MovieChat Forums > Horrible Bosses (2011) Discussion > 'Men get raped too' and Julia (Jennifer ...

'Men get raped too' and Julia (Jennifer Aniston's character)


My question is for any self-proclaimed men's rights activists out there (many of whom use the "men get raped too" argument whenever rape statistics come out that show a trend of women being raped by men the majority of the time).

By the way, this is a sincere question and I am genuinely curious.

In all honesty, if you were in Dale's position, would you have raised a red flag with the cops about Julia or would you have given in to her advances?

I ask because I know guys who always bring up the "men get raped too" argument and get mad at women for what I imagine would be getting all of the attention in that regard. Then again, in both reading the threads for this movie and asking many of my male friends about HB, an overwhelming majority of dudes have this to say about Julia: "dude, I would've hit that," "he really didn't have a problem," "he should have just *beep* her and got it over with." It seems to me that men's rights activists' anger should be directed towards all the other men who would gladly give in to a woman raping (or as they would say, "raping") a guy, don't you think? A lot of the hurdles that MRAs are trying to jump over were initially erected by men themselves, not women.

My $0.02.

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I think the fact that it was Jennifer Anniston (who was made to look and act incredibly sexy) means a lot of guys talk that way. If she was hideous looking you wouldn't get the same thing and it probably wouldn't even work as a comedy. Of course they'll say they'd give it to her, (who wouldn't?) so they don't see it as being rapey, even if Dale wasn't into it at all.

Imagine if Ryan Gosling or Jake Gyllenhaal were cast as a really attractive guy constantly making forward advances on a leading female character, you can bet a lot of girls in the audience would be talking the same way as the guys you talked to.

It's kind of funny because Dale is so shockingly loyal to his fiancee, it's not what most people expect.

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"It's kind of funny because Dale is so shockingly loyal to his fiancee, it's not what most people expect."

It's not all that shocking:
- He's average looking at best, and needy. He's not trading up his fiancee ever, and he knows it. So he cannot afford to blow it.
- He's a registered sex offender. How many decent girls will overlook that?
- Such a guy by know KNOWS any really hot girl making a move on him is surely up to no good. Bet he's had countless pranks at his expense in school to further his education on that subject.

With that in mind, is completely reasonable he's that loyal. If he were a cad who looked/acted like say Ryan Gosling or Colin Farrell, would be a different story.

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It's not about losing his girlfriend. Even when his boss gives him the "sleep with me or I'll break you guys up" he refuses. He's clearly more in it for the sake of his own honesty and because it's what's right than because his girlfriend would find out. The fact that he's not Ryan Gosling makes it funnier because it's surprising that he's turning down Jennifer Anniston, who is well out of his league.

Being a registered sex offender doesn't mean you spend your life wearing a sign that says so. I think if any girl found out his "crime" they wouldn't really have that hard a time overlooking it.

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"He's clearly more in it for the sake of his own honesty and because it's what's right than because his girlfriend would find out."

You overlooked my "he's been pranked on enough to know such hottie is up to no good" explanation. That alone is enough.

Plus Aniston was such a forcible pusher ANYBODY would be turned off somehow. NOBODY likes being ordered around like that (0% seduction).

"Being a registered sex offender doesn't mean you spend your life wearing a sign that says so."

Many girls today google their respective dates. Such a thing would pop up. And if he hides it and later pops up somehow, that's grounds for divorce.

"I think if any girl found out his "crime" they wouldn't really have that hard a time overlooking it."

Depending for WHOM. A Brad Pitt hottie sure, but a mouse like Dale? Unless you're into jailed serial killer marrying tramps.

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For me its pretty simple. If a woman as hot as Jennifer Aniston was in that movie came on to me in those ways I would have taken her up on her offer for sure no questions asked. However if I was engaged then I wouldn't. If that was the case and she continued pressing the advances I would obviously ask her to stop.

If she tried to blackmail me into *beep* her in the way that happened in the movie I would just contact a lawyer and the police and get it taken care of.

That wouldn't make a very funny movie but the fact is the situation if in real life that Dale was in is very serious and is equally abhorrent in nature if a man did the same to a woman.

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So because she's hot she's out of his league when we know she drugs and sexually assaults men?
As if her looks still means he's not good enough for her, or ever was?

I imagine if the roles were reversed first thing people would say is he's out of her league.
Women love that variation on the saying. I know I've said it to gauge reactions. Women find it sexist. to me that double standard is whats really sexist.

I also hope we are talking about men in tv world not real world when saying most men would sleep with her if they were in a relationship?

If not all this constant sexist portrayal of men in media has really distorted society views on men like it has women.

Men aren't the same idiotic, clueless, cheating, dateless no hopers we're shown just like women aren't the angry, overtly emotional, self indulgent, spoilt, sexist man-hating control freaks who are never wrong and always capable hypocrites.

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Totally agreed. People are making really good, intelligent, and mature points here. I'm pleasantly surprised.

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What does any of that have to do with my comment...

You're a troll.

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I'm inclined to say that the law probably wouldn't be quick to support a guy in a case like this. Not speaking from experience here, but I get the feeling that if everyone is dismissing this nonsense so quickly and easily in this situation having seen it, its unlikely the law would support you.

Without any proof of it, I think it wouldn't work out well. Especially for someone who is a registered sex offender. It would really only lead to loss of employment, and not much would happen to the dentist.

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As someone who has been raped by a woman before I can testify that what you've said is a load of crap.

You're essentially saying "women can't complain about being raped, they got drunk/dressed provocatively"

You're really just having a chicken/egg discussion. While social constructs go back many generations, and do affect individuals today, society has changed. We can't exactly go back and change the way society has developed, but we can change the way modern people think.

The argument over who to blame really needs to be shut down because there really aren't any winners in doing that.

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I would've done it. This is Jennifer Aniston we're talking about

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[deleted]

[deleted]

I didn't read every post. I just wanted to add something. I think there are men who are victims of sexual assualt by a female, may not even identify it as such. If I'm correct, the law had changed the antiquated verbage that defines rape. It was too narrow. It was slanted towards mysoginistic activity/behavior. Now it's more misanthropic.


I am the Alpha and the Omoxus. The Omoxus and the Omega

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Most men are simple creatures, and I would count myself among that statistic. If Jen wanted to rape me, I would be naked before she finished threatening me, all socio-political correctness aside, it *beep* Jeniffer Aniston, are you kidding me !!!?
As for the previous poster, wow, you are sooo eloquent, big words and everything, now close your eyes, and picture a naked Jennifer... the only big word that comes to mind should be pullmyjunkoutandjumponitjen.

God doesn't exist! The ' Hokey Cokey ' is what its all about?

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Most men aren't simple creatures at all. Not everything evolves around sex for us. We do have feelings to, and sometimes we just aren't in the mood for having sex.Also many of us aren't strong but really weak.
So you would gladly accept rape just because it happens to come from a sexy woman? Do you hear yourself? Do you hear what's wrong with the sentence?
Men like you are the reason no one takes us seriously.

As for the topic, there is a fine line between fiction and fact. In real life none of the things Jennifer Aniston does would be funny. It would be horrible.
But on film it is kinda funny, since the whole situation of a sexy woman like that objectifies men is uncommon. The film-makers are aware of it, that's why they take it to such lengths.
However, this also creates debate and stir up talks.That's precisely why they hired Jennifer Aniston.That a sexy woman like that hits on a needy, clingy guy like that when she's obviously far out of his league is hilarious.
But that is also the reason why no one believes him. And that's why Aniston is perfect cast. Had they gone by the usual casting device when it comes to predatory women by hiring women such as Glenn Close, Sharon Stone or Demi Moore it would have give less of an impact. Same with Kathy Bates. That would just be creepy and made it easier for us to believe the guy.

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Wow ! I didnt mean for you to get all up in your own Vagina !

God doesnt exist! The Hokey Cokey is what its all about?

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I think that a man being raped by a man is equivalent. But a woman raping a man, I can't put that on an equal level. I'm not saying it can't do damage but I think you go too far with your comparison and risk diminishing what a woman actually goes through during rape.

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If you would want it, how would it be rape?

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Jennifer Aniston was sexy in this role, but the a-hole behaviour that her character showed does not get me going the slightest. Looks aren't everything.

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Women raping man should be taken serious. Its disturbing to read people saying its not possible. Women can overpower a man. If women cant overpower physically they could use weapon or when they are vulnerable like being sloppy drunk for example. Rape is rape. No matter what kind or if its women on male, male on male, male on female or female on female.

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You know, despite the fact that I respect all of what is being said here and understand it, I must personally say that at the moment, with an intense pressure and controversies that these discussions are carried out, as well as many truthful but disturbing contradictory statements (constantly mentioning MRAs, feminism, society's double standards etc etc etc) - well, I hate to say this, but as a result of all of this, I actually personally don't feel like having sex at all. Yes, even consensual one with anyone, for any reason.

(Yet notice how I still don't hold a grudge, right?)

I also notice how people here, and elsewhere, often unaware, keep stating how the world is not perfect, how there is no general consensus on what is right and what is wrong, how some people even say "Oh, I wouldn't mind it if Jennifer Aniston's character did it to me etc" whereas others contradict with words like "Women on male rape is still a gravely serious matter and it is disturbing that SOCIETY isn't taking it all serious etc".

(In historical times, say, many centuries ago, I heard this issue was even WORSE that proves even LESS how overall, say, civilized the world was, or how society was "homogeneous", with there being an overall agreement on what is right or wrong or even an "unforgivable offense", besides murder.)

By the way, when we are talking about society here, who do we mean?

Because on internet at least, the vast majority of people are very much AGAINST rape - or do you mean that there is this "silent majority" of people out there who think otherwise?

Also - has anyone ever wondered about the following?

On issue of female on male rape - why do women do it and how humiliating is this for men? More than that - if those same women were having sex with them, er, entirely consensually, what would be the differences here, in terms of feelings etc.

Granted I do agree its ALSO wrong, I also know that women can overpower men etc, just like I am aware how they may kill them and whatnot.

So in other words, besides rape being rape in this case as well, does anyone want to go into the details of how bad and how humiliating it is and why, and what can and should be done to stop it?

Also, forget about MRAs or feminism or whatever society thinks this and that etc. (And let's face it, even if none of it DID exist including victim blaming and whatnot, it would STILL be wrong AND a terrible thing, right, not to mention, one that people would prefer being illegal as well, correct?)

As a mere HUMAN BEING, how do you think female rapists of men should be punished and why?

If a woman did this to you, not to mention if it is a really gorgeous one who you may even be in love with or do it consensually on a regular basis, would you forgive her or kill her and why? And what if it wasn't violently forced on you but just accidental or having some elements of an 100% requirement missing? And would you do it because of how humiliated as a result you felt PERSONALLY or because this is how the law and civilized society dictates it to be? What if you DIDN'T even consider it rape - despite it being so, sort of like, you didn't consider her calling you a bad word insulting, or you didn't consider her borrowing your money stealing or you didn't consider eating a piece of bread bad because you didn't want it - but because someone made you?

(By the way, do you personally, see sex in and of itself, consensual of course, a good or a bad thing?)

Personally speaking, at the moment, I don't have an exact answer to this scenario.

But let me tell you that MOVIE-WISE at least, I have seen at least TWO FILMS which depicted instances where women raped men, and we were actually meant to feel sorry for them and forgive them DESPITE their deeds. One is David Lynch's "Blue Velvet" (1986) - where, SPOILERS ALERT, Isabella Rosselinni's character fellates Kyle MacLachlan's at knife point, and we know that in that film, she is a sympathetic victim and we were meant to empathize with her and even FORGIVE that deed, despite the fact that it WAS rape, female on male this time, but I never heard ANY member of the (let's face it - CIVILIZED) audience ever want either him or ANYONE to either punish or take violent revenge on her, not to mention, the horrible circumstances in which she herself is caught up in.

Another example I can think of is Alexander Jovy's 2000 strange weird, ravey and druggy flick "Sorted", which has a scene where that woman drugs and literally rapes the main character who is a male, and we as audience are also meant to forgive her for the deed as she seems to have a fate that resembles that of Isabella Rosselinni's character in Blue Velvet.

In neither of those cinematic cases have I seen that huge an outrage being unleashed at the two female characters who didn't ask for consent when performing sexual acts on unwilling male participants.


I am NOT disagreeing with anything you are saying, I am just EXTREMELY curious, and I dare say, a lot of these internet conversations and the ways in which they are carried out are putting emotional pressure on me. But maybe I am just losing an emotional ability to get a grip on these topics despite not disagreeing with a word that is said. And the constant mentioning of stuff like MRAs, feminism, victim blaming, society not thinking its bad and serious etc is, for me personally at least, a cherry on the cake for putting me off these discussions. I just find it so FRUSTRATINGLY CONFUSING, if you know what I mean.

Oh and on the last note, its somewhat different in real life than it is in a movie, right?

The greatest trick the Devil has ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist!

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