#ThrowbackThursday: John Ashcroft Covers the Spirit of Justice Statue’s Nudity, 2002

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Spirit of Justice statue, 2002 (Medieval POC Tumblr)

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and Spirit of Justice statue, 2002 (Medieval POC Tumblr)

So this became weirdly relevant again: In 2002, Attorney General John Ashcroft put up drapes (that cost $8,000) on the Spirit of Justice statue housed in the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Why? Ostensibly to make a better backdrop for television. What Ashcroft didn’t mention was that his head was generally centered in between Lady Justice’s nude breasts. Better backdrop, my ass.

Just yesterday, Rome’s Capitoline Museum covered up classical nude statues before a press conference with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani occurred. There seems to be some confusion as to who and why this happened: Though the Iranian embassy asked that the statues be covered, neither Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini nor Prime Minister Matteo Renzi had been aware of the request.

An investigation into the matter is currently underway.

 

California’s New Consent Law: Yes Means Yes

California State Senator Kevin de Leon, who sponsored the state's affirmative consent bill

California State Senator Kevin de Leon, who sponsored the state’s affirmative consent bill

Today, California passed an affirmative consent, or “yes means yes,” law. This is the first law of its kind, and is less ambiguous than the previously-accepted “no means no” stance.

This is also the first time there’s been a sexual consent law for a state. (Each state sets an age of consent law, but does not specify general consent.) It will be interesting to see whether, or how quickly, other states follow suit in proposing or adopting similar laws.