WST 3015
3/3/210
Professor Nina Perez
Behind the Music: Rape Me by Nirvana
The song, "Rape Me" by Nirvana is a very forward yet powerful anti-rape song. Upon first listening to the song the words "rape me", are what stick out most to the listener. One might initially believe that it is simply about a rape, but in fact it is about a survivor who is boldly speaking out to their assailant saying "rape me, rape me again", you will never kill me, and you will get what is coming to you."Women have always been warriors..."(Seely 186). The song in itself is a challenge against violence in the fact that the survivor is challenging their attacker. Survivors/victims are generally believed to be weak, fragile and self pitying and "confront an intense blame-the-victim mentality that asks them to account of the behavior that left them 'vulnerable' to rape" (Seely 195). However, the survivor in this song, is strong willed and determined to let their attacker know that they are not the only one who is going to be raped and they are not going to be blamed, that the survivor will find justice, an the assailant will be punished and so to speak "raped" as well.
The thing I liked about the song "Rape Me" was that the survivor was not gender specified or had any hints to what race or class the survivor may have been. It is an anti-rape song for all survivors of all genders, race and class. It puts to rest that only women are those who are being raped, the survivor in the story could very well be a black male. At the same point the attacker is never given a face either and the song does not label any race, gender or class as being the "typical" racist."Jean Grossholtz, a professor of political science and women's studies, argued that research on rapists and batterers showed them to be "ordinary men, indistinguishable from nonrapists and nonbatterers" (Kirk,Okasawa-Rey 264). The song leaves the appearance up to the listener and does not stereotype any being.
The song address' physical abuse, in this case rape, as something that happens. "Violence against women is real. It is not entertainment...Women experience sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, dating violence and domestic abuse..."(Seely 187). The song is raising awareness of rape, but at the same time putting a social spin on it, representing it as something that is epistimically known as a bad situation, and showing listeners that even though this kind of stuff happens, people can survive and attack. It shows the world that people do not have to just be victims, that when they are ready, they can be survivors as well. The second verse of the song goes, "my favorite inside source, I'll kiss your open sores, I appreciate your concern, you're gonna stink and burn". The song puts the survivor in control, they are telling the rapist to rape them, because if that is what they feel they need to do, do it, they are a survivor and will put up with it, but the attacker better not think they will not be punished for their actions.
Works Cited
Kirk, Gwyn and Okazawa-Rey, Margo. "Violence Against Women." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 257-271.
Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl: How to be a Fearless Feminist. New York and London: New York University Press, 2007.
Andee,
ReplyDeleteIn reading this, it releaved me to know that some artist do care about issues that rape victims have to deal with each and every day!
I like what you said about the survivor was not being gender specified or had any hints to what race or class the survivor may have been. In which( as we read in the textbook), most police stations or any other law enforcement office takes into account their race or class,which is unfortunate!
After reading your response of this song and hearing the song for the first time, I now understand. I had not idea, after listening to the song, that it was about the victim/surviver gaining control and reversing that role with the attacker. I also liked how you informed everyone that the song does not pin-point one particular race, class, or gender and that the song could apply to anyone. I had no idea of any of this while I heard this song. Thanks for the insight. Now when I listen to the song, I see it differently.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I like how in the song the artist says, "rape me my friend." It goes along with what you mentioned of Seely and the other textbooks that mention how people get raped by their "friends," or people they know.
ReplyDeleteHey Andee,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job analyzing this song. I also enjoy the fact that the rape victim is not gender specific. Also, the fact that class nor race was an issue to the song. This song does indeed bring the awareness of violence against women to others and should be taken seriously by its listeners. Hopefully it will give women the courage they need to stand up to their attackers instead of hiding in fear and keeping it a secret.
I like how you interpreted this song. I never actually paid close attention to the lyrics; I was not ever really into Nirvana. I knew of this song though. I recall reading something about how the name of the song had to be changed or lyrics printed differently for some reason because of controversy, but I'm not exactly sure what it was. This website has something about them changing it to Waif Me for certain stores, although it is not the original website I found the information on:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2430
Our text discusses how one of the myths of rape is that it's about sex. I think this song is a good representation of how that myth isn't true. When I listen to this song I get the sense of how the singer feels used and ignored. Nothing about the actual act of rape is mentioned.
ReplyDeletei like how this song challenges our views of victims. We see victims as vulvernable , this song challenges that by showing that the survivor is fighting back and is not vulnerable.
ReplyDelete