Forbes ran an article yesterday by columnist Bill Frezza titled “Drunk Female Guests Are the Gravest Threat To Fraternities” and swiftly removed it after a massive, social media blowback. In short, Frezza argued that it was the drunk college girls’ fault for being sexually assaulted and endangering fraternities.
“[W]e have very little control over women who walk in the door carrying enough pre-gaming booze in their bellies to render them unconscious before the night is through,” wrote Frezza. “Based on new standards being promulgated on campus, all consent is null and void the minute a woman becomes intoxicated – even if she is your fiancee.”
Enter Fox News hosts, who promptly came to Fezza’s defense, reported The Raw Story. Yesterday, the hosts of Fox News show Outnumbered said that the girls mentioned Frezza’s article need to take “personal responsibility” to not get raped at frat parties.
“I don’t know why this writer is taking so much heat because this is actually a problem that goes on,” said host Andrea Tantaros. “These girls show up at these fraternity houses. The guys, what are they supposed to do? Lock them out? ‘Hey, how are you?’ They have a couple more beers, the girl passes out . . . so it is a legitimate fear.”
The “legitimate fear” is Frezza and Tantaros refer is the potential damage to the fraternity system for which they think drunk women would be responsible.
It’s absolutely clear what potential-rapist, fraternity brothers should do. Don’t sexually assault a girl that’s drunk, blacking out, and obviously has no situational awareness. It’s that simple. No means no, and no answer means no too.
Josh is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire. Follow him on Twitter @dnJdeli.