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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAkin Unmasks the Pro-Life Movement
If youre going to slander the estimated 32,000 women a year who become pregnant after being raped, its probably not wise to do it on a Sunday, when it will lead the next weeks news coverage. Republican nominee for Missouri Senate Todd Akin chose not to follow this bit of wisdom, instead declaring in a television interview yesterday that women cant get pregnant from rape.
For people who dont follow the anti-choice movement closely, this statement might be a stunner for the simple reason that it makes no biological sense; a rapists sperm swims as well as a non-rapists. But for those of us who do, its no surprise. The myth that real rapes dont result in pregnancy is widespread among anti-choicersand not just the fringe (Akin, for instance, used to be on the board of Missouri Right to Life). You can see a variation of this myth at the anti-choice website Abortion Facts:
Akins comment should serve as a reminder that despite its sentimentality surrounding the fetus, the anti-choice movement is motivated by misogyny and ignorance about human sexuality. In this case, what underlies the rape-doesnt-get-you-pregnant myth is the notion that sex is shameful and that slutty women will do anythingeven send an innocent man to jail to kill a babyin order to avoid facing the consequences of their actions.
http://prospect.org/article/akin-unmasks-pro-life-movement
First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare, Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview posted Sunday. If its a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.
For people who dont follow the anti-choice movement closely, this statement might be a stunner for the simple reason that it makes no biological sense; a rapists sperm swims as well as a non-rapists. But for those of us who do, its no surprise. The myth that real rapes dont result in pregnancy is widespread among anti-choicersand not just the fringe (Akin, for instance, used to be on the board of Missouri Right to Life). You can see a variation of this myth at the anti-choice website Abortion Facts:
To get pregnant and stay pregnant, a womans body must produce a very sophisticated mix of hormones. Hormone production is controlled by a part of the brain which is easily influenced by emotions. Theres no greater emotional trauma that can be experienced by a woman than an assault rape. This can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy.
Akins comment should serve as a reminder that despite its sentimentality surrounding the fetus, the anti-choice movement is motivated by misogyny and ignorance about human sexuality. In this case, what underlies the rape-doesnt-get-you-pregnant myth is the notion that sex is shameful and that slutty women will do anythingeven send an innocent man to jail to kill a babyin order to avoid facing the consequences of their actions.
http://prospect.org/article/akin-unmasks-pro-life-movement
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Akin Unmasks the Pro-Life Movement (Original Post)
phantom power
Aug 2012
OP
coalition_unwilling
(14,180 posts)1. Thanks for posting! A lot of good analysis of Akin's comments and
tbe misogyny for which he's one of the frontman.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)2. For those people who do not believe in abortion for ANY reason
they are led by a desire to keep women in their place.
DearAbby
(12,461 posts)3. What gives them the right to define rape?
Shouldn't that determination be left up to me? It is I who gives consent, or not. I don't need congress to define it for me.
I feel like chattel, on a block, and they are looking at my teeth. Hours upon Hours of debate in congress, placing arguments by men, on what constitutes a rape, in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD...like I am a cow...FUCK YOU.
get the red out
(13,460 posts)4. +1
They hide behind their extremist religion like they were the Taliban.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)5. "shut that whole thing down"???
is at least as dehumanizing as the idea of "legitimate vs no legitimate rape"
modem77
(191 posts)6. Should be called the Pro-Hate movement.
Many Christian conservative men hate the idea of women having rights.