ABSTRACT

Rape myths are prominent social narratives that circulate harmful stereotypes that normalize and even sanction sexual violence. In this essay, we argue that the myth of the monstrous rapist in US rape culture rhetorically functions as an antiblack symbolic structure that circulates across historical and contemporary discourses. We outline the rhetorical norms of the myth through an analysis of discourses surrounding convicted serial sexual predator and Hollywood mega-producer Harvey Weinstein. Symbolic renderings of Weinstein’s monstrosity discursively darken him and mark him as a monstrous anomaly in relation to normative whiteness and masculinity. Content warning: This article contains references to, and descriptions of, racial and sexual violence.

摘要

强奸神话是突出的社会叙事，传播有害的刻板印象，使性暴力正常化甚至制裁。在本文中，我们认为美国强奸文化中可怕的强奸犯的神话在修辞上起到了反黑人象征结构的作用，在历史和当代话语中流传。我们通过分析围绕被定罪的连续性侵犯者和好莱坞超级制片人哈维·韦恩斯坦的话语来概述神话的修辞规范。温斯坦怪物的象征性渲染在话语上使他变得黑暗，并将他标记为与规范的白人和男子气概相关的可怕异常。内容警告：本文包含对种族和性暴力的引用和描述。