Thread by @andreactually

Today the Trump Administration took a chunk out of #TitleIX—an attack that has been years in the making. Among the most nefarious changes: allowing live ‘judicial’ hearings, and changing what even ‘counts’ as harassment. Let’s unpack that. 1/
washingtonpost.com/local/educatio…

For starters, #TitleIX is not, and was never intended to be a CRIMINAL law—it is a CIVIL RIGHTS law that focuses on ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
I am one of thousands of survivors that filed a federal complaint after experiencing sexual violence. My argument was never criminal. 2/

Our argument then,as it is now,is that sexual violence barred ACCESS to education. My school did little to support my success after rape,nor did it mitigate harassment after coming forward. My story is common,but in 2013, ‘unbelievable.’ In 2018,we won. newsobserver.com/news/local/art… 3/

I want to be clear and say that #TitleIX has never been a perfect law,and it was never written to solve the crime of sexual violence. That being said, beyond the crime itself, universities have historically protected perpetrators and systemically hindered survivors’ education. 4/

So what does it mean that even though there are hundreds of active #TitleIX investigations, the Trump Administration wants to shift to a criminal framework. It means that they don’t care about access to education. Period. They have no intention to make classrooms safer. 5/

1) The regulation creates a judicial-like process in which perpetrators have the right to cross-examine AND to request a LIVE hearing.

Universities are not criminal courts, yet DeVos thinks they should be. Yes, the idea of a LIVE hearing on rape allegations should anger you. 6/

The average victim of campus sexual violence is between 18-22 years old. The rates of violence are higher among Native, Black, and Latinx women, and even higher among queer and transwomen. It takes a lot to come forward, but why bother if you won’t be believed? 7/

And then to have to relive the worst moment of your life before not just your rapist, but others? What these new regulations actually do is create even further deterrence for survivors. The only thing guaranteed by this is that numbers will be lowers. Great PR for colleges. 8/

Educational institutions are systemically racist and classist, and our colleges do little to mitigate inequality in the classroom. Add the experience of sexual violence and the chances of success and retention plummet. But those numbers are invisible, ‘protected’ by FERPA. 9/

Retention is not a concern for the Trump Administration, because they don’t care about making our schools safe or equal. They don’t care about ACCESS to education. They care about protecting white, wealthy institutions and perpetrators. They’re not even hiding that. 10/

2) The regulations also change the literal definition of sexual harassment, limiting it to what is considered ‘severe, pervasive and objectively offensive.’ So I ask you this? Who the hell gets to decide what is severe, and ‘objectively offensive?’ Guess it’s white men again. 11/

But this is the very limit of the criminal framework of #TitleIX.How can we ever seek equality and access if we lean on legal frameworks that have historically done nothing more than uphold white supremacy & discredit survivors?Is sexual violence ever ‘objectively offensive?’12/

Anita Hill. Dr. Ford. Tara Reade. The dozens of women that rose against Weinstein, Cosby and R. Kelly. The hundreds of survivors I know or have met. I don’t know of a single survivor whose violence was “objectively offensive.” And that’s the fucking point. It‘s impossible. 13/

Our society refuses to acknowledge that sexual violence is systemic. We refuse to believe that women can desire sex, and that rape is not sex: it’s a crime of power. Rape is a weapon that denies access to power, in this case, access to education. 14/

There are bigger societal oppressions at play that facilitate the crime of sexual violence, but survivors who rely on #TitleIX didn’t seek the criminal justice system: they just want to stay students. Why is it so hard to understand that rape takes your education away. 15/

I have many personal pains about these regulations, and thoughts on my work and the work of people I greatly admire being brutalized before us. But I want to leave you with this: 16/

#TitleIX is not a replacement for the criminal (in)justice system, and we have never wanted it to be. Every student has the right to a safe, equal education, and the threat of sexual violence makes that impossible. Period. 17/

The focus on adjudication, and on keeping reporting numbers low is the greatest betrayal to students. It tells them that their success, their education comes second to the university reputation. But, perhaps that’s the candor we should be expecting of universities. 18/

What you can do:
—BELIEVE SURVIORS. The first and most important step.
—Tell your kids, friends, and students that they have a right to a safe and equal education, and that I, and countless others are willing keep fighting for their rights.
—Hold your alma mater accountable. 19/

Refuse to donate to your university if they prioritize their brand over their students, & continue to protect the interests of wealthy, white donors over the education they promise.
—Show up.For survivors.For students of color.For those students who deserve that education. 20/20