It’s Not Harmless Talk: On Sexual Assault

Don't tell me being friends with people who have sketchy attitudes toward women and sex, with people who joke about sexual assault, is no big deal.

I usually write about academic topics; notetaking, history, science, folklore — that sort of thing. That doesn’t mean I'm not concerned with people’s implicit acceptance of friends and associates’ sexual assault, or even other forms of potentially rape-y behavior.

When I was in college I met a guy.

He shot pool with friends in the student lounge and I lik…