I am normally a passing fan of Robert Kirby’s light-hearted articles. But when you take the time to shame a victim, shame on you.
While I appreciate his light-hearted tone, his column about McKenna Denson presents the exact problem that needs to be addressed: Victims and perpetrators are around us, and we are so uncomfortable hearing what the victims have to say that we force them into a forgotten oblivion.
Furthermore, this was the ultimate “man-speak” — where a man thinks his opinion is so important that he will drown out the words of any woman (or sometimes any person) who was already speaking.
Denson is the voice of victims who have never had a voice before. She is starting a conversation that is long overdue in the Mormon church. And there is nowhere that is the right place or time to address uncomfortable issues.
By shaming a victim who attempts to speak out, you are shaming all victims and telling them that their horror stories don’t matter. You are telling victims that they don’t matter. You are telling the patriarchy not to worry, you will help make sure the irreverent churchgoers who read your column instead of the lesson will just laugh this off and brush it under the rug.
You have a platform you can use for good. Shame on you, Kirby.
Krystaly Koch, Midvale