Men Holding Each Other Accountable for Rape Culture

Editors Note: While this spoken word poem is specifically about men holding each other accountable in the battle against rape culture, Everyday Feminism recognizes that not all relationships are heterosexual and gender is not limited to male or female.

People of many different gender identities and sexualities perpetuate, and are victimized by, sexual violence. Regardless of your gender, it is of the utmost importance that you call your friends in and address their participation in sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and any other form of abuse.

In his spoken word poem “Action,” Guante reflects on how he should have held his friend accountable for the abusive way he spoke about and treated his girlfriend. He analyzes how the media teaches men to think of sex as an act of violence, to victim blame, and to objectify women and how.



Please read the following Everyday Feminism articles to learn more about rape culture:

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Guante is a hip hop artist, two-time National Poetry Slam champion, social justice activist, educator, and writer. He and/or his work has appeared on Upworthy, MSNBC, Racialicious, Feministing, MPR, the Progressive, City Pages’ “Artists of the Year” list and URB Magazine’s “Next 1000” list, and he’s shared bills with Talib Kweli, Saul Williams, Brother Ali, Dead Prez, Sage Francis, Andrea Gibson, Doomtree, Zion I and more. Guante’s work explores the intersections of art, media and social justice education; to that end, he facilitates workshops on identity, power and privilege, founded the MN Activist Project and Hip Hop Against Homophobia concert series, writes essays and op-eds, and works with COMPAS, TruArtSpeaks and others to engage in artist residencies around writing and performance for youth. For more of his poetry, visit his YouTube channel and Facebook page. Follow him on Twitter @elguante.