John Joseph, cis dude singer of Cro-Mags, had the following anti-choice comment to make:

“Most abortions are not performed because it was a rape or something like that; it’s done out of inconvenience. I know some people may be like, ‘Who are they to tell us what to do with our bodies?’ But in actuality, it’s just like if you have a landlord, and there’s someone living in a house, he doesn’t have the right to kill the person in the house because he doesn’t want them there any more. “

Source (yes, quote is from 2010, but it deserves a hall of shame spot on here)

Yeah, in actuality, that’s exactly it. Abortion is exactly like a landlord murdering their tenant. Right.

…Comparing someone’s body to a piece of property? Really?

Yes, Age of Quarrel was a good album. But just because someone makes good music doesn’t mean they’re immune to being called out if they say ridiculous shit like that.

Just wanted to address the negative comment that I made. I’d like to apologize for using the term. By no means did I intend for it to cause any hurt or harm, I now fully realize how insensitive it was.  Having grown up within a very diverse punk scene, I have many gay friends. I would never want to hurt anyone’s feelings with my comments.

My band and i are any anything but homophobic and our 16 year track record proves that we stand up for human rights and fight against injustices towards all people.

Oh really, Al? Your band’s track record proves that you fight against injustices towards all people? What about the fact that one of your songs uses a slur against trans women, the group of people that, specifically trans women of color, face the highest number of hate crimes? Where’s your apology for that?

Not only do you not stand up against injustice, but you actively perpetuate it with using slurs in your own songs.

Sample quote:

“Ya know who doesn’t get to just walk away from this conversation most of the time, because we’re actually living it every single day? Women. And in the context of these specific articles, women in the punk scene and women who go to shows. And guess what? We have our arguments taken out of context and misrepresented constantly as well…”

And in response to the original article, the answer to the question generally posed throughout could not be more simple. From the disgusting beloved GG Allin to The Clash, when it comes to punk there has always been a defining element of rebelling against the mainstream. And what could be more mainstream than bigotry? It’s almost hilarious when people think they’re badass for perpetuating so many of these harmful attitudes because they’re mimicking the exact white bread, corporate attitudes they think they’re so against.

“To call a band like us a ‘girlfriend hardcore’ band because we sing about how we feel is stupid. I’m not upset about not having them as fans. They sound like the most misogynist people out there.”

-Jeremy Bolm, singer of Touché Amoré

Also recommended: this post about moshing.

Unless you post on Bridge 9, in which case it’s probably not for you.

Check it out!

He starts his bullshit out with this:

I’ve been asked to contribute to this ongoing feature about sexism in punk because I’ve been on the, “other side” of it. It’s a difficult position to write from. The danger, of course, is that I’ll come off looking like a massive douche.

Spoiler: he does indeed come across as a massive douche.

When talking about a video he created to promote a show:

The videos depicted women in sexually provocative situations. The concerned party failed to recognize the men in the videos were in similar situations. Or that the videos were resolutely tongue-in-cheek and often parodies.

Oh, men were shown the same way? That makes it all okay! It’s not like there’s a double standard that’s, you know, the reason that people are taking issues with men portraying women that way to begin with. Oh, and they were parodies? Phew, that renders any possibility of there being sexism present obsolete. Bigots are incapable of doing parodies, don’t you know?

After talking about getting kicked out of a show for allegedly being sexist, a charge he disagrees with:

The point of my story isn’t to vindicate myself more than two years after the fact, but to illustrate that when we say things like “________ has no place here” we risk mob mentality.

Yeah, we really need to stop saying that sexism has no place here, everyone! Men might be negatively affected!!!

He continues:

I think it’s important that punks ask themselves what the goal is when confronting someone. Is it to show them the “right” way to live through education? Or is it to change their behavior through intimidation? Or is it just to placate your superior attitude?

Anyone who is confronting oppression that they face has no obligation whatsoever to try to “educate” the person saying/doing harmful things. “Hey, on top of dealing with the oppression, it’s also your responsibility to teach privileged people shit!” No. If someone is doing sexist shit, I’m hardly going to feel bad for them if they feel “intimidated” by someone standing up against it. And yes, being against sexism is a superior attitude over defending it. I’m not referring to the story he tells in the essay about getting kicked off the show in Germany, but about him writing this as a response to the discussion of sexism in punk, period.

Going for the gold in the “massive asshole” competition:

As I understand it, the essays people have contributed to Punknews.org on this topic have focused on the fact that sexism is prevalent in punk and hardcore music. Seems like a waste of bandwidth and time to me. We all know that. What I’m more curious about is why you expected anything other that what we currently have.

Yeah, complaining about sexism is a waste of bandwidth, everyone! We all know that! And in case you didn’t, there’s always a dude ready to come along and shit all over you for it.

Sadly, this exercise demonstrates just how “unpunk” everyone really is. It starts with someone considered “cool” asserting their views and leveraging their popularity to make others fall in line. Congrats, you’ve reached homogony. All the freethinking qualities that people praise when discussing punk as a subculture or counterculture are replaced with the same sort of mindlessness you’d find anywhere else.

Demanding freedom from oppression? psh, if no one was sexist, everyone would just have a monotonous, homogenous hive-mindset. BOOOORING!

Check out Mariel Loveland of Candy Hearts’ piece here, and Katie Crutchfield of P.S. Eliot’s piece here.