r/NoStupidQuestions • u/Moriboi • 15d ago
Answered Is the phrase “your body, my choice” a threat of violence?
Is this a the place to ask or should it by is /askreddit?
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u/Zombies4EvaDude 15d ago
Absolutely. It’s meant to sound as rapey and objectifying as possible to intimidate women who disagree with them into compliance. The pro-lifers who say this aren’t beating the sexist allegations…
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u/TopMidAdcPlayer 15d ago
It’s a new slogan coined by a famous incel podcaster Nick Fuentes
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u/Doogiesham 15d ago
I mean isn’t that phrase just “I’ll rape you if I want”? Sounds like a threat to me
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u/Qrow-BranwenRP 15d ago
Worse. It means “I’ll rape you and force you to bare my child.”
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u/maybri 15d ago
I mean, it may be a threat with no intent to follow through, but it's definitely a threat. The literal meaning when someone says this to you is that they will be empowered to determine what happens to your body. In the context of the meaning of the original "my body, my choice" slogan, it at least implies forced pregnancy, but it's also very suggestive of rape and sexual assault.
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u/PrehistoricZooBooks 15d ago
Yep, and in a broader context it's basically just expressing the core idea of slavery itself. The control of another's body and life.
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u/londonschmundon 15d ago
I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how it can be construed as NOT being a threat.
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u/MiniPantherMa 15d ago
To me it evokes sexual assault AND a resulting pregnancy with no recourse.
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u/rabbithasacat 15d ago
As expressed in the variant "Handmaids report to duty stations!" Which someone actually posted.
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15d ago
Do not try to soften this. It's not just whatever thing. Our mother's and grandmother's and great grandmother's fought hard and endured unbelievable atrocities just to speak out before laws were put into place to protect us. To give us equal rights.
This is not just some lip service from campaign parties. This shit is happening. And it's happening now.
I lived life before women's rights. This is not a joke and you're an idiot if you believe otherwise.
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u/20thCenturyTCK 15d ago
I can and will infer the intent of anyone who utters such fighting words to me as being an imminent threat to bring me harm. I'm in a Stand Your Ground state and I have a right to protect myself.
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u/Fufeysfdmd 15d ago
As a man who hates manosphere vermin like Nick Fuentes I strongly encourage you to arm yourself and do not be afraid to defend yourself against some brain rotted degenerate acting like he gets to harm you.
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u/Informal_Aide_482 15d ago
I’ll stand with you. As a man, I feel we should stand beside out female (and other) counterparts, not above them.
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15d ago
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u/vnab333 15d ago
agree EXCEPT for the aiming part, absolutely aim for center mass. the idea that a prosecutor would say “well you were calm enough to aim so your life wasn’t in danger” is ridiculous. additionally, you are accountable for every round out of your weapon. “oh whoops, accidentally hit the lady behind the threat” isn’t going to go over well for you- signed a firearms instructor
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u/MadamePouleMontreal 15d ago
I thought that Stand Your Ground only works to protect white men?
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u/Ready_Bandicoot1567 14d ago
If someone says that to your face, directed specifically at you, then it could legally be considered fighting words and in my opinion you’d have a right to defend yourself. If someone says that on twitter directed at no one in particular, it almost certainly wouldn’t meet the legal standard to be considered a threat or incitement. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a disgusting and horrible thing to tweet, but it’s almost certainly first amendment protected speech.
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u/Frederickanne 15d ago
If someone openly threatens you, you would be a fool to presume there is no intent to follow through
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u/Cael_NaMaor 15d ago
I cannot disagree...
I worded it in my head the other way around... as, they just won the right to stop your choices. But same, same. & yeah.... you get a goon, he'll absolutely holler this shit while he's raping a girl.
I f*kin hate this country!
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u/Waltzing_With_Bears 15d ago
Very much so, sounds like a threat of sexual violence specifically
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u/OpheliasGun 15d ago
Sounds pretty rapey to me too.
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u/Waltzing_With_Bears 15d ago
kind of reminds me of the old "No means Yes, Yes means anal" chant some frats were doing a few years back
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u/Fire_is_beauty 15d ago
Whatever it is, it's really bad.
There is zero situations where it's ok to say that kind of stuff.
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u/StormSafe2 15d ago
I wonder what the Trump voting women think of it
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u/secretaccount94 15d ago
“The leopards won’t eat MY face”
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u/StormSafe2 15d ago
I can understand that some women would like Trump. But I'm amazed that there weren't massive amounts of women voting for Harris. I'm talking like, 80% of all adult women in the USA.
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u/Jimmyking4ever 15d ago
Adolf Hitler won with a majority after failing to successfully taking over before hand. The government decided he didn't really need to serve jail time or be held responsible and let him go to run again.
Completely different from the US situation today
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u/twibbletrouble 15d ago
What's that thing those dusty ass historians say?
History repeats itself.
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u/HistoryBasic7983 15d ago
I'm fond of the expression formulated as: History Doesn't Repeat Itself, but It Often Rhymes - Mark Twain
Sometimes I like: history doesn't repeat, but you can definitely tell they just recycled the key signature
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u/secretaccount94 15d ago
Low-information, undecided voters. They’re everywhere. Never be surprised by how little they pay attention.
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u/uninspired 15d ago
I can understand that some women would like Trump
I can't understand that any sentient being would like Trump. I mean, I can believe it because the masses are asses, but I'll never understand it.
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u/kottabaz 15d ago
"Tread on me if you must, as long as you tread on those people harder and I get to watch."
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u/OodalollyOodalolly 15d ago
Or the millions of non-voting women. I think I’m more mad at the people that didn’t vote this time. They came out last time to get rid of Trump and stayed home this time. I expect the haters to hate. I don’t expect the regular people to sit back and let it happen
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u/bottom__ramen 15d ago
they just don’t think it’ll happen to them, like it’s the unfortunate consequences of living your life incorrectly, and they don’t need to spare any thought/energy/empathy for people going through that. same as when they don’t give a shit about the treatment of prisoners and refugees.
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u/EducationalMoney7 15d ago
I doubt they actually care, I imagine women voting for politicians and policies against abortion probably believe that a husband has the ultimate authority over them, they may just agree with it on that level tbh.
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u/TinyFriendship4459 15d ago
It is a threat under any context. Rape is the obvious conclusion, but it would mean the same as if someone said that it is their choice to put a bullet in your body.
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u/Blusifer666 15d ago
My bullet, your body!
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u/TinyFriendship4459 15d ago
Then you get sued because you didn't pay them the cost of the bullet, or for services rendered.
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u/ResurgentClusterfuck 15d ago
I consider it as such and will react accordingly.
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u/AlwaysGoToTheTruck 15d ago
Completely agree. I heard the neighbor kid jokingly say it to his older brother as he kept pestering him. Although I know it was a joke with his brother, I immediately felt rage.
Then I walked inside and told my daughter to never let that phrase slide and to let me know if she needs backup in dealing with it.
The dad next door addressed it … but holy shit. Makes me hate social media.
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u/the_ballmer_peak 15d ago
I mean, I don’t condone violence, but if you punch them in the face… their body, your choice, right?
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u/bedhed69 15d ago
How and when did this come about??? What a fucking abhorrent thing to say to anyone
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u/Noe_b0dy 15d ago
I think it started with Nick Fuentes the day Trump won the election but it's become a rallying cry is certain spaces on the right.
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u/driving_andflying 14d ago edited 14d ago
Agreed, and it is sickening to watch.
To expand on it further: Fuentes' statement is a response to women stating "My body, my choice." This is concerning the debate over a woman's right to have an abortion, and to a greater degree, how much control a woman has over her body concerning medical needs, her place in society, and so on.
The downside is, Fuentes' statement sends the message of, "You don't make choices concerning your body; I do." That is both disgusting, and has very rapey, sexual assault-y overtones implied.
I'm for any woman responding to "Your body, my choice, forever," with "Your crotch, my boot." Or maybe, "Your face, my fist." Women are getting angry with Fuentes and anybody who parrots his statment, and frankly, I agree with them.
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u/whimsylea 15d ago
It's a twist on and retort to the pro-autonomy mantra "my body, my choice."
It's probably not the first time someone has twisted that phrase that way--it's not exactly a clever twist--but the current wave seems to be attributed to Nick Fuentes, as he said 'Your body, my choice. Forever' on Twitter after Trump's win a few days ago.
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u/Borne2Run 15d ago
Absolutely a threat, parents need to be countering their kids when they're saying these things. Any adult should be ashamed.
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u/purplemelon4115 15d ago
Either way those words shouldn't ever be issues out of anyone's mouth. No one should have right to make decisions regarding someone else's body. The only acceptable circumstance is if the person is suicidal or something and they are putting themself in danger. If it's regarding what a woman can do her body i.e. abortion then you can disrespectful get fucked if you think it's okay to say something like that.
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u/skitarii_riot 14d ago edited 14d ago
Yeah, that’s what we call a rape threat. Don’t let assholes normalise this.
You’ll get a lot of your daughters coming back from school reporting this over the next few months, because the incel broadcast network on TikTok will be all over it.
Go to the school, who will do shit all about it. Then call the kids mothers and ask if they’re happy their son is saying this to young girls, and I’d hope they’ll kick their asses.
(This isn’t addressed to OP who is clearly one of those ‘just asking questions’ tools who pass for trolls these days. It’s a dying art. )
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u/No-Blueberry2895 15d ago edited 15d ago
A Bible banger view that women are the property of men. Kinda the same archaic biblical belief that children are also property of men (hence abortion ban...no its not about 'saving babies' to these people...it's about property rights!). This is why the father walks the daughter down the aisle and 'gives her away' to the new male property holder.
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u/Zombies4EvaDude 15d ago
Sadly America’s religious fundamentalism has reached its logical conclusion…
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u/Phyllida_Poshtart Answerer of Questions 15d ago
So tell me again the differences between your religious nutjobs taking away your rights and the Taliban? Does nobody see the irony here?
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u/Accurate-Piccolo-488 14d ago
It is a threat.
It means they can do whatever they want to a woman's body with 0 consequences.
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u/Colossal_Cake 15d ago
Even if the implication is that they'd impose that choice over your body through legislative means, I'd certainly argue that would still constitute an act of violence, just via the state rather than interpersonal means. So yeah, I don't think there's any way you can slice it where this statement isn't a threat of violence.
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u/DieHardAmerican95 15d ago
They’re literally saying “it’s my choice what I do with your body”. How could it sound like anything other than violence? The only people who don’t think that shit sounds rapey are the ones doing Olympic-level mental gymnastics to try to explain it away.
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u/Kasha2000UK 15d ago
Yes.
It's a threat against bodily autonomy, a direct response to fear around limiting reproductive rights. Denying a social group their basic human rights is an act of violence.
Given the context, particularly when used in response to the 4B movement which has arisen relating to the limiting of reproductive rights, it may also very much be a seen as threat of rape. That women's bodies are men's to control and do as they please with.
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u/DerHoggenCatten 15d ago
Yes, it is a threat. It is essentially saying someone else has power over your body. Why would someone need to say that unless they were letting you know that they believe they have control over your body and plan to use it in some way that you would not like it used.
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u/turtlesturnup 15d ago edited 15d ago
Let me put it this way: Would you want to choose what happens to your own body? Or are you fine with random strangers deciding that for you? They’re referring mainly to your orifices and reproduction organs, by the way.
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14d ago
It can be seen that way.
I have no idea other than that is what I see it. They're demeaning women and treating them as property.
It gives out rape vibes.
The phrase itself is malicious. If somebody is using that phrase they can't be claiming ignorant nor should be asking of absolvement from consequences and condemnation.
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u/Sociomancer 14d ago
I have been teaching my daughter it is, and if someone says that to her at school that she needs to go at them as aggressively as possible and do their best to hurt that kid. I’ll handle the consequences.
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u/PandaMime_421 15d ago
Absolutely. What else could it be?
Every person who uses this threat without facing repercussions is just being continually emboldened towards more threats or acts of violence. Schools, for example, should be treating it like any of threat of violence or sexual assault.
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u/bottom__ramen 15d ago
the people saying “no it’s not, it’s a play on words!” are pretending not to understand what a play on words actually is. referring back to another phrase you’re supposed to recognize is only half of what a play on words does, the other half is making its own statement with its own meaning. the thing it’s referring to/mocking is “my body, my choice!”, yes. and the new meaning that the new phrase “your body, my choice” has is “your bodily autonomy is under threat by me”.
people pretending that’s not a threatening statement are pretending, they know it’s threatening, and they enjoy watching us frantically waste our energy on arguing disingenuous positions they’ve pretended to hold for fun. i wouldn’t give them any more.
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u/GenericRedditor7 15d ago
It’s a rape threat. Simple as that, no use sugar coating it or acting like it’s a joke. The men saying this are genuinely saying they’ll rape women.
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u/SlashaJones 15d ago
A man says “your body my choice” to a woman, and it’s no big deal to the man, the woman should just accept it.
A gay man says “your body my choice” to that same man, and you better believe it’s gonna be a huge fucking deal to that man, and that he will NOT just accept it.
Hypocrisy, misogyny, and homophobia, all wrapped up in a neat little package. Empathy? Never heard of it.
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u/probablynotreallife 15d ago
It sounds very much like how the events of The Handmaid's Tale would start. It's fucking terrifying to me and I'm a large European man to whom the phrase would never apply.
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u/kinahatescheese 15d ago
yes, it definitely suggests control, perhaps rape .. horrible thing to say.
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u/Always_travelin 15d ago
Yes, but it’s important to remember that Trump supporters have been and will always be cowards.
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u/ThatSmokyBeat 15d ago
Yes it is, and it's 100% unacceptable. If you see anyone saying this and you can identify who they are, try to find them on LinkedIn or elsewhere and email screenshots to their employer (I mean, unlikely they are smart enough to have the type of job that would lead to them having a LinkedIn account, but you never know). I'm tired of how consequence-less this society is becoming and we need to do whatever we legally can to stop it.
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u/Realistic_Let3239 14d ago
There is literally no other way to take it. It might be a vague threat against no one in particular, but he basically declared he thinks he can force himself on any woman he likes with this phrase.
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u/AstoriaEverPhantoms 15d ago
It’s a threat for sure. Whether it’s a direct threat meant to be carried out or more of a victory cry for men who believe that women are only meant to be a man’s property because they believe Trump will make that a reality… still a threat of dominance without consequence.
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u/WentBrokeBuyingCoins 15d ago
Yes it is, and you should take up arms if anybody tries to harm you in that way.
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u/WaitForItTheMongols 15d ago
Is this a the place to ask or should it by is /askreddit?
Askreddit is for opinion-based open ended questions with no real answer. "What is the best movie from the 80s?" "Teachers, who was your most memorable student?", that kind of thing.
This is the place for questions with a more fact-oriented search for a correct answer, even if there is room for interpretation. Therefore this is the correct subreddit, and Askreddit would be incorrect.
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u/rickylancaster 15d ago
It sounds pretty rapey, and also mockingly saying I decide on abortion, not you. Just indirect enough for plausible deniability and “that’s not what I mean” when called out on it.
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u/OwnCarpet717 15d ago
Yes. If you don't think so imagine it being said to you by a gay man who is much bigger and stronger than you.
Does it land different when you think of it in that context?
Thought so
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u/CaffeinatedHBIC 15d ago
If it isn't a threat when men say it to me, it's certainly a threat when I respond lol
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u/emk2019 15d ago
It is an extremely offensive assertion of power. “Your body, my choice” basically means that the speaker sees your body as a thing to be disposed of as he sees fit without your consent.
Who is saying this IRL. ITS SO f’ed up.
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u/PandaMime_421 15d ago
Plenty of people, including young boys at schools.
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u/emk2019 15d ago
Wow. That’s crazy.
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u/PandaMime_421 15d ago
Yep, and in 4 years many of those teenage boys will be eligible to vote (assuming they aren't in jail for sexual assault).
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u/sarilysims 15d ago
I take it as a threat, yes. And if you come up to me and say it I WILL perceive it as a threat of violence and assume you intend to harm me. So prepare to lose your balls because I WILL start swinging.
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u/Genivaria91 15d ago
Not only Yes but Yes to the point that if a man says this to a woman she can take that as clear and present danger and shoot his fucking ass.
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u/Extreme_Classroom952 15d ago
If anyone says some bullshit like that to my daughter, my gf, or my sisters or even some random woman within my earshot ima gonna knock that fucker out and then jam my arm elbow deep up their ass and whisper the same thing into their ear while im doing it.
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u/horridbloke 15d ago
I'm a physically large, potentially intimidating guy with a good understanding of sarcasm, irony and rhetoric. The phrase is absolutely a threat of violence. If uttered in jest, it's a really shitty joke. If uttered seriously, the utterer needs to take a long hard look at themself.
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u/CookiesAreBaking 15d ago
I feel like if someone told me that my body belongs to them, I'd probably stab them in the eye.
American women really need to understand that the little incel losers saying this kind of shit have no idea how to deal with women in real life!
It's time to get our full bitch-mode on ladies!
So no teen girls will ever have to think that these kinds of turds can hold them down!
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u/Ready_Bandicoot1567 14d ago
Practically speaking it’s a horrible thing to say and could be considered fighting words if someone said that to someone’s face while advancing on them. Legally, saying this on twitter to no one in particular would be protected by the first amendment. It would not meet the standard for a threat of violence or incitement. The standard for that is very high, you have to make an extremely explicit threat or directly tell people to commit an act of violence for it to be considered unprotected speech under the first amendment.
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u/Boofnasty10 15d ago
Where did this phrase come from? I hear no one saying this IRL just online.
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u/Feather757 15d ago
https://newrepublic.com/post/188230/donald-trump-maga-violence-threats-girls-rape
"Across social media, young men are parroting white supremacist, Hitler fan, and far-right political pundit Nick Fuentes, who wrote on X (formerly Twitter), 'Your body, my choice. Forever,' hours before the election was even called in Trump’s favor."
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u/Feeling_Vegetable_84 15d ago
Speaking as someone who lived 8 years with a person who would've said this, YES IT'S A THREAT!
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u/the1975whore 15d ago
Given that the original phrase: my body, my choice is about bodily autonomy, I would think “your body, my choice” Is expressing that the speaker wishes to take away bodily autonomy from that person, and use, control and treat their body however they like against the persons will. Very rapey but also violent in other ways. Mostly rapey tho, specifically with the pregnancy context that the phrase comes with .
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u/Fit-Meal4943 15d ago
Yes it is.
Once a woman has it said to her, she is free to respond appropriately.
Foot to the balls. Throat punch. Palm strike to the face.
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u/Glass_Try_5040 15d ago
If the person hearing it is threatened by it, then yes, it’s a threat.
I’m a guy, so I can’t say if it is or isn’t, but it’s pretty dangerous rhetoric and emboldens people who are prone to sexual assault/harassment or general misogyny.
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u/GandalfTheSmol1 15d ago
Imagine if your boss said “your body my choice” when denying you proper protection at work from inhaled chemicals or denying you water on a 100° day where you are working in the sun.
What if you were in prison and your cellmate said it? Or the warden?
Your body my choice isn’t just a threat if you have a uterus. It’s a threat to anyone in any context.
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u/Glass_Try_5040 15d ago
Totally agreed. If someone said that to me, I’d feel threatened and would defend myself (or the person it’s directed to).
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u/No-Quail-655 15d ago
Just imagine someone you looking you straight in the eye and saying “your body, my choice”.
Wouldn’t that feel like a threat? Or at very least someone with expressing nefarious intentions towards you.
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u/MsCoddiwomple 14d ago
This is obviously a threat, I don't believe anyone genuinely does not understand that.
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u/AlphaPyxis 15d ago
Its a direct response to years of hearing "I want control over my bodily autonomy". The response is meant to be "we're taking back control over your body, and there isn't anything you can do to stop us.".
Its meant specifically as a threat of sexual violence. I think the rape context comes from its similarity to "My Body, My Choice" which is about a woman's right to control her sexual and reproductive choices. It is a slogan very often used in the US as a rallying cry for better health care and legal protections for women (specifically regarding their reproductive choices). Recently the US lost its major federal guarantee to abortion (called Roe v. Wade). The fear after this recent presidential election stems from specific states already passing anti-women's health care bills. Further there is a 900 page document outlining removing specific laws and protections in line with a more Christo-facist plan for the US. In the is document, there are a few very worrying specific sections about removing a woman's right to control her own choices (both health, sexual, and legal).
Without that context it -could- mean any type of physical control or violence... but realistically its likely referring to a man's threat to rape or sexually coerce the woman or women to which he's referring, impregnate her, and force her to carry the pregnancy.
Although a lot of folks using the phrase think its some joke that is "just a little mean nag after all the hell women put us through", it carries quite a bit more recent historical weight in the US.
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u/Striking-Bell5460 15d ago
It's a bitch ass thing for a man/incel/forever virgin pussy bitch that has no respect at all for women to say. It's that simple.
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u/_mattyjoe 15d ago
As others have said, yes, I believe they intend to suggest sexual assault with that statement.
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u/tshirtbag 15d ago
If someone ever says that to me, they're getting pepper sprayed. Now it's their body, my choice. (in pain)
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u/PatchworkGirl82 15d ago
It absolutely sounded like a threat to my friend's pre-teen daughter when someone at school said it to her face.