tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post3757498654430016595..comments2024-01-02T18:05:23.666-06:00Comments on Streak's Blog: For the Tea Party, a woman who gets pregnant can't have been rapedStreakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-42966681903872329962012-08-21T22:16:59.279-05:002012-08-21T22:16:59.279-05:00Liz, I have been thinking more about that consent ...Liz, I have been thinking more about that consent culture idea, and think that is really a big part of this. Just yesterday, I read this essay by a well-published woman, entitled, "<a href="http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175584/best_of_tomdispatch:_rebecca_solnit,_the_archipelago_of_arrogance/" rel="nofollow">Men explain things to me.</a>" Great essay. Then reading more stories about Akin and all of those Republican men who say that rape doesn't lead to pregnancy, and there seems to be that running current of, "why are you complaining about a little abuse or rape? No harm, no foul. Move on." <br /><br />I think you are right. This goes well beyond just the rape comment. Streakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-42149708058125916822012-08-21T21:51:02.184-05:002012-08-21T21:51:02.184-05:00No kidding. The language that gets used around sex...No kidding. The language that gets used around sex and abortion sometimes makes me think that we're talking about disobedient whitegoods, rather than people. It's genuinely creepy.liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-87230041192654306132012-08-21T08:00:12.949-05:002012-08-21T08:00:12.949-05:00Liz, I think you are correct. I get that sense fr...Liz, I think you are correct. I get that sense from many right wing anti-abortion types--to the point that many never even mention women at all when talking about abortion laws or restrictions. That was true with Akin too, his broader point was that rape should be irrelevant for abortion, as we shouldn't punish the fetus for the sins of the rapist. He only mentioned the woman in the context of her body somehow not getting pregnant in such a difficult moment. This entire GOP approach to women--and unfortunately carried by many conservative women as well--is that women only belong in certain situations. Her needs or desires are not relevant, nor is her mental health, or her control over her own body. <br />Streakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-5200310172743761372012-08-21T04:04:51.209-05:002012-08-21T04:04:51.209-05:00His comments are reprehensible, but I’m surprised ...His comments are reprehensible, but I’m surprised by the backlash, probably because I’ve seen the argument at least once before. I identified a lot with this <a href="http://boingboing.net/2012/08/07/what-do-christian-fundamentali.html" rel="nofollow">article</a>, in that after spending time in sub-cultures (mostly voluntarily, in my case), what surprises me is not people’s ugly behaviour but that people are shocked and outraged by it. While distressing, I’m more offended by his attitude that facts are optional then the raging misogyny that goes with the idea of “legitimate rape” (You know, as opposed to that weird thing where you have sex with a person without their consent >.>). You’re definitely right about the witch test – if she gets pregnant it was consensual, if she doesn’t, there probably wasn’t any rape to begin with, the lying slut. Everybody wins OH WAIT.<br /><br />What bothers me much more is that I think drawing lines between what is and isn’t “real” rape reflects a more general willingness to override other people’s boundaries and treat consent as default. I liked the point <a href="http://pervocracy.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/consent-culture.html" rel="nofollow"> here</a> that consent goes much broader than just sex. If we’re comfortable with “you don’t feel that way” and “you’ll change your mind” and “I care about you so you shouldn’t make choices that I think are wrong for you”, then splitting hairs about whether or not a non-consensual act is reeeeeeally rape makes sense.<br /><br />This doesn’t even need to be specifically about rape and abortion. Akin may as well be running around sticking “no gurls allowed” stickers on everything in sight. While the majority of women will never find themselves having to “defend” a post-rape pregnancy (god, I hope not!), there’s a broader message for women about where you belong. Statements like Akin’s, or any defence of rape culture, essentially carve out aspects of personal autonomy and civic life and mark them off limits. In this case, it’s telling women that a safe, robust and private sex life is Not For You. Natalie Reed blogs on it beautifully <a href="http://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2012/08/01/being-welcome/" rel="nofollow">here</a> (sorry for being so link-heavy, but I’m lazy and there are so many people on the internet who are smarter and more articulate than I am).Liznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-31081805309354103432012-08-20T15:41:05.850-05:002012-08-20T15:41:05.850-05:00True, a lot of conservatives are upset with Akin, ...True, a lot of conservatives are upset with Akin, but again, we should note that his ideas are not that far from the rest of the party right now. This comment may have pissed them off because it was so inarticulate and stupid, but the sentiment is not far from Ryan's own. <br /><br />Oh, and not everyone is <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/08/20/716001/influential-conservatives-defending-akin/" rel="nofollow">throwing him under the bus</a>.Streakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01443433745929880701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-46379624628931647202012-08-20T15:28:29.411-05:002012-08-20T15:28:29.411-05:00Everyone is throwing this guy under the bus. Even...Everyone is throwing this guy under the bus. Even the right wing, kool-aid drinkers think this guy said an idiotic thing.steveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08862590608695420004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5397103.post-74504313363450212892012-08-20T14:20:45.799-05:002012-08-20T14:20:45.799-05:00All to stop women from having abortions. This rea...<i>All to stop women from having abortions. This really makes clear that this not about abortion, per se, but about keeping control of women and their fertility. This is anti-women far more than anti-abortion.</i><br /><br />That's it, plain and simple.<br /><br />On top of that, what they're doing is trying to find ways around Roe v Wade. They can't just illegalize abortion, but they will beat around it and around it and around it until it only exists - in their minds - for the depraved few they can't catch and keep from it. <br /><br />Well, that "depraved few" in this case would be the more than 83,000 rape victims (and that's just those who reported...).<br /><br />Fucking sick. So ardent are these ass-hats to keep people from getting a LEGAL procedure that they don't see AND DON'T CARE about the (un)intended consequences of their proposals.<br /><br />And yes...these sick bastards perpetuate the sexist myths about rape. Look, you fucking assholes...NOBODY wants to rape me or thinks about raping me or thinks I am a slut when I wear UnderArmor Compression shirts to the pool. So why must we think women are sluts and DESERVE rape because they wear a sports bra, a short skirt, or fucking...sandals? Whatever... Sick fucks.<br /><br />You know what it is? "The bible says when I get a boner for seeing a woman's nipples through her shirt, Jesus kills puppies in heaven. Therefore, because I can't control MY boners, it's HER fault I'm getting one, because I think I saw her butt wiggle in her yoga pants."<br />Noahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14345059376742159966noreply@blogger.com