What exactly is "legitimate rape" ?

[delphipsmith]

Once again a Republican puts his foot in his mouth (or his head up his ass) when talking about women's health issues. In this case, it's Todd Akin making a colossally insensitive and biologically ignorant statement about rape and pregnancy. He is apparently fine with abortion being illegal even in cases of rape because...wait for it..."If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Er, huh? Like what? A quick Tweet from the brain, "yo @fallopian_toobz pls ignore any-all sperm for next 48 hrs as they were unauthorized thx #legitimaterape" ??

This man is beyond belief. Apparently in Akin's world, if you get pregnant as a result of rape it's because at some level you consented to it. The Nation has an excellent follow-up piece on why it's dangerous to laugh at this sort of thing: "In the multi-dimensional chess that shapes public opinion, the game is less about individual elections and more about a sustained effort to mainstream radical ideas. In the case of denying women control over their lives, there's evidence that the bad guys may be winning the long-game..." The article is worth a read.

Some of the tweets on the topic are pretty clever; my favorite is from @Michelle9647: "The female body also has ways of shutting down your whole election." Heee.

By the way, Romney's VP Paul Ryan also opposes abortion in cases of rape and supported a personhood bill that would make fertilized eggs human beings. And let's not forget the major GOP backer who suggested the best birth control method was for a woman to hold an aspirin between her knees.

Consider this when you vote in November, ladies.

Comments

[inamac.livejournal.com]

I think some men must have special sex education lessons that we women don't have access to. Like the British MP who objected to reducing the tax on sanitary product on the grounds that they weren't a necessity because women could always wait until they got to the loo to menstruate.

And (to pick up the rape theme) that men who are anally raped and respond sexually (as most do, because, y'know, prostate stimulation) must be secretly gay and therefore it's not rape.

Is it very wrong of me to want Mr Akin to experience the latter?

[delphipsmith]

Wait until they get to the loo?? Was he serious???? Holy cripes. I promise not to think it very wrong of you to wish Mr Akin (not to mention the nimnul who made said statement!) to experience that if, in return, you will promise not to think it very wrong of me to wish that he would get pregnant as a result. Deal?

[pokeystar.livejournal.com]

I'm going to his house and I will sit on his precious antique chesterfield until he concedes the necessity of feminine products.

[delphipsmith]

LOL!! And I will pay your ticket :D

Edit: Checked your LJ and you amuse me in a "I could have written that...but yay, now I don't have to" manner. I have friended you, hope that's acceptable behavior :)