Liberal actress Ashley Judd insults rape victims with recent political remarks
Ashley Judd is a beautiful, talented actress who made news recently when she made some very poor decisions in public.
Judd participated in the Women’s March on Washington that coincided with President Trump’s Inauguration Day. Judd took to the microphone and recited a profanity-laden poem written by a 19-year-old Columbia University student titled “Nasty Woman.” Judd took a lot of heat after reading the poem. One letter to the editor put it like this:
I can’t express the outrage and disgust I feel for Ashley Judd. The language in the so-called poem she recited at the Women’s March was shameful. To insinuate that our new president has an incestuous relationship with his daughter is despicable, and Judd should apologize.
Judd fought back against the criticism the following evening at an after-party that raised funds for Planned Parenthood. Judd compared the election of President Trump to being “re-raped” in a related interview with the Huffington Post:
I’m a rape survivor and a survivor of incest and I lived alone for two years as a child in two different states.
The fact that there were adult men in my family who failed to protect me as a child [and] voted for him was really re-traumatizing.
OTHER WOMEN SOUND OFF
The Independent Journal Review interviewed several women who were victims of similar crimes. They weren’t impressed with Judd’s remarks. A woman named Tara, for example, said this:
As a victim of rape, I find that statement appalling. There is no comparison of someone forcefully violating your body and someone being elected President. It minimizes the devastating effects of sexual violence.
I am sorry to any victims, including Ms Judd, for comments made or reported by the media that may have triggered pain from their past but to say the words “raped all over again” in reference to an election is absurd and diminishes the horror of sexual violence.
One woman, named Susan, had a refreshingly mature perspective regarding Judd’s liberties which are preserved by this country’s Constitution:
As a survivor of rape I am deeply offended by her comments. As a non-snowflake, I am able to file her comments in the rubbish bin and proceed with my life. As an American, I support her right to free speech, even if she does choose to say completely idiotic things.
This goes to show you how heated and emotional political discourse can become, especially when politics is held out to be messianic in character. When people look towards the political process to bring healing to the land, they are bound to suffer a faith crisis when it fails them.
Judd wrote about her own experiences with sexual assault and how her experience can help others:
Today, nine years into my recovery, I can go farther and say my “story” is not “my story.” It is something a Higher Power (spirituality, for me, has been vital in this healing) uses to allow me the grace and privilege of helping others who are still hurting, and perhaps to offer a piece of education, awareness and action to our world.
It’s hard to see how her remarks are making things better.
To read more responses by women responding to Ashley Judd’s statements, click here to visit the IJR’s article.