Andrew Callaghan, The Gray Area, and Accountability for Assault
This is a developing story. [January 11th, 2023. 3:00 AM]
Over the past few days, Twitter has been firebombed by sexual assault allegations made against the young Gonzo journalist, Andrew Callaghan, of Channel 5 News and All Gas No Breaks. The claims come just a week after his HBO release of This Place Rules, a loose-form documentary detailing the progression and key-figures of the January 6th Insurrection. Andrew is a fan favorite of mine and Gen-Z audiences, known for his captures of crass Talladega bros, COVID antivaxxers and pandemic deniers, personable interviews of Alex Jones and the Q-Anon Shaman, Floridians, and American freaks of various varients, so the wave of accusations is especially depressing as it crumbles the image of the independent, heterodoxical, internet-reared lefty we’ve grown to adore.
Two of the reported allegations come from Caroline Elise (@cornbreadasserole) and “DJ” (@moldyfreckle) on TikTok, with both women telling similar stories of boundary-blurring and forced touching. Callaghan is said to have pressured both of them, and wore Elise down until she eventually quasi-consented (or said yes after repeatedly saying no, likely in hopes of ending the assault sooner, as so many victims do), but in the #MeToo era where women have shared their stories, collectively pinpointing the tactics of rapists, this gray area is…no longer a gray area. Coercion is not part of a consensual sexual encounter, as it is merely a slower, slyer, psychologically manipulative form of sexual assault that often goes unchecked or is swept under the rug because it is not the traditionally startling, violent picture of rape. It should also be said that coercion is so common that it has only recently been validated as a form of sexual assault, as the now archaic, yet once prevailing mating method was to kiss and grope until the pursued eventually succumbed to sexual force.
Andrew, like so many of my male friends in high school, exudes an eccentric, meme-y, nonchalant image that aims to disarm the viewer and interviewee with his subtle aura of social awareness masked with a non-judgmental yet cooler-than-you guise. But his artfully executed dirtbag leftism does not cover the stench of BS that has permeated Reddit and other social media sites as of late, as his dominantly left-leaning, Gen-Z audience has, by and large, aired significant disappointment towards his failure to promptly respond to the allegations. There are, of course, a plethora of victim-blaming comments, claiming that any utterance of yes eschews the clear, hard boundary that supposedly exists with assault, but as anyone who has been assaulted knows, this rarely exists. There are also comments claiming that outraged followers are not “real leftists” for automatically acknowledging the allegations as credible, which is a bit of a turn around from the brief “believe women” schtick of #MeToo.
With those defending Andrew, there is a wee disconnect. Although eVerYoNe iS iNnoCenT uNtiL pRovEn gUilTy, and although we as “good” leftists (whatever that means) should promote a restorative justice culture, Callaghan has not admitted or confronted the claims, and as most men with SA allegations do, he will more than likely deny them, or refuse to acknowledge them all together. But Andrew has the ability to change course if he admits to his alleged actions, and could influence the young men that look up to him to take accountability. Afterall, the details of the coercion sound eerily similar to so many gray-area stories I’ve heard throughout my years, and remind me of my own cruel encounters.
I should first and foremost state that I am not supportive of earth-shattering cancellation, exiling, or driving people to suicide, especially for cases of sexual misconduct that are certainly deplorable, but also horrifyingly commonplace. Pigeon-holing tends to result in a culture of denial-at-all-costs in order to self-preserve from allegations which would supposedly kill the accused’s career and means of feeding himself. [I say supposedly because Marilyn Manson has aLlEgEdlY assaulted his fair share of women, but continues to live fat off of The Beautiful People royalties]. I do, however, believe that in order for us to work through our socialized sickness of rape culture, which effects everyone—not just your general demographic of sex crime victims— we must admit to our wrongdoings and attempt to make amends.
Andrew will have a following whether or not he decides to hide from or elucidate the claims, but he could prove himself to be the leftist gem his audience wants him to be if he actually stepped up to plate, speaking for himself and apologizing for the (alleged) coercion. If he did so, he could usher in the next wave of healing and enlightenment related to sexual assault and the traumatic aftermath that remains in our muscles, cells, and minds. He certainly won’t immediately stop men from coercing others, but he could educate his fan base and influence those who have done similar to at least say sorry rather than ghosting and gaslighting their wounded femme “friends,” if Andrew and others ever saw us as something other than a warm body to enter.
It’s hard to say what Andrew Callaghan will do next, but like traumatic memories, these allegations will stain him if he neglects to appropriately remedy his wrongs. He has already missed the mark by failing to genuinely apologize before public scrutiny despite women airing their grievances, but as a young celebrity with a platform, he at least has the pro-social ability to speak out and embody the kind of reform he seeks to inspire through his media. Whether he chooses to do that, we’ll have to wait and see.
Update. [January 18th, 2023. 6:52 PM]
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