Read on Twitter
Skimming some researchers on why sexist humor, like rape jokes, should be taken seriously.
Will share some links below.
"the enjoyment of sexist humor was positively correlated with rape-related attitudes and beliefs, the self-reported likelihood of forcing sex, and psychological, physical, and sexual aggression in men." https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1018868913615
"men who scored high (vs. low) on hostile sexism reported higher levels of rape proclivity after exposure to sexist versus non-sexist jokes. No such effects were obtained for benevolent sexism."
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2013-41944-005.html
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2013-41944-005.html
"...men higher in hostile sexism report greater RP upon exposure to sexist jokes when a woman (vs. a man) delivers them"
"...rape proclivity after exposure to sexist humor generalizes beyond women in the immediate humor context to women as a whole." https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077801216654017
"...rape proclivity after exposure to sexist humor generalizes beyond women in the immediate humor context to women as a whole." https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077801216654017
"...sexist jokes increased rape myth acceptance among high-hostile sexist men more than nonsexist jokes. Additionally, among participants high in hostile sexism, sexist jokes increased rape myth acceptance more in men than in women..."
https://web.a.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=21648204&AN=123383726&h=7XoUOQl1Ye9Qbvmal4Bd4n1Dy2sgjGMpD7p1b7miN%2fBATmFpTCwIjZbigbulAFVkZJnNJXP3oT7OSWpvHQvLig%3d%3d&crl=c&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d21648204%26AN%3d123383726
https://web.a.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=21648204&AN=123383726&h=7XoUOQl1Ye9Qbvmal4Bd4n1Dy2sgjGMpD7p1b7miN%2fBATmFpTCwIjZbigbulAFVkZJnNJXP3oT7OSWpvHQvLig%3d%3d&crl=c&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d21648204%26AN%3d123383726
this is a better link https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-24968-002
"Our findings indicate that sexist jokes cannot only encourage subtle discrimination in men, but may also lead to a greater self-tolerance and expression of self-reported propensity to commit sexual violence against women...and blame rape victims..."
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-02391-001
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2015-02391-001
"sexist humor functions to a) enhance male in-group cohesion (sexist humor as a predictor) b) serves as a form of sexual harassment (sexist humor as an outcome) and c) amplifies self-reported rape proclivity and victim blame (sexist humor as a moderator). https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2015-0023
"Witnessing a disparaging joke relaxes the nonprejudiced
standards that normally exist in social interaction. This then leads to an increase in expressions of prejudice among individuals who hold such attitudes."
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2016-14460-010.html
standards that normally exist in social interaction. This then leads to an increase in expressions of prejudice among individuals who hold such attitudes."
https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2016-14460-010.html
(cont) "power-based reinforcing humor [includes] rape humor that has the potential to exacerbate rape culture By making women who have been or could be raped the “punchline” of rape humor, the sexual hierarchy is reinforced, and the powerful (re)assert power over the powerless."
tl;dr: rape jokes that uphold the status quo are bad and have an impact on everyone—the people who say it, the people who witness it, and the (potential) victims at the butt of the jokes.
