Someone rapes a black Mississippi thirteen-year-old. She gets pregnant and because of the state’s abortion ban after fifteen weeks, she’s now a mother. As LGM says, “It’s worth remembering that the near-universal conviction of opponents of legal abortion in America that is should be *harder* for teenagers to obtain abortions and the state is particularly justified in forcing them to carry pregnancies to term (at even greater risk to their health and life prospects.) ”
In addition to being an anti-vaxxer who claims covid was genetically engineered to spare Jews, Robert F. Kennedy claims the federal government shouldn’t protect abortion rights after three months because by then the fetus is viable. He’s wrong. So is right-wing politician Lauren Witzke who claims the elite got special vaccines that didn’t have all the deadly side effects.
Witzke also opposes women voting because they’re too emotional: that’s why they’re pro-immigration, support trans rights and so on and so forth (I’m not sure what stats she’s basing that on, or if it’s even accurate — obviously she doesn’t support that stuff). Of course these are perfectly logical positions — and a lot of trans hate is an emotional “ooh, icky!” reaction — but Witzke’s going with an old undead sexist cliche that women are ruled by emotion, men by logic — and that women shouldn’t vote. And as LGM says, the more the voters push back against the forced-birth movement, the more Republicans oppose voting. In Wisconsin, they’re threatening to impeach a Democratic Party judge who might not support Republican gerrymandering.
Speaking of illogical, Texas forced-birthers have been big on claims the fetus is a living child — but not when state action terminates a pregnancy (“Just because several statutes define an individual to include an unborn child does not mean that the Fourteenth Amendment does the same.”). Texas also has no qualms about pushing moms with young kids off Medicaid, even if that means their kids don’t get health coverage.
But then, Texas is also suing Planned Parenthood on the grounds the organization legally received Medicaid funds from the state but the state hadn’t wanted to give them the money. Planned Parenthood does a great deal more than provide abortions and birth control — some of the Medicaid was for cancer screenings — but the very idea of planning parenthood offends some conservatives.
Over in Virginia, candidate John Stirrup is a Catholic who wants a total ban on abortion. But he’s a reasonable guy so he’s willing to compromise on a 15 week ban with exceptions. Hopefully voters are aware by now that these compromises are political dodges and not negotiated settlements — Stirrup’s quite frank he’s only conceding that much because he can’t get more past the voters. As Tricia Cotham in my state showed us, they’ll drop the mask as soon as they have the votes to get a ban passed.
Even Steve Bannon can’t believe they’re losing on abortion. Bless your heart, Mr. Bannon. I’m hopeful that as long as Republicans keep churning out candidates who want a total ban (but said, candidate, John Stirrup, is willing to compromise — for now).
I’ve written about the Duggars’ membership in the creepy Bill Gothard cult. Here’s a look at how Gothard’s church handles abusive husbands: telling the wife to submit. Fred Clark and Libby Ann offer more.
No, the Women’s Soccer Team did not lose because it’s too feminist and woke.
Misogyny is still the gateway drug for fascism and antisemitism.
For more on misogyny, feel free to check out my Undead Sexist Cliches, available as a Amazon paperback, an ebook and from several other retailers. Cover by Kemp Ward
