This is a Woman

.

So this week some bafflingly ignorant guy claimed that women very rarely actually get pregnant from being raped because, “if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” This guy obvs did a science there. Or the other thing. That’s completely the opposite of anything scientific. In fact, on that note, here’s another image that gave me a good lolz.

.

But, really, so much has been written about this guy this week so let’s just onto the articles, yes?

~Jezebel’s Guide to Legitimate Rape.
~”Why don’t you spend your time ending rape rather than redefining it?” <--Indeed. This is an INCREDIBLE letter. Remember when I wrote about gaslighting? Todd Akin is gaslighting victims of rape with his words. This article calls him out on it. (Thanks to Kat for the link.)
~President Obama’s response. THIS, fellow women, is what we need to hear from politicians. Thank you, Obama.
~It appears that Akin got his information from Physicians for Life, whose “science” is deeply flawed.
~Or maybe this is where he got his info. Or maybe he confused women with ducks. (Thanks to Grace for those links. Including the video of a duck erection. Um.)
~Thank god the ACOG has provided a response based in actual science. (Thanks to Stephanie and Colleen for the link.)
~UPDATE: My friend Katie shared this link with me today. One mother’s story of raising a daughter conceived by rape. Guess what? Not only does it happen, but the government allows fathers to have rights to these children. I have no words.
~In any case, as Mike Huckabee points out, rape has produced some really great people! So. More rape-babies for all? (Thanks, again, to Grace for this link.)
~How Akin probably should have apologized.
~Todd Akin apologizes. And then he tries again, a little better this time.
~And here, my friends, here is an excellent post about why this one man’s apology isn’t worth shit. Because he’s not alone. This is a problem rampant among social conservatives. Including the man running for vice president. The man chosen by the man who hopes to become president someday. As the author of this article says, [they think] “none of us are paying attention. But we are.”

A few weeks ago there was a massive controversy over a certain fast food joint and homophobia. I remember hearing people saying repeatedly that they were sick of hearing about the whole thing. I imagine we have another day or so before people start saying the same thing about Akin and his comments. But that kind of attitude is so dangerous. It’s what they want from us. To brush things under the bed and pretend that they aren’t there, that they never happened. But it doesn’t make them not there. It doesn’t mean they never happened. It just means we aren’t willing to work hard enough at social change, that we would rather watch the Kardashians than have to think or act.

So talk about this. Loudly and often. And if people get sick of hearing about it, talk about it more and louder. Don’t let it get brushed under the bed. Because, quite frankly, with all the madness against women happening this year, it could be more than merely dangerous to pretend like none of this is happening. So talk and talk and talk. And you know what else? VOTE.

.

Because YOU, as a woman, have the power to not elect people like Akin or Ryan. Save this world, ladies.

And, dear politicians, please change your focus to stopping rapists, rather than blaming women.

.