Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-24892318-20140606234443/@comment-24898439-20140609013736

I don't think that Emma's getting Hook drunk negates the argument at all, actually. Emma's purpose was specifically non-sexual, whereas Hook's line was meant to imply sexual conquest. Thus, it wold still seem to play into that question.

And I agree with you about rape and Regina. After reading this thread, I did a little research (and was reminded of that scene from season 1). It was clearly a reference to her raping him, though the writers apparently tried to backpedal with a quickness and insist it was a joke. They also were fairly adamant that her relationship with Graham was consensual in SB. Nonetheless, the power dynamic is clearly one that suggests rape.

I think that your point that many of the people who cry rape culture in regards to Hook do do so because of a dislike of the character, yet this is certainly not true about all of them. And again, whether Hook himself had performed a rape is not, I think, the point of the question. I think that many have deeper concerns about the larger narrative arc and its implications for rape culture. The structural point that he continues to purse a woman after her explicit verbalization is troubling. One might argue that her body language/behavior/glances at him contradicted her words, but that is exactly what many a rapist argues as well, though clearly without justification.

Also, I find it troubling that one assumes a barmaid is promiscuous. For example, Cora was working as a barmaid and was clearly not promiscuous, though easily duped. To make the assumption that one is promiscuous based merely on profession is outmoded at best. Moreover,Milah's running off with the dashing pirate at first chance does not imply anything about her promiscuity or lack thereof. Indeed, escaping to a different life with a man whom she eventually loved or could even have loved before leaving isn't promiscuous.