What occurs to me after a week of uncontrolled vitriol about women, in Congress, in the news, on the politic talk shows, and from Rush Limbaugh is that we are regurgitating the same garbage that I heard in high school and college. Cloaked in fallacious arguments about religious freedom, the attacks are aimed to denigrate women, and in particular and by association, liberal, progressive, Democratic women.
Let's look at the past few weeks. We had the question of contraceptive coverage by insurance companies for employers who were affiliated with religious organizations, read this as Catholic Church. An accommodation was made by the President which was acceptable to those folks who wanted a reasonable solution, although not to those who won't agree to anything that Mr Obama does.
For a few days, we were assaulted by the Susan G. Komen Foundation's decision to stop support for Planned Parenthood, led by a woman who is an avowed right wing activist and anti-Choice female. Although she resigned, the Komen position discarded its mission of helping women, in a non-partisan effort to end breast cancer, and as an organization, elected to accept a political position. Regardless of the resignation of Karen Handel, Susan G. Komen has lost the trust of many people, because they didn't prevent Ms. Handel from doing the damage in the first place. Their works were admirable, their words are meaningless now. My donation will go elsewhere.
We have watched over the past months' efforts by politicians to pass "personhood" legislation, which would make use of contraception illegal. In Mississippi and Colorado, the legislation was defeated by public referendum. In the last couple of weeks, the state legislature of Virginia proposed a bill to require women to undergo a trans-vaginal probe ultrasound in order to obtain an abortion. The law was changed to require a "less" invasive procedure, after Governor McDonald saw that his chances to become a Vice Presidential candidate were hanging by a thread. V.P-Vaginal Probe. Great campaign slogan.
This week, we were treated by Rushbo to a full scale attack on a female law student who was denied by the Republicans an opportunity to address the issue of medical need for contraception, and why she believed coverage was critical. She was accorded the opportunity to discuss her testimony at a forum composed of Democrats, particularly female legislators. Limbaugh used his radio show to attack this woman as a slut and prostitute. He said he wanted to see sex videos of all the women who take birth control pills, if he was going to pay for those pills. After losing a number of advertisers, and hopefully more to come, he offered a typical apology, claiming that he was trying to be funny. If you can't take a joke...is that the idea, Rush? There were no Republican candidates who were willing to criticize Limbaugh, and no members of the Republican party willing to do so either.
Mixed in with all this rhetoric was the comment made by Santorum supporter, Foster Friess, about putting aspirin between their knees so women wouldn't have to spend so much on birth control pills. What if there were a requirement for a penile probe to get Viagra, Mr. Friess? Would you keep your knees together?
Admit it, guys, men are pigs. And we keep proving it. My problem with this issue is that there is no possible logic behind it. Men benefit as much as women by birth control pills. No pregnancy, no abortion, no "shot gun wedding". I do not like abortions, especially as a political issue. I think abortion is none of my business. And it's none of any man's business, other than a doctor, spouse or significant other, even if he is a one-night stand. Letting men make decisions about women's health is as logical as being "pro-life" and in favor of capital punishment, or killing doctors who perform abortions.
Another issue is employers having the right, by conscience, to decide what should be allowed in an employee health benefit program. Maybe I'm a little old fashioned here, but don't employers choose what policies they will make available now? The problem is employer based health insurance, but that's another story.
Forty years ago, the early stages of the modern feminist movement was an on-going news story. Today, we are watching it again. For years, women were controlled either by their fathers or husbands. Slowly, state by state, different laws allowed women to have some control over property they owned. Until President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in 2009, with no Republican support, unequal pay was allowed by law. There is still no Federal law granting women equality in our society.
America has been an example, or at least we want to think we have, for the rest of the world. Civil rights however have not been "granted" to any group. There have been pitched battles, some bloody, some deadly, so a minority could reach legal parity to some degree. Race relations are still being fought over, and women will need to continue to fight. If indeed we are to give hope to other populations, such as the women of Afghanistan, who face the threat of being forced back into the middle ages, women need to win this fight. And support from men would be helpful. But guys, if you can't help, shut up and get out of the way.
Thanks for stopping by.
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