Deadpan

i always assume that if a woman ends up dead, a man did it.  i assume this across the board, no matter what it “looks like.”  fell down the stairs?  drowned?  was there a kennedy man anywhere nearby?  it was probably a man that killed her, it was almost certainly deliberate, and if she was partnered or married to a man, it was probably him that did it.  the cops know this too, of course, because its the truth about “violence” and “crime”.  to put “male” in front of those words would be redundant.  that must be why no one ever says it.

of course, theres no need to name the agent if the event never occurred (what event?)  like the notorious nonreporting on all the male violence that happens every day: theres not enough time in the day, or page space, so oftentimes, no one reports on any of it.  some of us are left with the impression that this absence of information means that this doesnt happen every single minute of every day, and that men are not extremely, supremely dangerous.  that impression is wrong, obvs.

so anyway, i recently read about a womans apparent “”””suicide”””” (thats 4 sets of red-flag quotes) and immediately suspected her husband.  he was a psychologist, which made me suspect him even more — doctors wives seem especially clumsy and prone to attracting sharp objects, projectiles, poison.  and psychologists/psychiatrists just might be more sadistic and misogynistic than your average sadistic, misogynistic male.  creepy, pervsplaning fuckers, those.

so more background.  she was a psychologist too.  (the husband reported) no history of depression.  no reported history of clumsiness or proclivity towards attracting sharp objects, projectiles, poison.

she was, however, the proprietor of a feminist bookstore.

for probably the first time in many years, i actually believed the husband.  i do not think he probably killed her.  i think it probably happened exactly as he said.

my conclusion was involuntary, and surprising.  upon reflection and discussion, i still think its probably right.  although obviously the husband should be investigated to within an inch of his life, just to be sure.  and because his wife died on his watch, that should count as at least one strike against him, and should be taken into consideration in all future contexts, including but not limited to dating, job prospects, and jury service.  you know, instead of counting as zero strikes like it does now.  it doesnt count, even when the guy actually did it, and even when everyone knows it.  that is all.