Having your hand on someones waist while doing a photo is now groping?
[quote]“It happened at a Media Matters party during the first Obama inauguration,” Dupuy wrote in the Atlantic, referring to an event in February 2009, after Franken was elected to office in a close race.
Dupuy said she “saw Al Franken” and asked to take a picture with him because her foster mother was a fan.
“We posed for the shot. He immediately put his hand on my waist, grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed. At least twice,” Dupuy said.
Dupuy said Franken’s “familiarity was inappropriate and unwanted.”
“It was also quick; he knew exactly what he was doing,” she said. “He wanted to cop a feel and he demonstrated he didn’t need my permission.”[/quote]
What the hell? He touched my waist and squeezed (at least twice). How long is a photo pose, maybe 10 seconds, tops?
I’ll have to remember to slap my aunt for molesting me (repeatedly) next time she goes in for a hug.
Next up, will be accused of groping via hand shank.
She’s accusing him of squeezing her waist while putting her arm around her for a photo?
Dear lord. WHat’s next? They’re going to accuse him of breathing? “You should have heard him. There he was going in and out and in and out and he wouldn’t stop. It was Disgusting!!”
Well that has familiarity – he was a stranger to this woman. I wouldn’t wrap my arm around someone I don’t know. But I know in some places people would do that. I don’t really know what to think. Franken is all gray area.
“At least twice.”
OMG! I now know that have been groped.
I think that social greetings of acquaintances with hugs at parties has just become a mine field for both men and women.
He a senator being asked to do a photo. There are likely 1000’s of photos of him doing the same thing, to give the person a good photo. What do you want him to do, just stand next to the person and make sure there is a foot gap?
Tragic. This is almost certainly the nail in coffin of his senatorial career.
I’m really torn about allegations like this (and Garrison Keillor). While it’s great that Me Too is having an impact on exposing the long and grotesque and widespread culture of letting men abuse their power by harassing women sexually, it is happening absent an exploration of the degrees of unwanted advances. GK touched a woman’s back… without hearing her side of the story, and just from his POV, it might seem pretty innocent. And this about AF… The guy has grubby grabby hands, but does this behavior rise to the level of serial harassment? I don’t know. Anyone? And wasn’t there going to be an investigation at least?
I’m not strictly disagreeing with you. It’s not cut and dry. I can only say what I would do in that situation. You can definitely take a photo like this without any chance of being misinterpreted. Hand loosely on opposite shoulder? No hands – just next to each other? Or regardless of hand position just quickly ask if it’s okay to do that? I think politicians will have to be more careful and touch-consent oriented going forward.
I come from a non-huggy family and always felt awkward when friends and acquaintances come in with their arms open. Awkward, but not sexually threatened. But… I’m a man.
keep it up, ladies. There have been a few good bits on taking this too far…and losing everything. That’s not “groping” by any definition and “grabbing a handful of flesh. I froze. Then he squeezed” is very subjective. If all it takes is an unsubstantiated allegation, particularly one as reaching as this one, to shit can a US Senator then let’s just fold up the fucking shop and slave away for the Kochs.
I’m sorry (no I’m not) but this doesn’t approach the arena of sexual assault or harassment.
OMG, he touched my waist! Inflating this sort of benign encounter diminishes the standing of people who really were/are assaulted or harassed.
Unfortunately, this is exactly what comes of lumping every incident into one giant pot of “look what he did!” outrage soup.
I do not want Franken to resign and I called his office today to let them know that. And fuck all the Dem women who are demanding his resignation - I’m looking at you Gillibrand and Harris. Forget 2020, you don’t have my support.
I do know what you’re saying. But some of this is straying into such gray areas as to be diffused of all meaning. I hate social engagements, and photos at social engagements even more. And yet I’ve stood next to people I barely knew and touched - not even sure who initiated it in every instance, but it wasn’t always me - in order to get close for a quick photo.
What’s coming next – Something about the tightness of his grip in the handshake left me confused and frightened.
This isn’t making light of a serious issue. This is pointing out that everyone is damaged if a loud sneeze starts raising eyebrows for being “too aggressive.”
I think thats stupid, and a terrible result of the me too thing.
What the hell,
The guy has grubby grabby hands, but does this behavior rise to the level of serial harassment?
Yes (if true), a pattern having grabby hands on women you’re not consensually seeing is serial harrassment! What the hell!?
I think what it comes down to is just like we don’t have a coherent political ideology in this country anymore we also don’t have a coherent set of cultural assumptions regarding things like body contact (not that we ever did). But I assume people from the south, midwest, northeast and southwest would all approach such a situation a little differently. We are a nation of immigrants and there’s a ton of competing cultures. I’m not from a touchy family so stranger touch just isn’t something I ever think to do. For some people it’ll be second nature. (Imagine Bill Clinton running for president right now!)
I don’t have a neat solution. I think it’s gonna take time and some potential misfires to suss out, culturally. Our vocabulary for these kinds of issues isn’t even up to snuff yet!
Name a senator, and i will be able to find a photo that can be used in that fashion. ANY senator.
Keep in mind one of the people accusing him said he didn’t even touch her, so what is the protocol for that? Don’t be within a 5 foot radius of anyone?