This cartoon from Penny Arcade called “The Sixth Slave” had faux feminists/rape fanatics up in arms in August. Yesterday, they successfully tantrum-ed PA into pulling a shirt the cartoon inspired from the PA webstore with the hysterical accusations that the shirt “perpetuates rape culture.” PA commenter Halibut puts things into perspective:
The original comic does not in any way perpetuate a “rape culture.” The humor is not in the rape, but in the ridiculous nature of fetch quests in video games. Someone please point out to me where in the comic it is implied that rape is funny or good. Just because it is used in a joke, doesn’t make it the punchline of the joke…
Apparently, these humorless bullying faux feminists didn’t get the memo from George Carlin about rape.
The fuck? Does your tag actually say “rape culture is a myth”?
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW.
The weirdest part is that the OP didn’t post the rest of the comment, which goes on to say
Now, that said, I understand why folks are pissed off about the shirt. It is a shirt that basically promotes a creature that is solely associated with the act of rape. Basically take what I said about rape not being the punchline of the comic and throw it out the window. Even if it’s just a jab at the misplaced angst some people felt from the comic, this kind of thing absolutely does contribute to the culture of objectification of women and dismissal of sexual abuse that is prevalent in parts of the gaming community. Even if it’s not directly saying “rape is funny,” I guarantee you that many PAers at PAX will wear the shirt as a way to stand together against the enemy. And even if they don’t consciously think about the enemy as women who have survived rape, that’s certainly what they are doing.
HUH.
