“Stranger Things” actress Shannon Purser sent a powerful message about rape culture
The return of Stranger Things may be right around the corner, but Shannon Purser is reminding us all to continue to fight for causes that matter. In this case, Purser, who plays fan favorite Barb, took to Instagram to raise awareness of rape culture.
In the post, which features Purser wearing a shirt that says “End Rape Culture,” the actress shares a powerful message urging her followers to stand up to support the fight.
She attributes the persistence of rape culture to a cultural obsession with sex.
“Rape culture is schools telling victims not to report rape because it might reflect badly on the administration,” she writes. “It’s kids being taught that sex is some all important milestone and that somehow you’re not living if you don’t have it asap. It’s women’s testimonies being disregarded because the accusation could ‘ruin the rapist’s life.’”
While she says there is no clear solution, she urges parents to educate their kids about the meaning of consent.
She also emphasizes the importance of taking harassment claims seriously. Fans shared their support with more than 40,000 likes, and over 500 comments praising her for speaking out.
“There’s no instant fix for this mindset. All we can do is start from the beginning. Teach your children about consent. Take people seriously when they report rape or harassment. Visit RAINN.org for more info,” Purser writes.
A post shared by Shannon Purser (@shannonpurser) on Sep 28, 2017 at 12:57pm PDT
We salute Purser for standing up for issues she’s passionate about.
The actress experienced a quick rise to fame following her stint as Barb on Stranger Things and her subsequent role in Riverdale. And we’re glad she’s using her visibility for good.
Sadly, Barb won’t be returning for Stranger Things 2 when it debuts on October 27th, but we’re excited to see where the future takes Purser. We’re glad that we can count on her to continue to advocate for issues that matter.
