History of Feminism
Related: About this forumThe Rape of Harriet Tubman
One of the more interesting conversations that came out of this event questioned why, on the anniversary of her death, we have yet to experience an epic cinematic treatment of her life. She certainly qualified for that great Hollywood biopic. Against all odds, as a disabled enslaved woman, she escaped to freedomhaving learned of the Underground Railroad network that included support from black and white alliesand once she made it to the other side returned to slavery 17 more times to free countless other slaves.
Tubman used all sorts of wit and trickery to enable her dangerous journey in this secretive network, and even believed in her divine right and power to engage in liberation. She collaborated with John Brown on the raid at Harpers Ferry, recruiting slaves for the project, but her illness at the time prevented her from taking part in the uprising. During the Civil War, she served as a Union army spy, nurse and soldier, and in 1863, she led a successful military campaign on Combahee River in South Carolina, resulting in the liberation of 750 slaves.
In short, shes the stuff of legendfor black history, womens history, American history. The fictional Django from Django Unchained aint got nothing on her!
But on the year of her centennial anniversary, what does Tubman get instead of the great Hollywood biopic? She gets a sex tape.
You read that correctly. Recently, in an internet launch of his new YouTube channel, All Def Digital, rap media mogul Russell Simmons featured a failed comedic video titled Harriet Tubman Sex Tapethe first in the line-up of this new series. It didnt take long for black audiences on social media to utterly denounce this video and petition against it. Within 24 hours, Simmons removed the video from his channel and issued this apology:
More:
http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/08/17/the-rape-of-harriet-tubman/
BainsBane
(53,031 posts)Narratives written by former enslaved women all talk about their experiences being raped by masters. Why that would be called a sex tape though, seems strange.
ismnotwasm
(41,976 posts)I agree both the title of the article and the term 'sex tape' are misleading
Just reading the videos premise was enough to make my blood boil, but sometimes, especially when you do media analysis as part of your scholarship, you just have to be a witness. So I viewed the video, and I dont believe I am exaggerating when I say that, on this centennial anniversary, Harriet Tubman got raped.
BainsBane
(53,031 posts)The idea of a tape is obviously absurd, but I suppose he was trying to update a concept for modern viewers. Blackmailing masters who had sex with enslaved women strikes me as highly, highly unlikely. The practice was so ubiquitous, planters's wives knew it was happening, which has sometimes been attributed to the extremely brutal treatment mistresses could inflict on young female slaves.
If Harriet Tubman had sex with her master, it was rape. On that point I disagree with the Ms. author. Since she was owned, she had no right to refuse his sexual advances.
Enslaved women, however, were sometimes able to use such relationships to their advantage. This had to be understood in the context of literature on slave resistance and with full awareness of the absolute brutality of the institution. Consider, for example, Sally Hemmings, whose long-term sexual relationship with her master, Thomas Jefferson, led to her children's being freed in his will, while the rest of his slaves were sold off to pay his debts. There are problems with taking out stories of resistance to tell to the general public because they can sometimes be interpreted as diminishing the brutality of the institution of slavery. Historians who write such works know of that brutality, but the casual reader or observer may not.
There is a story of an enslaved woman, Celia, who responded to repeated rape by finally killing her master. Her story has been chronicled in a highly readable, short book: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/celia-a-slave-melton-a-mclaurin/1102736801?ean=9780380803361
Documents from the trial are online: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/celia/celiahome.html
ismnotwasm
(41,976 posts)Yet another book for my 'too read' list
The author of the article is outraged at the narrative of "The Harriet Tubman Sex Tape" and does bring up actual sexual assault;
Its a hell of a sobering reality to realize that, 100 years after Tubmans passing, our porn cultureintertwined inextricably with rape culturewould produce such a demeaning narrative about one of our great American heroes. It happened not because there is any basis in history for such an imagined scenario (Tubman simply would not engage in sexual leverageits not part of the essence of who she was) but because our culture continues to trivialize rape (which is what we must categorize any unequal encounter between a slaveowner and slave, regardless of consent) and debase womens experiences. Ironically, the horrendous truth about sex tapes is that they tend to be used as leverage not against men but against women! It is women who are often blackmailed or demeaned when sex tapes are made available on the Internet. Women are the ones who have everything to lose, considering the slut-shaming that still clings to female sexuality. Sure, some celebrities might parlay such porn videos into a career, but the intention of sex tapes is public humiliation.
BainsBane
(53,031 posts)and I think she's write in general about sex tapes.
ismnotwasm
(41,976 posts)Russell Simmons Apologizes for Icky Harriet Tubman Sex Tape Video
The video, which has been pulled, was originally on Russell's new YouTube channel All Def Digital. That channel launched this week as a vertical for comedy and music videos intended for a black audience. "Harriet Tubman Sex Tape" was, according to the Kansas City Star, "the first in a series of history-themed comedy sketches planned on the channel." Sort of like Drunk History but for black people because history is for white men.
http://jezebel.com/russell-simmons-apologizes-for-icky-harriet-tubman-sex-1148232024
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)it is fun you know, and not to be taken seriously... and really it does not filter thru out society
rape
sex tape
giggle.
truly offensive and fickin disrespectful and totally adolescent and so welcome in todays society.
IF i am picking up on this correctly.