Dear John,
The world continues to watch in real time the escalating Russian war against Ukraine and the unimaginable levels of threats, violence, and war crimes committed by Putin. As Bonnie Stabile examined in her piece for Ms., Putin’s rhetoric around Ukraine is characteristic of rape culture — and warns that the international community can’t afford to ignore it.
“Those who enact state violence also often employ rape rhetoric," Stabile explains. "Two weeks before giving the order to invade Ukraine, Putin was reported to have made reference to a joke about marital rape, saying, “It’s your duty, my beauty” when he spoke of compelling President Zelensky to comply with the Minsk agreements.” She continues: “Rape culture, in the context of conflicts such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, can be characterized by the increased incidence of violence against women and the restriction of rights for all. Rape has been used as a weapon of war the world over throughout history … and there is reason to fear that such tactics will be employed in the current conflict in Ukraine."
This week, we also tuned in to watch president Biden as he gave his first ever state of the union address. In addition to addressing the situation in Ukraine, the president spoke about ongoing attacks in this country on reproductive freedom and on trans youth.
“If you want to go forward not backwards, we must protect access to healthcare; preserve a woman’s right to choose — and continue to advance maternal healthcare for all Americans,” said the president, mentioning the forthcoming ruling by the Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson that could potentially render abortion illegal in Republican controlled states. As if to underscore the danger, on Thursday evening, the Republican dominated state legislature in Florida passed a 15-week ban, with no exceptions for rape, incest, victims of trafficking, or women with severe maternal or fetal health diagnoses. Governor DeSantis immediately signed the bill into law.
This year’s state of the union was a singular bright spot in what felt like an otherwise tumultuous week: it marked the first time ever that two women — vice president Kamala Harris and House speaker Nancy Pelosi — were seated behind the president during his speech.
Finally, we are also closely following Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, who began meeting with senators this week in advance of her confirmation hearings set to begin Monday, March 21. Howard Law School dean Danielle Holley-Walker breaks down the importance of the nomination, speaking with Michele Goodwin, host of Ms.’s “On the Issues”: “Every time we break a glass ceiling, there are women, there are men, there are girls, there are boys all over this country, who for the first time say, you know, I may be the first one to do something, and I can do it.“
Remember, Judge Jackson has been confirmed by the Senate on three previous occasions — with bipartisan support. We’ll be following along on the road to her confirmation, and continuing to bring you the feminist news you need to know in the weeks ahead.
