Archive for the 'Women' Category

PSA: Phony Pheminists

Terri Whitehouse September 15th, 2008

Aww, how precious. Conservatives have gone and discovered pheminism. A whole week-ish after I called it like I saw it, B. Hussein Osama’s uppity ass went and said that the same old bullshit by any other name still stinks.

It doesn’t just stink. It STANKS!

At any rate, it’s really sweet to see the GOP hustle at developing their pheminist muscles. (No, I’m not talking about kegels.) To the conservatives out there who are new to pheminism, I’d like to offer a very brief rundown of the concept. I understand that you’ve dedicated your whole lives to harming women’s physical, psychological, and financial well-being, so there are bound to be early failures. Pheminism, like any asset worth having, doesn’t develop over night. You’ve got to practice!

First off, rushing to the defense of your VP, as though she were a Damsel in Distress and not a damn pit bull-skinned moose hunter is problematic. Read and learn. No, rape is nowhere near as bad as some boy being a big meanie, but I think the same concept applies.

Secondly, please understand the difference between “feminism” and “pheminism.” Feminists are a bunch of fugly, hairy, man-hating sluts that care about shit like getting paid, and not dying as a result of pregnancy. Real trivial crap.

Pheminists, on the other hand, are beautiful, non-threatening white women (mostly) who collect wingnut welfare and have made hefty money putting bitches in their place. Intellectually, feminists win hands down, but who wants to hang with a bunch of humorless brainiacs? Pheminists are women, so you don’t have to hide or feel all guilty about your deep-seeded innate hatred of them.

Finally, it’s 2008, not 1968. Therefore, it’s probably not the brightest idea to call out supposed sexist attacks by reverting back to racist dogwhistles. While it’s admirable that you’re coming to pheminism in the 9th inning, better not to do it on the back of racism. That’s not how feminism works.

This is.

(x-posted: B&P)

Apparent Transparent

Terri Whitehouse August 30th, 2008

Sen. Mitch McConnell had this to day to the Messenger-Inquirer about Sen. John McCain’s VP choice of Gov. Sarah Palin yesterday:

Clearly, picking a little-known governor from Alaska was an effort to appeal to women voters.

McCain was looking for someone who was not of Washington, who has a reputation as a reformer like him and on the foreign policy stuff, he’s going to say, “I’ve got the experience. I don’t need it in a vice president.”

The test will be when it’s all over, it will either look like a genius move or a Hail Mary that went imcomplete.

So, what do you think? Mitch McConnell: true believer, or just kidding himself because he’s power-hungry? Personally, I thought Sen. McCain came across as less-than-enthused about his own choice.

Appealing to women? I don’t know about all ya’ll, but I don’t vote with my vagina.

Of course, what do you expect from a party of dumb shits that think people are only voting for Obama because he’s black. Talk about just not getting it.

And while we’re on the topic of vaginas, why is Rep. Ed Whitfield so scared of them? Vagina dentata, perhaps?

Suffragette City

Terri Whitehouse August 21st, 2008

Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford will issue a “Bill of Rights” for Kentucky women in late September. Silly him. We’re just low-hanging fruit, natch.

Of course, someone should let the usual suspects know that their privilege is showing. Because unless you’re a woman living in one of the wealthiest burgs in the state, Kentucky can be a pretty inhospitable place when it comes to those trivial little things like jobs, education, and health care.

Quick Hits: Disenfranchised Nuns & Crazy Antis

Terri Whitehouse May 6th, 2008

Elderly nuns in South Bend, IN were turned away from their polling place today, thanks to Indiana’s GOP-backed voter ID law. (h/t: Crooks & Liars)

Anti-choice activists contend that 20% of American women are “murderers.” (h/t: Feministing)

Mitch filibusters to protect gender discrimination

Joe Sonka April 24th, 2008

(crossposted at B&P)

Some things are just so important, they justify blocking the will of the majority.

Making sure that employers are free to discriminate against women is one of those, according to Mitch McConnell.

And once more, McConnell has blocked popular, bipartisan legislation from a vote, as only 57 Senators favored the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act last night. Add women to the growing list of constituents that Mitch McConnell enjoys screwing over (sick kids, union workers, troops, veterans, etc….)

But don’t worry… when this guy is running the show next year, things are going to change.

Mitch McConnell is not fond of women

Joe Sonka April 23rd, 2008

Last year the Supreme Court rubber-stamped discrimination against women in Ledbetter vs. Goodyear Tires, as they ruled that employees can only file gender discrimination suits within 180 days of the original discriminatory act. As Avoce says:

That means that even if the discrimination is ongoing, a woman cannot file suit, which, of course, assumes we both become aware of the issue and can form a substantive claim of discrimination - notoriously difficult to prove in the first place, let alone within 6 months. The ruling effectively shut down any wage discrimination suits by any woman, ever.

Today, bipartisan legislation is in the Senate which seeks to correct this travesty, co-sponsored by Republican Olympia Snowe- The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. But…. like all good legislation in the last year plus…. you know what happens next:

Senate Republicans said on Tuesday that they were confident they would be able to block legislation intended to reverse a Supreme Court ruling last year that established tight time restrictions on lawsuits over pay discrimination.

*****

But Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other Republicans said the bill, which is opposed by the business community and the Bush administration, could create a flood of lawsuits.

“We think that this bill is primarily designed to create a massive amount of new litigation in our country,” said Mr. McConnell, the minority leader.

Leadership aides and other Republicans said they expected to be able to deny backers of the bill the 60 votes needed to bring it to the floor in a showdown scheduled for Wednesday.

Block. Obstruct. Blame. Same old game.

Those whiny women will just have to take their lower wages and like it.

There’s no doubt about it. Mitch McConnell is not fond of women.

Quick Hit: The Fetal Photo Craze

Terri Whitehouse February 19th, 2008

There is an excellent piece up at RH Reality Check discussing the Religious Right’s love for non-medical use of ultrasound imaging:

Anti-abortion advocates for the non-medical use of ultrasound imaging (also called sonography or sonograms) on pregnant women have two basic strategies. One is to equip the estimated 2,500-3,500 crisis pregnancy centers across the country with ultrasound machines, in some cases garnering government aid to pay for them. The other is to pass laws under the guise of “informed consent,” which would require abortion clinics and doctors to conduct ultrasounds on pregnant women before providing abortion services. Some of these proposed laws go so far as to require that women view the images.

You can read more about Kentucky’s own proposed ultrasound law here.

Blog For Choice Roundup

Terri Whitehouse January 22nd, 2008

Blog for Choice Day

Amanda votes pro-choice because she knows women are human.

Ann votes pro-choice because she’s a values voter.

Anna votes pro-choice because her personhood is not conditional.

Bean votes pro-choice because we have so far yet to go.

Cara votes pro-choice women’s health is not a “special interest”.

Jessica votes pro-choice because reproductive justice is about more than abortion.

Jill votes pro-choice because she values life.

And all these good people say it better than I could right now.

Me? I vote pro-choice for lots of reasons, most of which are mentioned in the links above. But also because I am sick of faux concern for women and faux concern for “unborn children” taking the place of actual concern for women and actual concern for children in the Commonwealth.