*Blog post started on June 23, 2020.
As I start this post up, I wonder if I will actually be able to continue the Disgruntled's Women's Real World Champion title history. It is important for me to try and conclude my confusion with #SpeakingOut, so let us hope that I have a clever blog post name by the end of it.
With my last entry, it would not surprise me if I may have bored you with going over my previous attempts to address the issues of harassment and domestic issues in pro wrestling. If it means anything to you, the writing process did allow me to better understand my feelings and sense of unease with the #SpeakingOut movement. Wrestletalk's Olly Davis summed up everything pretty well in Monday, June 22, 2020's news video about why a lot of the predominantly male audience may be having issues digesting the situation. This video also noted that it is naturally going to lead to people debating which accusations are real and which HAVE TO BE FALSE.
My stance is that you have to start with believing the women and hope that due process will uncover the actual truth. With that said, I disagree with the canceling of Woody Allen because there was an investigation in regards to allegations based around Dylan Farrow that concluded in his favor. Most abuse cases do not even get that.
If I am wrong with my conclusion, I hope society will empower Farrow to state her experiences on her own, in the way that "Leaving Neverland" has reframed the Michael Jackson narrative. Let us hope we can have that before Allen dies because he should have to face the consequences. Personally, I know a lot of people who are still apologists for the King of Pop. It leaves me to believe if Michael Jackson had to defend himself a third time, he may have done a Bill Cosby and made an ass of himself and ruin his legacy.
Stating that I am up to debate allegations leads me to how #SpeakingOut came to prominence. It centered around UK-based American independent wrestling star David Starr's girlfriend alleging on Twitter that he assaults/rapes female fans and then gaslights them. She stated that she was one of Starr's rape victims. Starr being really good at Twitter came out and denied the allegations while acknowledging that he was an immature and shitty boyfriend to many girls. His accuser posted screenshots of text messages to Starr with her claims, and that seems to have been enough evidence to effectively end his career. And my immediate reaction was "Why now?"
Why now as in why did the allegations come out after he was being really good at Twitter? His voice for movements like Black Lives Matter, rent forgiveness during COVID-19, being a well spoken socialist was attracting attention and spoke for a lot of people beyond wrestling. It left me thinking that his ex-girlfriend was just being vindictive. He could not do good by her, so how could he do good by society?
No comments:
Post a Comment