A video of Jason Momoa making a rape joke has resurfaced on Twitter. The video is from 2011's San Diego Comic-Con, where he appeared on a panel for Game of Thrones. His character Khal Drogo was a prominent character when the HBO show premiered that year.
In the video, he's seen empaneled with several members of the Game of Thrones cast, including Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), and Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), who is seated next to him, and played his (purchased) wife on the show.
"I love [fantasy] because there's so many things you can do, like rip someone's tongue out of their throat and...rape beautiful women, and get away with it." Clarke purses her lips and shrugs ruefully as the crowd devolves into laughter. Almost every single member of the cast lowers their head, with some clapping their hands around their face, clearly mortified.
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His words are incredibly disappointing. It bears repeating: rape is not a joke. Sex, even consensual rough sex, is not rape. Rape is a sexually-based violent crime. Momoa's "joke" conflates the two, which is unfortunate, because the conversation has been working so diligently to point out the vast difference between the two. It is reminiscent of harmful insults lobbed at women online and in their day-to-day-life.
This is also factually inaccurate. In the show, Khal Drogo does rape Daenerys on their wedding night, but they do develop a mutually respectful, loving relationship. Drogo and Dany even learn to enjoy sex together. It should also be noted that in the source book series, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, their marriage was consummated consensually.
Many fans of Game of Thrones and Aquaman characters took to Twitter to express their disappointment over his words.
tw: rape
— elizabeth (@peeanofreek) October 12, 2017
a horrific clip of jason momoa saying he loved working on #gameofthrones bc he "got to rape beautiful women." men are trash. pic.twitter.com/K2RBmsWEt6
This tweet contains the video of the incident.
I shoulda known Jason Momoa was too fine to be worth a damn. Wow. https://t.co/EmuqEsknzo
— king crissle (@crissles) October 12, 2017
*crosses Jason Momoa off list* pic.twitter.com/SjhgGs2wB9
— perspiration ting. (@heyalyshahey) October 12, 2017
Female fantasy fans to Jason Momoa: we wanted to believe you weren't typical male trash. We wanted it so, so much. pic.twitter.com/jvRZr1tG5E
— Leigh Cuen (@La__Cuen) October 12, 2017
The Tyra gif that proves its usefulness on a daily basis.
First Whedon, then Affleck, now Jason Momoa. Things ain't looking too well for that Justice League movie.
— James Thornton (@jvt215) October 12, 2017
An astute observation.
Refinery29 has reached out to Jason Momoa's team and will update if we receive a response.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call the RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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