In the wake of the Stanford Rape Case, rape culture came to the forefront of public discourse once again, and for good reason. After Brock Turner was sentenced to only six months (if that) in prison after committing violent rape, many spoke out about the lenient outcome. The latest is actor and woke bae Channing Tatum, who spoke with Cosmo about a number of tangential issues, including feminism, gender equality, and consent.
Much was made about how the jail time and notoriety would affect Turner’s future, which, according to Tatum, is exactly the opposite approach that we should be taking.
“I really think it’s a horrible idea to let someone off because of possibly what they’re gonna be capable of doing,” he said. “Because if you start doing that where do you end? Where does that stop? Where does that line actually quit? I don’t think it’s right, I think he should’ve been punished personally,” adding that the lenient sentence simply “doesn’t make any sense.”
As if we could love him any more, Tatum also spoke extensively about the importance of consent and how an overhaul of how we address sex education is so necessary.
“I think we need to use education and we have to be comfortable talking about [sex]. Look I’m uncomfortable talking about it and I’m saying we should be comfortable talking about it. But it is, it’s an awkward thing to talk about, it’s an awkward thing to talk about especially probably with your kids. So how do we do that better? How do we actually come up with a plan to be able to communicate about sex and what do we need from each other and what are the lines and how do you even know where the lines are if you’re not strong enough to say OK I’m not comfortable with this anymore… People want from both directions and the only way to get to what you want is communication.”
When asked to sum up feminism in three words, Tatum responded, “I can do it in one: equality.”
Progressive views on sexuality and Magic Mike dance moves? Jenna Dewan-Tatum truly is a lucky woman.
(Via The Huffington Post)
