After the End of Men, our e-mails may include more hugs and kisses, but we will still have to deal with unpleasantries such as sexually hostile workplaces and war crimes. Last month, Simone Gbagbo, wife of former president of Cote D’Ivoire Laurent Gbagbo, was indicted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, including murder, rape, and persecution. She’s the first woman to stand before the ICC accused of orchestrating and ordering crimes against humanity. According to the Atlantic, this development suggests that international tribunals are beginning to “move beyond gender in prosecuting sexual violence” and, more important, beyond the explicit hierarchies of the society in conflict. That is, even though Simone held no official government job, she can be prosecuted for acting as the “alter ego” of her husband/the president. Not that anything’s been proven yet.
