F--kRapeCulture carries mattress to support Columbia student, movement.
F--kRapeCulture carried the weight of a mattress in support of Emma Sulkowicz on Thursday.
F--kRapeCulture, a group committed to supporting survivors and changing the conversation on sexual assault, chanted as they carried a mattress from Baker University Center to College Gate in support of Sulkowicz, a Columbia University student who has made headlines for her performance art piece.
Sulkowicz has been carrying the mattress that she was raped on with her around at Columbia until her rapist no longer attends school with her. The piece is not only for her senior arts thesis titled “Carry That Weight," but also to protest the lack of awareness and promote the prevention of the avoided subject that is rape culture.
As the group of people gathered in front of Baker University Center, the excitement began to rise with the anticipation for the mattress to arrive. When it did, Claire Chadwick, a junior sociology major and co-founder of F--kRapeCulture, and F--kRapeCulture executive board member Jessica Ensley, a senior journalism major and Post columnist, got ready to carry the mattress with “F--k Rape Culture” in duct tape written across it, to College Gate.
Chadwick spoke on the subject of the issues of rape on college campuses during the rally, especially in Sulkowicz’s case, and said that we need to “stand in solidarity with Emma.”
Ensley said that there is almost nothing the victim can do, and rape on college campuses is an issue being ignored.
“Too many people have to navigate their whole lives trying to avoid something so traumatic for them,” Ensley said.
Henry Kessler, a senior art history major, said after the rape culture is an untouched subject and continues to say that we need to combat rape culture and help the people that are affected by these horrible acts.
The F--kRapeCulture movement is far from over, and they plan to continue in raising awareness and support for the people affected by rape and combat rape culture.
F--kRapeCulture is having a Homecoming March on October 10th at 4 p.m. meeting at the bottom of Jeff Hill.
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