Music
Read Owen Pallett's thoughtful statement about Jian Ghomeshi's abuse allegations
by Mark Teo
October 28, 2014
"Jian Ghomeshi is my friend, and Jian Ghomeshi beats women. How our friendship will continue remains to be seen."
In the days since Jian Ghomeshi’s controversial firing from the CBC, many high-profile voices have chimed in on the issue: Dan Savage, for instance, claimed that kinksters can face public prejudice—but it doesn’t mean that they can’t be, in his words, violent and abusive assholes. Lights, a friend of Ghomeshi’s, posted an open letter on Facebook, defending Ghomeshi’s character and condemning the actions of the CBC. Plenty, it seemed, were conflicted on how to react to the situation—many had a difficult time untangling Ghomeshi as a friend, Ghomeshi as a celebrity, Ghomeshi as a broadcast talent, and Ghomeshi’s alleged abuse.
One person we’ve been waiting to hear from is Owen Pallett. The In Conflict songwriter runs in plenty of the same circles as Ghomeshi—they’re both involved in Canadian music, consider each other friends, and have shared time on Q. But Pallett’s also known for being a pop-culture critic; he’s one of the most thoughtful, articulate, and principled personalities in Canadian music. (For instance: Read our interview with him, or his incredible essays on top-40s pop.) Today, he took to Facebook to post a forceful statement about Ghomeshi—one that covers BDSM relationships, navigating a complicated friendship with Ghomeshi, and the cut-and-dry allegations that he beats women.
It’s very much worth reading in full. Below, Pallett’s statement.
I was challenged by a friend to say something about the recent allegations against Jian Ghomeshi.
Jian is my friend. I have appeared twice on Q. But there is no grey area here. Three women have been beaten by Jian Ghomeshi.
I have sat with Jian over drinks and discussed our respective anxiety disorders. We have been photographed hugging on camera.
Just ten days ago, I helped him find musicians for his father’s funeral. Three women have said that Jian beat them without their consent.
“We will never really know what happened.” Yes we do. Jian beat, at the very least, three women. Three women said so. “They were jilted exes.” Maybe so. They were beaten by Jian.
“They were freelance writers looking to get ahead.” Three women were beaten by Jian Ghomeshi.
At no point here will I ever give my friend Jian’s version of the truth more creedence than the version of the truth offered up by three women. Anonymity does not mean these women do not exist.
“They were engaged in BDSM role-play.” This: this is something I need to talk about.
The beauty of BDSM relationships is that the power is always in the hands of the sub. BDSM and choke play is a subversion of male violence.
To hear that anybody has been abusing the BDSM power relationship for the purpose of engaging in non-consensual violence-against-women is horrifying.
That is not the point of BDSM. BDSM is in fact about the exact opposite thing. It is about repurposing acts of violence into creating a power dynamic of fucking EQUALITY.
As for the rest. I have seen my Facebook feed littered with comments about how “for years we’ve known Jian to be a shady character.”
I too have heard endless rumours that he’s been a bad date, and have heard stories of shadiness and strange behaviour.
I have heard about his ridiculous pick-up lines and have (to my shame) tittered about them with my friends. But I have never heard, until today, that Jian Ghomeshi beats women.
I am skeptical of arts reporting. I am skeptical of Canadian journalism. I am sensitive toward shaming of people who are so-called sexual deviants.
But let’s be clear. Whether the court decides that predatory men are punished or exonerated does not silence the voices of the victims. It does not make victims liars.
Whether our culture continues to celebrate the works of predatory men is another issue. It does not silence the voices of the victims.
Jian Ghomeshi is my friend, and Jian Ghomeshi beats women. How our friendship will continue remains to be seen.
Tags: Music, Cancon, News, jian ghomeshi
