I Write Letters

Dear Scott Kurtz,

I’ve been a long time follower of your comic, PvP. In fact, it was one of the first 2 webcomics I read on a regular basis, and from you I discovered multiple other wonderful artists. I know you don’t know me from any other person in this world (I met you once, at Staple! in Austin, so for all it’s worth, you’ve never met me before) but it came as a punch in the gut to read your comic today.

You see Scott, I know you don’t know this about me, in fact most people don’t, but I’ve been raped. I have some dear friends of mine who have also been raped. In fact, 1 and 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been raped. It’s probable that a sizeable portion of your audience has been raped. Rape is horrifying. It’s often violent and sometimes humiliating. It can effect how people live the rest of their lives. You know what rape isn’t? It’s not anything like hearing bad music, not even if it was the most horrendous, ear-bleeding music you could possibly imagine.

And yes, I did catch that it was a reference to Deliverance. But your joke? Just wasn’t funny. Rape being used to describe anything that’s not actually rape? Is. Not. Funny. And the word itself? Also not funny. Spatula is a funny word; so is goiter. Hell, even banana can get a chuckle out of me in the right case. But I hear the word rape, and laughter is the last thing on my mind.

I’m not angry, Scott. I’m contemptuous that you have so little regard for your readers. I’m sure you won’t miss me as a reader of PvP, but I still felt I should tell you that I won’t be back, both because of this and because of your apparent support of a homophobic, bigoted company (Oh hello there eharmony ad at the bottom of the page!).

I hope your time in Austin goes well, and I sincerely hope that you realize the hurt you have caused to many of your readers.

groggette

Something Different