Writing is underway… (24)

For this post, I promised my friend Thomas that I would share a story.

A few months ago, Thomas used the word “rape” and I immediately reprimanded him. It was not used maliciously – in fact he meant it as a joke – but we all know that certain words ignite anger. This is one of those words. I told Thomas the reason the word made me uncomfortable, and how sometimes humor can offend even if the intent is not ill. So instead of “rape,” Thomas promised me that he would speak about famous women and say he wanted to have “aggressive consensual sex” with them.

Words have power. And sometimes even friends don’t realize how the things that they say can be hurtful. So speak up.