Argentinian Journalist Threatens Rape To Prove a Point

Every day, women around the world are whistled at on their way to work, cat called on their trip to the grocery store, harangued while they walk their dog, and otherwise harassed as they go about their daily business. In some of these situations, verbal assault is coupled with physical touching or groping. Such street harassment is one of the most pervasive forms of gender-based violence, causing pain, frustration and fear in the abused woman.

Yet, according to one Argentine writer, Juan Terranova, street harassment is not only ok, but there is a "beautiful richness to obscene language." Terranova, who some view as one of the newly appeared voices in Argentine contemporary Literature, goes so far as to call for "the revindication of the cat call as a minor literary genre."

In his March 3, 2011 article [Spanish] published in the Argentine publication, El Guardián, Terranova discusses a local activist, Inti Maria Tidball-Binz, and her work with Hollaback International, a movement dedicated to ending street harassment using mobile technology. He belittles the international movement against street harassment, describing it as mistaken and asserting that the nature of cat calls is "subjective."

It seems that Terranova does not take into account that street harassment is just that -- harassment. "Does dirty talk always imply an aggression?" he asks. No, it doesn't always imply aggression, but by its very nature street harassment is a gateway crime into more physical, violent forms of abuse that objectify women and create a culture that is accepting of gender-based violence.

If women's right isn't your issue of choice, you shouldn't feel left out. Throughout the course of his two page article, Terranova manages to make racist, homophobic, and sexist comments. Terranova ends the article with this sentence (translated from Spanish): "I finish here with a wish for 2011: to meet Inti Maria Tidball-Binz at a vernissage, share a drink, and later tell her that I would love to rape her in the ass."

Terranova's philosophy on street harassment is offensive, condescending and dangerous, and his rape threat is simply outrageous. Tell El Guardián that Terranova does not deserve a platform on which to share his chauvinistic opinions. Sign the petition calling on El Guardián to demand Juan Terranova's resignation from the newspaper.