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| Republican Todd Akin |
It's election year in the United States, and with November looming closer and closer, needless to say it's been... interesting. With the televised debates and conventions, we've been hearing all sorts of different arguments and opinions from both the Democrats and the Republicans. What's been revving many people's engines - and not in a good way - are some of the opinions the Republicans have voiced about rape, always a sensitive (see: controversial) subject. Here are the top five quotes, taken from AVG Notes, from various Republican candidates, past and present:
1. Todd Akin: "If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down" - mid 2012 Senate Campaign
2. Clayton Williams: “If it’s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it” - mid 1990 Gubernatorial race in Texas
3. Chuck Winder: “I would hope that when a woman goes in to a physician with a rape issue, that physician will indeed ask her about perhaps her marriage, was this pregnancy caused by normal relations in a marriage or was it truly caused by a rape. I assume that’s part of the counseling that goes on.” - March 2012
4. Ken Buck: “A jury could very well conclude that this is a case of buyer’s remorse … It appears to me … you invited him over… the appearance is of consent.” - October 2010
5. Rick Santorum: “I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created - in the sense of rape - but nevertheless a gift in a very broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given to you… rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.” - January, 2012
Let's see what we learnt from that shall we? Babies are a 'gift' despite their conception, forced or otherwise; women are essentially 'asking for it'; rape within marriage is okay; if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen; apparently there are distinctions between different types of rape ranging from 'legitimate' to 'forcible' (thanks Paul Ryan)... and oh yes, all of these statements are made by men.
First of all, can I ask, assuming there's such a thing as 'legitimate' rape, can someone please provided me a definition of illegitimate rape? Because I'm really interested on what that may be. Also, can someone please provide me with proof of Akin's qualifications in biological sciences? Because since he's such an expert on the female body, I would really be interested in finding out how it can distinguish between consented intercourse and rape, and just how the body can reject conception in the case of rape.
Here's the thing, men, especially white, upper-class, Republican men, know nothing about women because they don't believe we should have the same rights as they do. Though some of them supposedly agree that rape is wrong, they still don't believe that a woman has the right to an abortion if she falls pregnant from rape, because "human life is a gift." Even without rape being involved, nothing is done to help women when they fall pregnant. Republicans say, "No, you can't abort the baby you don't want/aren't ready for, because life is sacred. But don't think we'll be helping you with any of the childcare expenses when you do have the baby you aren't financially prepared for. Instead, we'll criticize you for not working because your job won't give you maternity leave and you need to look after the baby you didn't want." And you know what baffles me the most? The fact that there are women out there who have voted, and will vote again, for these men. How can any self-respecting woman stand by and listen to these ignorant and chauvinistic views, restricting our rights that we fought so hard for, and still agree with them?
As Obama so rightly put it, "We shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, the majority of whom are men, making healthcare decisions on behalf of women." Just like we shouldn't have these politicians make certain types of rape 'okay'. It saddens me that we live in a world where we don't teach our sons not to rape, but instead tell our daughters not to go out late at night, or not to wear the clothes she wants to wear because she'll be "asking for it". I don't claim to be an expert on politics, and I am not an American citizen, but any party behind a "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" loses my vote.
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