In response to “From the Publisher: Change is at our doorstep” published on Sept. 20.
I was disheartened to read Arnold York’s editorial regarding Brett Kavanaugh. The supposed analogies comparing adolescent girls being mean, or a young woman sexting pictures of herself, were ignorant and off target. These examples in no way compare to someone allegedly forcing themselves on someone else, or exposing themselves, as the latter are unsolicited and unwelcome, and can involve bodily harm and trauma. I have worked in women’s health for over 30 years now, and have attended many educational conferences and workshops. When asked for a show of hands as to how many women have been the victims of sexual assault, the show of hands is around 60-70 percent without fail. It is time that we hold boys and men accountable for their behavior, and stop asking young girls and women to do the heavy lifting—asking them to watch how they dress, and how they act, in order not to elicit a supposedly uncontrollable response from a man. The young women and men of this country are watching this process of weighing out these allegations. Let’s think carefully about the messages we are sending.
Janet Hirsch Ettenger