Kobe Bryant represented many of our hopes and dreams and passions, and it is precisely for that reason that it’s critical we see, with compassion for all involved, the full picture.
By EMILY SCHRADERKOBE BRYANT flanked by his attorneys Pamela Mackey and Harold Haddon pleads not guilty at the arraignment in his rape case, with Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle presiding at the Eagle County Justice Center in Eagle, Colorado, May 11, 2004(photo credit: REUTERS)
Following the shocking and untimely death of Kobe Bryant, his daughter and seven others in a California helicopter crash, social media erupted with eulogies and testimonies on his profound impact on so many lives – how he inspired a generation and was a champion on and off the court. He was portrayed as a wonderful person, a phenomenal athlete, and a fantastic father.It’s natural and right to remember the best about people and to express sympathy and concern for the loved ones left behind by a tragic accident like this. But more than a few people are wondering about someone else left behind who likely is not mourning along with millions of others.As a society we yearn be inspired by our public figures and celebrities, so the backlash when some people brought up Kobe Bryant’s rape allegations is understandable, but that doesn’t make it right. Because we grapple with the complexities that surround our idealization of celebrities, the outrage over comments pointing to Bryant’s history is not surprising. One reporter from The Washington Post was even suspended – not for expressing her opinion, but merely for tweeting an article about the rape allegations.Others who brought up these facts were slammed for expressing anything less than abject hero worship, and shamed for their lack of sensitivity or sympathy. The outrage directed at those who dared even bring up that situation sends a sobering message to women: If you come forward against a man in power, what happened to you is less important than the fact that we want to believe in a “hero.”Charges were dropped in that case because the then-19-year-old victim wouldn’t testify, but Bryant admitted publicly after the civil case that while he “believed” it was consensual at the time, it wasn’t necessarily so. And although Bryant’s accuser ultimately refused to testify in court, her statement, the facts of the case and the DNA paint a harrowing picture of the encounter.The evidence showed she suffered a bruise on her neck, genital injuries and vaginal tears consistent with trauma. Both her underwear and a T-shirt of Kobe’s were stained with her blood.EVEN MORE alarming is how the media reported the story at the time, and the effects of how people retell the story today, as if she’s a conniving woman who dared to inconvenience our American hero and who, after a consensual encounter, tried to smear his reputation.Of course, this perspective is entirely at odds with reality, considering her personal life and reputation were dragged through the mud, with international press and Bryant’s attorneys commenting on her sexual habits and history, and bringing up her history of depression (as if someone who has struggled with mental health cannot be a victim of sexual assault or rape).In fact, an analysis of media coverage at the time showed that nearly 40% of the news articles covering the story questioned the woman’s truthfulness, whereas 7.7% questioned Kobe’s. Whether or not she was raped, she became a mere inconvenience for the narrative America wanted to believe.Is it any wonder that women do not want to come forward against powerful men? It seems more than a little likely that the media fiasco had a profound impact on her final decision not to testify in the case.
Of course we celebrate Kobe Bryant as a force for good in the lives of many, but while we mourn the untimely passing of someone still in their prime, we should do so with the clarity that he like all of us was flawed – and that many would argue he was never really held accountable for a terrible mistake he made. Kobe Bryant represented many of our hopes and dreams and passions, and it is precisely for that reason that it’s critical we see, with compassion for all involved, the full picture. This phenomenon is not unique to Bryant’s case, nor is it the most extreme.Michael Jackson, despite considerable evidence of child abuse, is beloved by many, as was NFL Patriots star Aaron Hernandez, even after his murder conviction. Sometimes people we adore and admire for their talents and accomplishments do really terrible things. If we want our idols to be better role models for future generations of little boys and girls, we must not elevate celebrities to a level where they believe they are invincible and will not be held accountable for their actions – and we must not turn a blind eye to those left in their wakes.The writer is the CEO of Social Lite Creative.
