Senate Judiciary Hearings Open Thread

Anyone currently following the allegations against Brett Kavanaugh should read Samantha Field’s moving piece, Cannon Fodder in the War on Women. The allegations, with their attendant denials, smears, and rank appeals to rape culture, have taken their toll, especially on sexual assault survivors. These have been a hard two weeks, and today—with its nonstop coverage of the hearings—will be a long day.

I give you this post for discussing not only today’s hearings but also the allegations more generally—and for both community support and finding ways to exist on what feels increasingly like a battlefield.

My blog is a moderated space. Posts that include victim blaming will be removed. This is my personal blog, not a public forum. My house, my rules. I have blogged about abuse and sexual crimes for many years now, strongly positioning my blog as a space of support for rape and sexual assault survivors. Victim blaming, rape culture, and other knee-jerk defenses of those accused of sexual offenses are not welcome here.

I believe Christine Blasey Ford. More than that, I am blown away by her courage, and by the hard, hard thing she is doing. Christine Blasey Ford is an American hero.

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