Last night in Texas, something both wonderful and mind-boggling happened. Hundreds upon hundreds of pro-choice activists filled the Texas state house in an attempt to discourage the latest round of anti-choice laws from passing the house. Unfortunately, the solidly anti-choice house passed most of the measures - but seeing the outpouring of support bolstered a lot of pro-choice politicians in Texas. And as anyone that has EVER tried to get people to show up to any sort of rally will tell you, seeing that see of orange was rather unbelievable. But something else happened in Austin on a dark Texas evening. A woman joined the ranks of the terminally misinformed. (I would say stupid, but I'm trying to be nice). There is a difference between being ideologically opposed to something and just making shit up to seem like you are not an unreasonable zealot. Representative Jodie Laubenberg failed on that last part.
(Disclaimer: I am not claiming that Rep. Laubenberg has a brain tumor or that people that have brain tumors are some how intellectually incapacitated, I just really like the movie Heathers and it gave me an excuse to use this clip - I have to admit though, Heather Duke's crochet ball is an interesting metaphor for pro-choice activism in red states. Every time you somehow manage to get out of the weeds and score a point, some asshat sends you out again.)
I have a special level of disdain for female politicians that are anti-choice, I make no apologies for that. Women that have benefited from the rights that so many have fought for, yet shit on the rest of us, they deserve a certain level of anger. (Ex. Equal Pay - don't see female legislators that vote against equal pay giving back 23% of their salaries).
However, Representative Laubenberg's crime this time - is being either woefully ignorant of what the aftermath of a sexual assault is really like, or worse she is leading her flock to believe that her extreme anti-choice politics are not nearly has heinous as they appear. When pressed a rape exception for the 20 week ban she was pushing. Laubenberg replied
"In the emergency room they have what’s called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out…"
I have to wonder, has this woman never seen an episode of SVU, like ever, even on accident? This statement is so unbelievably misinformed, that I have to wonder her motives. When male politicians claim that the female body can just "shut the whole thing down" or questions "legitimate rape" or tells women they should prepare for rape like they do flat tires - I get pissed, beyond pissed actually - but I figure they either failed high school biology, didn't have sex ed or are just knuckle-dragging Neanderthals. But when a female politician spreads such bullshit information, it upsets me on a different level. She knows better, she has to - so I'm left with feeling that she just really, really, really doesn't give a shit about other women. She has her position, she has her privilege, she has her power - to hell with everyone else.
However, Representative Laubenberg's crime this time - is being either woefully ignorant of what the aftermath of a sexual assault is really like, or worse she is leading her flock to believe that her extreme anti-choice politics are not nearly has heinous as they appear. When pressed a rape exception for the 20 week ban she was pushing. Laubenberg replied
"In the emergency room they have what’s called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out…"
I have to wonder, has this woman never seen an episode of SVU, like ever, even on accident? This statement is so unbelievably misinformed, that I have to wonder her motives. When male politicians claim that the female body can just "shut the whole thing down" or questions "legitimate rape" or tells women they should prepare for rape like they do flat tires - I get pissed, beyond pissed actually - but I figure they either failed high school biology, didn't have sex ed or are just knuckle-dragging Neanderthals. But when a female politician spreads such bullshit information, it upsets me on a different level. She knows better, she has to - so I'm left with feeling that she just really, really, really doesn't give a shit about other women. She has her position, she has her privilege, she has her power - to hell with everyone else.
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