Roll Red Roll: Rape, Power, and Football in the American Heartland

by Nancy Schwartzman

Many women and girls were vocal about their disapproval of Jane Doe on these forums, despite the gendered allegiance one might expect or at least hope to find. In fact, the compartmentalization of identity in these circumstances and the desire to side with the more powerful entity even if it doesn’t include or recognize you is common in these situations. “In ‘separate sphere ideologies’—societies and cultures where men and women are thought of as different species, where roles are complementary but are actually always hierarchical [such as] institutionalized in patriarchal religions, single sex education, and sports culture like football—rape myths and stereotypes tied to gender norms flourish,” explained Soraya Chemaly, activist and award-winning author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger. “Girls are no less likely to act in ways that are deeply sexist, misogynist, and racist. Girls police other girls. It’s learned behavior early on, and includes slut shaming.”