donnajosh:

What’s Next? featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda

An ode to The West Wing, presented by The West Wing Weekly podcast. Lyrics and vocals by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Music by Hrishikesh Hirway. Download this track.

three months - thoughts about a rape

Three months to consider what he did.

To, ostensibly, think about how his decision to rape her

Affected her.


There is a belief, it seems,

That rape isn’t really that bad.

That rape’s a lot easier to get over than a lot of other things.

‘Is it really that bad? I mean…if it’s not violent…or abusive…y'know, if there’s not any 'beating up’ involved…it’s just kinda like unplanned sex, isn’t it?’


Three months.

Three months’ punishment for his actions.

Three months punishment

For taking from her without her permission or knowledge,

By force,

Something intimate, private, important.

Meant for pleasure, meant for good,

Meant to be shared with someone she wanted to share it with.


Three months punishment

For taking that from her.


Leaving her to live with the aftermath.

Leaving her wondering if, maybe, what happens to her body isn’t really that important.

 Leaving her to feel that, perhaps, her body is meant to be used, taken.


'If she wasn’t conscious, like, how bad could it be?’

'She probably doesn’t even remember anything.’


Three months’ punishment sort of sends a message that

His needs, urges, impulses,

Were kind of sort of uncontrollable, very important to get taken care of,

Very natural, to be expected, to be quickly forgiven and explained.

A message, maybe, that what she might actually want, you know, if she were conscious,

Is pretty far down society’s priority list.


Because, you know, I mean…

Isn’t bad sex like bad pizza?

Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good?


Three months for him.

A lifetime for her.