OMG! Shocking cartoon in today's Metro - serial rapists are fanicable apparantly

[Katiekitty]

Oh my god, I am unable to make any sense of this - in today's Metro, page 31, the This Life cartoon shows this:

Two women in a bar, one drinking wine, one says to the other: "I met him on the internet - he's not interested in football, games consoles, old cars or the history channel - who cares if he's a serial rapist?'

This is absolutely disgusting! Or am I missing the point here or something? It's on a page with horoscopes, puzzles and sudoku - a bit of lighthearted stuff, then a joke about serial rapists. Not funny. Or AIBU?

I've logged a complaint with the newspaper editor, I wonder if they'll have the gumption to explain how this slipped through and got into the newspaper?

Please feel free to tell me I'm experiencing a sense of humour bypass and showing unreasonableness, but I think I'm right here...

Not funny imo.

nopre - pretty shocking. Are you going to write a letter of complaint?

YANBU. There was so many things they could use - like a merchant banker or something. Disgusting. Shocking the person who wrote that would find that a joke to begin with.

is there not a sense of sarcasm/irony/whatever it's called in it?

I thought it was just me - I didn't think it was funny either, but as I work with a bunch of MCPs I think I'm numb to it....

I've emailed a complaint to the Editor - will see if they reply. If I don't hear by the end of today (I'm being generous time-wise here), I'll write a letter of complaint to them and the Press Complaints Commission.

How do I let women's groups know about this, like Rape Crisis, they should be made aware too?

It's so derogatory to women I am lost for words. It's saying 'women love a rapist so long as he's not a geek'. Unbelievable.

Do you really not have anything better to do?

I'm very feminist, and actually I wouldn't have found this offensive - but I might me attributing more irony to it than it actually has IYSWIM. It seems to me it's about what some women will put up with and their skewed priorities and I actually think that's fair comment. Put in an extreme way, but that's how cartoons/satire work.

I don't think it's saying serial rapists are attractive because they're rapists. It's saying women often turn a blind eye to violence and abusiveness in men while obsessing over trivia. I think that's very true.

Nope. I really do not have anything better to do solid gold. I think it needs adressing so I have followed it up. So there. Why do you think I';m wasting my time - genuine question...

Erm. Unless I've missed some major news story that's just come out, I think it's funny.

If anything it says be careful who you talk to online. Not sure why this is a bad message.

echo muffle too.

lawe - that's what I was trying to say in my post - it sounds like that to me too.

I've found these "cartoons" in these papers often do have a sense of irony in them (is that the word I mean?)

Fair enough Muffle - thankfully you have the intelligence to think about underlying issues but many people don't.

Why put it in a cartoon on a page with puzzles and stuff if they're trying to make some deep point about violence towards women?

I think it's disgusting and it'll take a lot to convince me it isn't.

I really don't think most people are going to read this and say "Oh I get it, it's okay if a man is violent as long as his other activities are interesting and acceptable."

You seem to be accusing the entire female Metro reading population of gross stupidity if that is the case.

Katie - but aren't the cartoons always on that page??

I saw it and while I didn't think it was remotely funny (I rarely do), I didn't think it was offensive either.

I thought it was a statement about the fact that people looking for a relationship over the internet focus very much on the "tick-box" criteria that a future partner should have rather that the very real risk that cyberspace can hide a multitude of sins.

Not so Law. It's just that it says to people (men and women) that voilence, rape - hey it's not so bad. Hey, you're lucky to get a date, son't be so picky, so what if he knocks you about, as long as you've got a date!

And they specify 'serial' rapist - saying 'hey, it's what this man you're dating does - he rapes women. Get over it!' have a laugh!

It must just be me then. I think it's horrible.

I don't think I'm accusing the women readers of the Metro of 'gross stupidity' in any way. I think all readers (men and women) should not have to laugh at rape though. Irony or not. It's not a funny subject, or am I missing the point quite royally?

So women who are looking for a partner should overlook rape and voilence in a man?
Would you? Or your daughter?

I tool it to mean that women are so keen to have a man who isn't interested in football etc that they'll overlook some pretty serious character flaws (understatement, I know). Other, less emotive terms could have been used but I don't quite think would have been extreme enough to make the point.
However, if it does cause offence to people who have been raped then I accept it needs addressing.

Um, I'm not saying a cartoon should be moved off its regular slot if it's making a deep and meaningful point, just that a cartoon on a jokey page should make you laugh.

Just say if a clue in the crossword was: 'The act of a man taking a woman or man by force - four letters, begins with R' would you mind? Seems you wouldn't.

Nothing will convince me this is funny and I don't need to find a new hobby thanks Hedge - glad you find rape 'risque'

dittany, actually I understood that the thought of "not minding" rape - it not being a bg deal is ridiculous. That is how the joke is constructed. We are amazed/shocked at the woman who is so desperate for a man who isn't obsessed by football that she's willing to overlook rape.