Himpathy and Herasure: A Critical Content Analysis of Sexual Assault in Young Adult Literature

• In Event: Educator Advocacy: Queer Teachers of Color, Transgender Inclusion, and Sexual Assault in YAL

Abstract

A series of high-profile news events over the past several years has resulted in discussions about sexual assault and rape being elevated to the national level. These news stories, which are also depicted in young adult literature (YAL), speak to how ideological and social forces often mitigate accountability for male assaulters while fortifying the pain of survivors. We situate Kate Manne’s theorizing of “himpathy” and “herasure” as concepts to think through the ways YAL considers the ideological and systemic dimensions of misogyny leading up, during, and after incidents of sexual assault and rape. Our analysis provides implications for teaching these texts in the English classroom.

Authors

• Shelby Marie Boehm, University of Florida

• Kathleen Colantonio-Yurko

• Brittany Adams, SUNY - College at Cortland

• Henry Cody Miller, University of Florida