According to feminist conventional wisdom, as a woman I must check the feminist box lest I betray all that makes me a she. If I, as a woman, dare mock the crazy feminist conga line, then I'm obviously an internalized misogynist, unworthy of the uterus the goddess Gaia bestowed upon my feminine essence. This be-a-feminist-or-else edict is likely finger-painted in period blood somewhere. Probably a man's office. Aside from the unapologetic insanity masquerading as justified activism, another reason I've, and many other women, have distanced ourselves from the modern, third-wave feminist movement is its aversion to intellectual honesty.

A necessary disclaimer: not all feminists behave in such fashion as those outlined below. There are many individual feminists, including Tarana Burke of the #MeToo movement, who aren't as deeply engaged in the double standard malaise of #MeToo. I'm commenting on the larger takeaway, how just as feminists would expect prominent men to denounce the behavior of prominent rapists (like Weinstein), so too should prominent feminists check each other when their priorities are misaligned.

Take Rose McGowan for example. Many of us, regardless of gender, were on board with her crusade against sick pervert rapists like Harvey Weinstein. For context, here's a tweet on the matter. Which hasn't aged well:

I agree with Rose but with one caveat: "believe survivors." Accusations should be investigated, yes, but to automatically believe anyone who's accusing someone else of a grave crime isn't wise. Innocent until proven guilty, as the law says. Investigate, yes. Show empathy, sure. But grant blanket belief? No.

But for Rose McGowan and many of her third-wave feminist ilk, "believe survivors" translates into giving carte blanche to any woman accusing rape, assault, harassment or catcalling so long as the perpetrator is a man. Those are the rules according to the modern feminist way of hysterics first, maybe due process if it suits our needs later.

Segue. Today it was revealed Rose's gal pal Asia Argento has been accused of sexually molesting an underage boy, then paid him off for his silence. Plot twist. Remember the tweet above. "Believe survivors."

Rose responded:

Be gentle. Cute.

Rose's tweet almost sounds like a call for due process. Facts first, feelings... maybe give it a beat until we have some facts.

Where were the calls for due process after the initial shock of Harvey Weinstein wore off, and women tried equating "he talked to me funny" with rape? You may think that's an irresponsible, silly comparison. Alas, no. Women make up rape accusations more often than dying their pit hair cyan. Here:

That's just a sampling.

Where were the feminist rallying cries from people like Rose McGowan to "be gentle" when these men, or any men, were falsely accused of rape? Rhetorical question.

Lest you think Rose's defense of her possibly underage-loving friend is the only example of this due process double standard, last week an older feminist professor at NYU was accused of taking advantage of her young fellow. In that case, too, female professors circled the wagons around their colleague in ways all too familiar. She-professors were quick to defend their own in much the same way some men defend known perverts. Like Weinstein.

So, feminists. Either sexual assault is wrong and the due process which follows is a basic requirement of the justice system, regardless of what gender identity is assaulting the other, or assault is a matter for the tribalist weathervane: acceptable when your side is engaging in the sin of assault.

Feminists would have a much easier time finding sympathy for their causes if they treated assault cases equally, and further if they called out foul behavior when it happened. Which should include the condemnation of all those fake rape cases outlined above, and every other case thereafter. Until such time as feminists can hold each other accountable, any cause, in this case, the #MeToo movement, of which they give their stamp of approval, will be forever questioned.

Principles first, ladies.

~Written by Courtney Kirchoff