Apparently, Evil Feminists Have Hurt Poor Wickle Mike Tyson's Feelings.

At least, according to some whiny git called Andy Foreham, one of the organisers of Tyson's "boxing hero" event in Hampshire, Tyson is feeling "very upset and very disappointed" at being held responsible for being a rapist. Is anyone else upset by this? Because, I have to say, I'm feeling quite smug about hurting the feelings of a rapist and domestic violence perpetrator: a rapist who had the gall to say this at his sentencing hearing:

I have not raped anyone, tried to rape anyone by any means," he said. "I'm sorry for Miss Washington as a person. I by no means meant to hurt her or do anything to her. I'm sure she knows that.

Yeah, I'm sure Ms Washington was really pleased to learn that Tyson didn't mean to hurt her when he didn't rape her without her consent. Or, whatever self-serving bullshit he was spouting. I'm equally sure that Ms Washington will be pleased to know that Foreman believes that feminists are just vindictive for continuing to harp on about Tyson's conviction for rape as it's just "something which happened years and years ago." and that "(t)he council are trying to be "dogooders saying they do not want this type of person in Fareham." That's us evil, vindictive Feminists: holding grudges about convicted rapists. Clearly, the world would be a much happier place if us Feminists stopped holding rapists accountable for, you know, being rapists. Or, something equally stupid.

I'm glad Portsmouth Guildhall cancelled this event due to Feminist activism and this petition. I'm equally glad that Fareham Town Football Club succumbed to Feminist activism after agreeing to host the event when Portsmouth Guildhall cancelled. But, I'm not exactly feeling the love for these two organisations. They both decided that Tyson's ability to punch people in the face whilst "boxing" was more important than Tyson's long criminal history of violence against women. His conviction for the rape of Ms Washington and his well-established domestic violence against his ex-wife Ms Givens are hardly the only examples of Tyson's misogynistic violence. This just another example of the minimising and erasure of male violence against women.

I'm beyond angry at the continuing assumption that celebrity rapists are only ever accused of the crime by gold-digging whores. I'm angry at celebrity men whose violence against women is minimised by a misogynistic media [and I'm looking at you Chris Brown and Charlie Sheen]. I'm angry at the people who buy into this discourse and who help perpetrate and perpetuate rape culture with their willful ignorance and clinical stupidity.

Mostly, I'm proud to be a Feminist. I'm proud to stand with women who hold men accountable for male violence. I'm proud to stand with Feminist activists who fight for women despite threats of violence and rape. I'm proud to stand with women who understand how harmful the Patriarchy is for women [and men]. I'm proud to stand with women who won't be silenced.