Posted on 10/19/2012 1:01:18 PM PDT by pabianice
In pursuit of gender equality
The kissing sailor, Greta Zimmer Friedman, George Mendonsa
Most of us are familiar with this picture. Captured in Times Square on V-J Day, 1945, it has become one of the most iconic photographs of American history, symbolizing the jubilation and exuberance felt throughout the country at the end of World War II.
For a long time, the identity of the pair remained a mystery. It certainly looks passionate and romantic enough, with many speculating that they were a couple – a sailor and a nurse, celebrating and sharing their joy. This year, however, historians have finally confirmed that the woman is Greta Zimmer Friedman, a dental nurse at the time, and George Mendonsa, a sailor.
Have a look at some articles about it. Do you get the feeling that something is not quite right?
A few facts have come to light. Far from being a kiss between a loving couple, we learn that George and Greta were perfect strangers. We learn that George was drunk, and that Greta had no idea of his presence, until she was in his arms, with his lips on hers.
The articles even give us Greta’s own words:
“It wasn’t my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and grabbed!”
“I did not see him approaching, and before I knew it, I was in this vice grip. [sic]“
“You don’t forget this guy grabbing you.”
“That man was very strong. I wasn’t kissing him. He was kissing me.”
It seems pretty clear, then, that what George had committed would be considered sexual assault by modern standards. Yet, in an amazing feat of willful blindness, none of the articles comment on this, even as they reproduce Greta’s words for us. Without a single acknowledgement of the problematic nature of the photo that her comments reveal, they continue to talk about the picture in a whimsical, reverent manner, “still mesmerized by his timeless kiss.” George’s actions are romanticized and glorified; it is almost as if Greta had never spoken.
In a way, I understand this. The end of war is a big deal, and the euphoria felt throughout the nation on that day is an important part of American history. For so long, this photograph has come to represent that unbridled elation, capturing the hearts of war veterans and their families alike. The fact that this much-loved photo is a depiction of sexual assault, rather than passion, is an uncomfortable truth, and to call it out as such might make one seem to be a priggish wet blanket. After all, this sailor has risked his life for his country. Surely his relief and excitement at the end of the war is justified? Surely these are unique circumstances? The answer to the first question is yes. He is perfectly entitled to be ecstatic. He is perfectly entitled to celebrate. However, this entitlement does not extend to his impinging on someone else’s bodily autonomy.
The unwillingness to recognize a problem here is not surprising, considering the rape culture in which we live. It is not easy to assert that a woman’s body is always her own, not to be used at the whim of any man without her consent. It is far easier to turn a blind eye to the feelings of women, to claim that they should empathise with the man, that they should be good sports and just go along with it. And the stronger the power structures behind the man, the more difficult it becomes to act otherwise. But if we are serious about bringing down rape culture and reducing the widespread violence against women, then we need to make it clear that engaging with someone sexually without consent is not ok, even when it is an uncomfortable position to take. Especially when it is an uncomfortable position to take.
Read the full psychotic break here.
This kind of person thinks that all men are rapists, and that all heterosexual relations are rape.
This can be written only by a man-hating feminazi who hates this country, men, and herself.
Oh my. They could really have a field day with all the classic films of the silver screen where at New Year’s the nightclub lights go out and when they come back on, everybody’s kissing a stranger, and the hero usually has a blonde bimbo instead of his wife but the bimbo likes it, and the hero is somewhat abashed unless he’s William Powell in “The Thin Man”.
I have a bridge onto that very same island for sale to anyone who thinks that picture was spontaneous.
But they love “cougars”-sexually agressive older women who chase younger men, and aren’t shy at all about it.
I’d hit that...
Anybody who kisses a bimbo on the screen when he could be kissing Myrna Loy is a either a robot or a pansy.
It is a great picture, but if that is Miss Zimmer in it, I think we can take her word for it that it wasn’t a mutual kiss - look at her stiffness - her hand isn’t reaching for him - some guy just grabbed her and stuck his tongue in her mouth. That’s going way too far while being far short of rape.
WW2 Japan had a rape culture.... Islam has a rape culture.... diversion?
Crap like this is nothing more than mental masturbation for asexual neurotics. Unfortunately, they seem to have more and more influence in our society.
Agreed. That’s no embrace, on his part or hers.
The picture became iconic because of the massive publicity it received. I’m sure it was a big money maker for Time Life. But it does not depict what is implied, and as such it’s a fake, and an ugly one the longer you think about it.
Geez, the guy was at sea for years, surrounded by nothing but smelly, hairy men, getting shot at by the japs, watching his friends die. We nuke the nips, the war ends, and who walks by but a hot young babe IN A NURSE’S UNIFORM! What man can’t relate to the guy?
(I shutter to think what would have happened if she had been dressed as a naughty teacher!)
ping
Meanwhile, Muslim hardliners routinely oppress women every day (Burka, anyone?) and have no hesitation about killing a female relative that a man has raped or attempting to murder a 14-year old schoolgirl on her school bus for daring to speak out about education for Muslim women. Misogyny on a worldwide basis and definitely something worth complaining about. But, no, an obviously sheltered American feminist writer has nothing better to complain about but an ancient photo that she pretends captures a 'sexual assault' and then claim that it epitomizes the objectification of women in American culture. Gimme a break!
Just kidding.
Yeah, well.... When you pull things out context it sounds very different than::::
I felt that he was very strong. He was just holding me tight. I’m not sure about the kiss... it was just somebody celebrating. It wasn’t a romantic event. It was just an event of ‘thank god the war is over’ . . . it was right in front of the sign.
Oh good grief. The war just ended. He was happy. He kissed a girl. It was a kiss. That’s all. Not really a big deal. And not really a great kiss either.
If the writer cannot tell the difference between a kiss and a rape, she needs to go back to sixth grade and relearn sex education. A kiss is no more a rape, that an escort to the movies is a marriage. Don’t escalate it into something it isn’t.
You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss...
It's all in the eye of the beholder.
Not forcing. Wonder Woman’s left leg is the clue.
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