Jessica Valenti
That Kiss, and Other Daily Indignities
#MeToo isn’t just about rape and harassment
In the days since Lucy Flores detailed an encounter with Joe Biden that made her feel “uneasy, gross, and confused,” we have seen in real time the limits of how much Americans are willing to listen to women.
After Flores described a meeting where Biden put his hands on her shoulders, smelled her hair, and kissed her head, the former Nevada assemblywoman has been accused of everything from misunderstanding an everyday friendly interaction to deliberately trying to ruin Biden’s potential presidential run.
Some people have even compiled photo collages of Flores being embraced by other politicians — a sign, supposedly, of her hypocrisy. If she didn’t mind these touches, they say, why give Biden a hard time?
One of the most difficult hurdles for #MeToo is that women don’t want to talk about just rape and harassment.
All these reactions demonstrate the same thing: We are not comfortable talking about the violations women endure unless they’re explicit, violent, or illegal.
I am sure Joe Biden is a nice guy. I feel confident that the former vice president’s…
