Sep
30
Lost in Translation
Filed Under Uncategorized | By Wende Hilsenrod | Leave a Comment
Credit: Free images from acobox.com
Last weekend I watched two foreign films, one from Peru and one from Brazil. I was baffled by the Peruvian film because I could not understand the “Spanish” they were speaking – I was tired, the actors were speaking quickly, and since they were also playing characters who were drunk, they were slurring and “eating their words”. The Brazilian film also baffled me. I was losing threads of the conversation (even when I read the subtitles in English) until I realized they were ‘mixing’ Yiddish and Portuguese and only Portuguese was translated! I lost interest in both films: it was a lot of work to keep up with the code switching. It also required that I stop paying attention in order to translate for the monolingual English speakers in the room. I found myself making up what I thought I heard the characters say. Everyone was left with a poor opinion of both movies.
I woke up this morning with a horrible and chilling thought: How many times, because I was tired, in a hurry, thought I understood the slang, did I mistranslate? Not just in Spanish or Portuguese, but in English as well. I will never forget the horror I felt when, years ago, my niece said the visit to Grandma’s was “the bomb”. I assumed she witnessed an explosion!
Which brings me to another point; I have my own lexicon, as does everyone else. When stressed, tired, anxious or just plain in a bad mood, I sling words around and expect to be understood! People in crisis expect and deserve to be understood by those who are there to advocate for them. Figuring out ways to check for understanding without screwing my face up and going “HUNNM?” “Excuse me is not only kinder, it opens up the flow of communication giving the providers more accurate information
Which brings me back to waking up in a cold sweat – how many times have we, as advocates, missed the sublties of language usage by our clients? What opportunities were lost? More importantly, how many clients walked away discourage and never came back?
Sep
26
Sexual Assault is NOT a Partisan Issue
Filed Under Guest Post, Motivating Moments, Powerful Women | By Rose Luna | Leave a Comment
It’s no secret Texas Governor Rick Perry is running for President and the First Lady’s work with TAASA has been the focus of several news articles. Mica Mosbacher responds to those reports with a genuine and personal account of how she became an avid supporter of TAASA. Below please read Mica’s courageous editorial in defense of Anita Perry’s work on behalf of sexual assault survivors.
(Published Austin American Statesman: 6:32 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011)
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I survived sexual assault at the innocent age of 19. It occurred in London while on a holiday during the summer break before my junior year at the University of Texas.
I had been out to dinner with a large group of friends at a respectable restaurant. This guy came to our table and bought me a drink, but I did not ask him to join us. I did sip on the drink, and feeling quite drunk, I took a cab back to the hotel. I barely made it to my room. Soon someone knocked on the door and I opened it. That’s all I remember until I woke up.
I did not report it to British authorities. I was ashamed, humiliated and too afraid of being judged or labeled to tell anyone about the attack.
I cut my European tour short and refused to meet my dad as planned in France. Upon returning home, I became despondent. Still, I tried to soldier on. My studies were affected and I was suddenly world weary — but I functioned well on the surface.
I kept this secret for 30 years, until I was introduced to first lady Anita Perry and the fine work she was doing to help assault victims through Texas Association against Sexual Assault.
She was so compassionate and understanding when I quietly admitted that I was a survivor. I agreed to host an inaugural luncheon in Houston to help raise money for the association. It would mean that I would have to step forward and tell my story. I wasn’t sure I could do so, but I was moved by the first lady’s advocacy and willingness to work for a non-glamorous charity that I agreed to help others and perhaps help myself.
I believe there are no coincidences. While planning the lunch, my son’s girlfriend, now wife, told me about a friend who had been raped while on a trip to New Braunfels. I took the risk of being vulnerable and shared with Lauren my experience. Lauren was looking for a way to tell her story to others and to offer hope and a path for healing. Lauren went on to speak at the luncheon and to tell her compelling story in front of a large audience of classmates, family members, school officials and strangers. She went on to be part of the association’s “Speak Up, Speak Out Campaign,” whereby survivors share their stories in ads for TV, radio and Read more
Sep
22
No “real” men on television.
Filed Under Powerful Women, Prevention | By Tim Love | Leave a Comment
Credit: Free images from acobox.com
Yesterday, as I was driving home listening to NPR on the radio, I heard a report about the fall line up of new TV shows. The media analyst they brought in talked about a few of the new shows that are taking on this supposed emasculation of men, and then I came across an item on the TV Guide online site titled “Emasculation of Men on TV.” After reading the comments about the TV Guide story, I became – oh, what’s the right (and acceptable) word – inspired.
The basic point of the argument being made by some folks is that this string of TV shows, and others before them, that have emasculated men as characters is a reflection of the society we live in, where men have no clear roles and have no real power, and an inevitable result of feminist’s struggles for women’s rights. I find that like many arguments in this current political and economic climate, there are really large holes in the reasoning used to support this belief. Here are just a few I can think of.
1. Feminism is a lot of things. It is complicated. It exists on a spectrum, like most things. There is not one monolithic feminist platform of beliefs. However, it is also true that feminism is not the struggle to replace men with women at the top of hierarchical structures based on inequality and the use of power to maintain privilege. It is not women should rule and subjugate men. Rather, feminism is the desire to tear down inequity, particularly based on gender in a patriarchal society, and the institutions that support and maintain it. It is a tactic of folks fighting to support our current way of life, which is rife with inequity, oppression and violence, to suggest that feminist just want to be able to tell men what to do.
2. I obviously haven’t seen these new fall TV shows, but I have seen shows with male characters who are supposedly emasculated. A common pattern emerges. First, the emasculated male character is made to look ridiculous and is the target of many of the laugh lines – the audience is meant to laugh at the character, not with him. The result is an indictment of the character, not the celebration of him, and therefore a cautionary tale about the emasculation of men. The lesson becomes, “See how ridiculous this man is. Don’t be like him, it isn’t natural. Men should be men.” This is hardly a feminist message. In addition, these shows often pair these “emasculated men” with strong female characters. Unfortunately, the female characters often become caricatures of modern women. The women are cast as irrational, always right, nagging, bossy, mean and even petty. This serves to reinforce the message that “men should be men and women should be women, and that relationships between them are confrontational and Read more
Sep
19
A letter to agencies regarding the “Slut Walk” events
Filed Under Diversity, Guest Post, Powerful Women, Resource | By Rose Luna | Leave a Comment
“Slut Walk” events have have taken the world by storm. Communities across Texas have recently experienced the “Slut Walk” phenomenon. Below please read TAASA Executive Director -Annette Burrhus-Clay’s letter in regards to the “Slut Walk” events sweeping our nation.
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Since the first SlutWalks began taking place in Texas this past spring, TAASA has been fielding questions from the media, rape crisis centers, and community members concerning these marches and whether TAASA endorses these events. We have had several discussions with our staff regarding our endorsement or participation in Slutwalks. As was illustrated in our most recent newsletter, our individual perspectives differ. Factors such as age, culture, and personal experiences have colored our opinions regarding the word “slut.” For some of us, we experience a very visceral reaction to the term and there is no interest to participate in any event that embraces the word. For others, there is a strong desire to stand in solidarity with the many women who have been immobilized, blamed and marginalized by this term.
In the end what TAASA staff could agree is that mobilizing communities to respond to misogyny, violence against women, and victim-blaming is a positive action. There was an acknowledgment that in any social justice movement there are awareness strategies with which we are eager to participate and others that cross our personal boundaries of comfort. We also felt individual rape crisis centers would grapple with the same feelings and choices and would make decisions in the best interest of their agencies, their communities, and the survivors they serve. Collectively our staff decided we would support Slutwalks when it was asked for but we would also let others be the driving force behind these local endeavors.
We are aware that some Texas sexual assault centers have been key organizers of SlutWalks; others have taken a very minor role in the public aspect of the event but have coordinated with organizers to assure that survivors who disclose or are triggered will have immediate access to services. Still others have chosen to “sit this one out” either as a deliberate, well-thought out decision or because the activists planning the event did not reach out to them or had a preference not to ally itself with the local rape crisis center. There is not one best answer that fits the needs, culture, or climate of every Texas community. TAASA’s endorsement (if asked for) of a local SlutWalk is in no way intended to suggest that our member centers have or should endorse the event.
TAASA’s support is based on the premise that more Texans need to be discussing this issue openly and regularly and if activists and survivors take the initiative to bring these critical issues into the limelight we want to provide encouragement. Social change does not happen without some conflict, uncomfortable conversations, and challenges. SlutWalks are a perfect illustration of this. I hope we will all use these events as both an opportunity to examine our personal attitudes and feelings and engage in meaningful dialogue with others who may not agree with our perspective. Reasonable, passionate, and intelligent individuals may come to very different conclusions about participation in SlutWalks and TAASA respects whatever decision is reached in your community.
Sincerely,
Annette Burrhus-Clay