The Bitchin’ Table: A Few Knock Knock Jokes I Don’t Want to Hear

Hi again, welcome to another fabulous Bitchin’ Table. Each week 2 of your favorite and most beautiful ShoutOut! writers chew it out over any topic that comes to mind. This week we’re bitchin’ about Rape Jokes, they definitely don’t have us laughing. Because feminists haven’t got a sense of humor. That was sarcasm.

KillerTofu: Hey Katie O. Why is rape so rare?
Katie O.: You know, KillerTofu, I’m not sure. Why is it so rare?
KillerTofu: Because women with their skirts over their heads run faster than men with their pants around their ankles.
::Chuckle chuckle chuckle:: I love me a good rape joke.
Katie O.: Well, who doesn’t love to mock disturbing and all too common experiences of women?
KillerTofu: True story, if it isn’t rape jokes, its jokes about eating disorders, domestic violence, or sluttiness.
Katie O.: Women are so hilarious, aren’t they?
KillerTofu: Wait, I have another one! I grab your butt and yell “Suprise Butt Sex”. Man, I’ve got a hundred of these.
Katie O.: Seriously, though, I just cannot fathom rape jokes. How, how, HOW is that funny to people? There are a bajillion things wrong with them, but I think something that upsets me most is this: Rape is common. 1 in 4 women in the US are victims of rape, correct? So when you make a joke like that, you could be making it to a RAPE SURVIVOR.
Killer Tofu: This is true, but what about that common defense “if we can’t joke about it we keep it from being something people can talk about openly”
Katie O.: I think there’s a difference in joking about rape itself, and rapists/rape culture, and while I think that joking about rape itself is disgusting, mocking rape culture is not. And if we can make fun of rape culture, doesn’t that open avenues for discussion of rape that would be taboo otherwise?
KillerTofu: So you’re saying it’s appropriate to mock rape culture, or the social conditions that foster rape like excessive masculinity/scoring/parties, but it’s not cool to focus jokes on the experiences of rape victims. I understand where you’re coming from. I also think it’s important to note that making jokes about rape doesn’t open up dialogue about rape, it’s more likely to make rape survivors feel uncomfortable or alienated. Constructive conversation about rape comes from honest interpersonal moments.
Katie O: Exactly. I mean, certain things are just not okay to joke about (which doesn’t stop some assholes) and rape should be one of those no joking topics. And that includes yelling things like “RAAAAPE” when joking with friends. I think there are a few categories of rape jokes: REALLY overt ones, and then ones that seem “harmless” or less severe like the “raaaaape” stuff. I do the same, but somehow rape is just so hilarious that people forget.
KillerTofu: Maybe Katie O., sometimes it just takes saying something to people. In highschool I made rape jokes a few times, until one of my friends said something. After that I was so ashamed of having been insensitive like that, I haven’t made rape jokes since.
Katie O.: Agreed, KillerTofu! What we need is dialogue about this whole issue, including why rape jokes are bad bad bad
KillerTofu: Sure you can’t handle just one more? There are so many forums run by people who I assume are hot and get laid all the time featuring rape jokes by the dozen.
Katie O.: I’ll Pass.