There's No Privacy in Private

What was particular interesting in the reading Law in the Everyday Life of Women by Mackinnon was the overall theme that what the law recognizes and what women experience is polarizing. Most notably because women are not included in politics. While there might be some in politics and who hold office in congress many do not fight for women's rights I believed is what Valenti touched upon. The laws written in our country do not reflect women's interests and are some are based on a time when women had no say in the political nature of our country. Perhaps most startling is framing of the laws against rape. Women have to prove the intent of the rapist in order to have a case and the law takes into account the rapist point of view. I think this reflects the notion in our society to value a man's word over a woman's. What was outrageous was in Mackinnon's article that in the early 70's women could not be reliable witnesses to their own rape and even now the state has to prove that the accused rapist honestly didn't know that the woman did not consent. This type of legislation leads women to not admit and/or report that they were raped ultimately leaving women to start defining rape in accordance with what the state says is rape. Not only rape but many other facets of women's life is defined through what the law states through the guise of freedom and privacy. Since men look better under our legal system they will be allowed to exercise that privilege over women and not until it is more equal will women be able to use the legal system in order to improve their lives and prevent invasions of their privacy and rights.