Furthering<p>I've been thinking about cultures of silence.</p><p>The latest Feminist Lecture Program lecture was about silence around sexual violence towards women in art history and how museums and even art history classes elide references to it even in very violent ("beautiful) paintings and sculpture (think The Rape of Europa, The Rape of the Sabines). </p><p>But in connection with this, recently, I've had a couple of friends say the general state of the world is "too horrible to talk about." Besides the fact that our general culture of not confronting feelings and not talking about them is a poison on individuals and society -- </p><p>It's also exactly what fascist or authoritarian regimes want. All the better if you choose it yourself! </p><p>The two cultures of silence have much in common. The less people talk about it the more it can happen.</p><p>Let's reject cultures of silence for those subjects that need to be talked about, either for our mental health, public awareness, or as a form of resistance. </p><p><a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Feminism" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Feminism</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Silence" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Silence</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/ArtHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ArtHistory</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/USpol" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>USpol</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Politics" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Politics</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Rape" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Rape</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Violence" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Violence</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Resistance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Resistance</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/MentalHealth" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>MentalHealth</span></a> <a href="https://convo.casa/tags/Awareness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Awareness</span></a></p>