CW: Sexual assault and violence against women. If you, or someone you know, has experienced sexual violence, please call the RAINN hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673). It’s never too late to get help. 

It’s no secret that most women live in fear of violence. Nearly every week, there’s a news story showcasing the most gruesome examples of it, like the woman who was killed for jogging in Queens, or the countless number of ‘Rejection Murders’ men commit after a woman says “no.” 

This week, author of Men Explain Things to Me, Rebecca Solnit, joins Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) to discuss her new memoir: Recollections of My Nonexistence. Together, they dream of a world where we don’t have to sit our daughters down and give them a never ending list of safety tips. They talk about what it’s like to grow up in our patriarchal culture, where giving those warnings seems more effective than stopping men from committing acts of violence. Finally, Rebecca reminds us that as much as violent and powerful men want to stop our voices, they will not be able to hold us down forever.  

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