Ellen DeGeneres is furious that people aren’t believing survivors of sexual abuse, and on Friday she emotionally opened up about her own past abuse, sitting down with Today’s Savannah Guthrie.
While discussing Christine Blasey Ford's allegations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, DeGeneres said that she herself was raped at 15, and had the following to say:
"I was 15 years old. I’m not even going to go into the details. It doesn't matter. You know, we are really vulnerable at that age and we trust and then when you are violated, you don't know what to do and you don't want to say anything because, first of all, you just are wondering how did this happen, how was I this stupid? I mean, all these things that you think you could have controlled and you can’t. I think anybody who has gone through it, right now, is watching this so angry because you know, 'How dare you not believe us?’”
“As a victim of sexual abuse,” she said, “I am furious at people who don't believe it and who say, 'How do you not remember exactly what day it was?,'"
"You don't remember those things. What you remember is what happened to you and where you were and how you feel."
DeGeneres almost never talks politics on her soft daytime show. Clearly, the current climate is enough to stir her– a bit.
"I don’t like to talk about [Trump],” she told Guthrie. “This is not political. It really isn’t – it’s got nothing to do with being Republican or Democrat or anything. It’s just about respect and someone who is the leader of our country, who is mocking someone who was abused.”
“You don’t do that. You don’t mock somebody. I’m angry.”
She also lamented Kavanaugh’s dreadful, hot-headed and childish behavior during his testimony: "Imagine if Dr. Ford would've been that angry on the stand and would've talked back to somebody questioning her.”
“Women aren't supposed to do that, but he can get away with it because he was angry. She was angry too but she controlled herself and was hurt, but she’s not allowed to do that because we’re are not allowed to do that.”
DeGeneres ended the heavy interview on a strong and positive note, saying she is "hopeful," and that survivors "just have to not be quiet anymore." Watch DeGeneres' powerful words below.
Ellen is now in its 16th season on NBC.
h/t: CNN
I wonder if Ellen also
I wonder if Ellen also believed, without question, Tawana Brawley, Crystal Mangum, and the UVA rape "victim".