When the news about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct and alleged outright assault and rape came out earlier this month it was only a matter of time before someone cried “assault” on something so innocuous it does a disservice to those who were actually harmed sexually.
And that’s exactly what’s happened this week, as Turn actor Heather Lind accused President George H.W. Bush of “sexually assaulting” her during a group photo op four years ago in a since-deleted Instagram post.
……
If the now three women who have publicly recounted similar stories with Bush-41 want to claim sexual assault, that’s a sorry injustice to women who have experienced an actual assault.
Is Bush’s touching inappropriate? Sounds like it. But it also sounds like someone trying to infuse some levity into an awkward situation.
The desire to make others feel comfortable around disability by using humor also sounds distinctly familiar. I know because I often use the same tactic while in similar situations.
Being in a wheelchair means three main things: 1) For the most part, you’re always at a height disadvantage with people. 2) Sometimes to participate in activities, you have to touch people you may not know in very familiar ways, and 3) Unless you have no situational awareness, a good-natured human being’s instinct is to attempt to make something awkward less so. Often through humor.
As someone who is missing a left arm and right leg and spends my waking hours in a wheelchair, I cannot count how many times I have had to touch people I don’t know in very uncomfortable ways.
I now realize these were sexual assaults. And for that, I apologize to the unnamed dozens.
…….
I can’t say I won’t do it again. It’s shameless, I know. But if you ever run into me or someone else in a wheelchair, — like, say, a 93-year-old ailing former president — do them a favor and don’t make the assumption that we’re trying to have a sexual experience when we have to touch you or make a joke to abate the awkwardness.
- Discussion
-
Please Pardon My 'Sexual Assaults' https://t.co/p1pcdzsnn0
— RedState (@RedState) October 27, 2017
Baloney. I spend much of my time in a wheelchair because of back issues and I have never touched anyone inappropriately. Sometimes someone will bend down to give me a hug but I’ve never felt the need to pat someone on the rear end to make them feel at ease.
Grabbing someone’s sexual parts is illegal. Now I can understand that it could occur accidentally but this is not the case here. The actress could have handled it better. I wouldn’t compare it to rape by any means. However if Bush is that senile that he cannot control himself in this regard then why is his family putting him in situations where this can occur. It’s time for him to stay home.
The reason men keep getting away with stuff like this is because women don’t call them on it at the time. The best thing for her to have done is to say “Hey, please remove your hand from my butt.” Or “what are you doing?” removing his hand and replacing it on his lap. Especially when there are witnesses, particularly his wife. I know that your first reaction is to be embarrassed or a bit intimidated because this is someone who had status and importance greater than yours. However grown women need to be ready to handle these situations because whining about it on the internet isn’t going to change anything with these types of guys.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.