It has not gone unnoticed (re: porn)

[MyshkinCommaPrince]

22. Interesting.

Thank you for the response. I want a "big thumbs up" smiley, here, but I don't see one on offer.

Some months ago, prompted by discussions here on DU (I read the HoF group with some interest), I tried to do Google research on the concept of Rape Culture. I ended up, first, at Wikipedia, where the definition seemed more narrow and specific than its usage at DU would suggest.

Further searching led me to the blog of a self-described "RadFem", which was interesting and passionate, but still not really informative. In fact, it may have confused matters for me, as her main concerns seemed to be stamping out pornography and disliking Bill Mahr for something about fellatio. I read this for about a week, and it made me ask myself some questions, which is good. I stopped when she ended a post by concluding that she had to admit that she simply hates men. I was glad she'd reached this self-understanding, but felt a bit like there was little left to learn from that particular source.

That blog led me to similarly explore the views of the MRAs, so often mentioned by the blogger and her respondents. I concluded quickly that these guys were a bunch of wretched asshats, and didn't read much of what they had to say. My research fizzled out after reading about those bozos, with my questions still unanswered.

I would like to understand Rape Culture, as the concept is being invoked here at DU. It's a big idea, obviously, and seems to be the unexplained core idea behind many posts here. I am a male, an Aspie, and a middle-aged virgin, if you will. My place in any debate about sexuality is somewhere off to the side. But I am a male, and I want to be on the side of feminism. Currently I don't fully understand the parameters of the feminist movement as discussed on DU. Given the intensity and apparent anger in so many discussions here which touch upon Rape Culture (while not quite clarifying what it is), I am left wondering whether one such as myself is a welcome ally of feminism at all. I do want to be. I like to think we're all on the same side, ultimately. But I really do need some clarification.

I will be out for the holidays for approximately 24 hours. Any delay in response is an "away from keyboard" sort of thing.