men's advances all the time or put them in the 'friend zone,' because then you're a cold-hearted bitch and you're the reason men hate you."
Finally, some rational thinking from a man on the Internet!
Smooth joins the ranks of other men who have recently spoken out in favor of feminism and gender parity. Just this month, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who's long been vocal about his respect for women, offered up this idealistic — if a tad unrealistic — definition of feminism: "You don't let your gender define who you are — you can be who you want to be, whether you're a man, a woman, a boy, a girl, whatever." John Legend is another entertainer who has worked hard to elevate women's issues, noting that the world is "better off when women are empowered — it leads to a better society."
While women should always take the lead when it comes to the feminist movement, it's nice to see male allies realizing that women's empowerment and a gender equal society will not be created out of a vacuum.
And as the list of things women shouldn't do is being constantly updated, Smooth suggests that it's only fair we pass along a list that men could follow, also. It only has one thing: "Hello, asshole, women are human beings."