How A Suicide Can Turn The Left Against Themselves

For as long as the modern-day feminist movement has existed, supporters have been pushing the notion that a woman has complete autonomy over her own body. Without a doubt, a majority of Americans likely agree with this notion, much like we all agree the sky is blue. Thus it is fair to say that these feminists have offered nothing new to basic human understanding. Where this view tends to be controversial is when it is applied in certain contexts. In cases of rape, most would agree that a woman has absolute control of her own body, but feminists take this idea a step further in regards to abortion, where they argue that the right to personal autonomy trumps the right to life for the living being inside a pregnant woman.

But a recent suicide seems to challenge the very idea that a woman controls her own body.
August Ames, formerly an actress known for pornographic material, recently committed suicide after she was reprimanded for making a choice to protect her own body. The controversy that led to her suicide first occurred when Ames declined to work with a male performer who has done shoots with other men. Afterwards, Ames tweeted a warning to the female performer who was going to replace her that the male was involved in work with other guys. Her decision to voice concern was met with derision from other performers in the porn industry. Many claimed that she was being homophobic and ignorant for her concerns, despite the fact that there are serious health risks associated with sexual intercourse between two men. So because August Ames made a choice to protect herself from a likely STD (perhaps even AIDS), many in the LGBTQ community felt attacked by Ames’ decision to refuse her body to a gay man.

This decision to do so created a very interesting rift between two prominent leftist groups: the LGBT community and feminists. Both of these groups have always stressed the importance of choices as LGBT activists stress the importance of identity and sexuality while feminists have always stressed the importance of “My Body, My Choice” as well as the importance of consent prior to sexual interactions. But the recent death of August Ames places both of these groups at odds with one another.

So what would be a more satisfying narrative: that Ames was bullied by people who claimed she was a homophobe for choosing to protect her body? Or that she was truly a bigot who disliked the LGBTQ community and fully deserved the criticism on Twitter? No matter which way you look at it, the Left will find itself in a difficult position. Their hypocrisy is overwhelming.

If we take the feminist approach, Ames would be a brilliant example of a feminist who chose to only have sexual relations with those in which she granted consent. But this would likely stir up anger in the LGBTQ community, who already ranted to Ames that declining to have sex with a homosexual is somehow homophobic and discriminatory. These reprobates quite literally feel entitled to devour her body sexually. If we go the other route and say that Ames was prejudiced towards the LGBTQ community, the consent that feminists cherish would be stomped on. In this scenario, consent to have sex means nothing to the LGBTQ community because to deny sex with them constitutes as being “bigoted.”

Whether we portray August Ames as a darling of the feminists or a hater of the gays, there will be some value of the Left that is pushed under the bus. Overall, Ames’ suicide is important and most certainly highlights the nastiness of those in the LGBTQ community. Whether or not this event can tear apart the alliance among feminists and the LGBTQ community will only be revealed through time. Hopefully, the Left can shed its revolting hypocrisy, and may August Ames rest in peace.