"All men are rapists and that's all they are. They rape us with their eyes, their laws, and their codes"

Marilyn French’s statement that “All men are rapists and that's all they are. They rape us with their eyes, their laws, and their codes” demands a nuanced interpretation. At first glance, the wording is provocative and absolute, asserting that all men participate in rape, not merely as a physical act, but as a pervasive phenomenon embedded in culture and power structures. French is not accusing every man of literal sexual assault; instead, she expands the concept of rape beyond individual acts to include forms of dominance, objectification, and systemic subjugation.

By saying men “rape us with their eyes,” French references the pervasive objectification experienced by women in patriarchy. The gaze itself, when loaded with entitlement, reduces women to objects for male consumption and pleasure. This dynamic, often described through the concept of the “male gaze,” strips women of agency and autonomy, asserting control over their bodies even in mundane interactions. The implication is that such a gaze enacts a kind of psychological and social violence, forming part of a continuum in which women’s consent and personhood are disregarded.

French’s reference to laws and codes points to the deep-seated legislative and cultural frameworks that privilege men’s interests over those of women. Throughout history, legal systems have frequently denied women autonomy over their bodies, sexuality, and even property. Social codes and customs propagate gender norms and expectations that reinforce male authority, often at women’s expense. By characterizing these mechanisms as forms of “rape,” French underscores her belief that patriarchal societies perpetrate ongoing violations of women, not just through explicit acts but through the maintenance of power and control encoded in institutions.

Ultimately, French’s pronouncement serves as a radical critique of a patriarchal order where male dominance is so normalized it becomes invisible. The rhetorical extremity is intended to provoke reflection on complicity and the insidious nature of everyday misogyny, rather than to be taken as a literal or blanket indictment of every individual man.