On this, International Women's Day, we must face an old truth: Men in government don't always seem to "get" women, and they often make some confounding statements about them. In fact, just a couple weeks ago Idaho state representative Vito Barbieri wondered aloud — during an actual legislative debate over a proposed abortion bill — if a gal could swallow a camera for a gynecological exam. (He was swiftly and politely corrected by a real life lady physician.)
And while most politicians are smart enough to know that the tum-tum isn’t connected to the 'giner, they certainly seem confused about a host of other aspects of life as a female — especially when it comes to abortion, and especially, ESPECIALLY when it comes to rape. Read on, and marvel at the inanity on display (try not to go into a rage coma, we dare you).
Doctors should make sure a lady who reports a rape isn’t making it up in her scheming lady-mind.
Oh, that wacky scamp. Idaho Senator Chuck Winder got up to some shenanigans back in 2012 when he said, “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.” In other words, doctors shouldn't believe women when they say they've been raped. Great idea Chuck! Statutory rape isn’t really rape when the girl is "older than her chronological age."
Montana district Judge G. Todd Baugh wasn’t sure how "real" the rape of a 14-year-old girl by a teacher actually was when you considered the child acted “older than her chronological age.” In this case, Baugh was speaking of the deceased, as the girl had committed suicide years before the (47-year-old at the time of the crime) teacher saw trial. Baugh gave the teacher in question a 30-day jail sentence, sparking outrage among folks in Montana and across the country. Sadly, G. Todd is now retired. We’ll miss your wit and wisdom, GTB.
Having sex with an unconscious woman is fine so long as she’s your wife.
We’ve all been there. You get home after a long day of work, and your little woman’s asleep. Rather than wake her up and ask her, it’s more polite to just go to town, right? You can’t call that rape, can ya? Utah state Rep Brian Greene seems to be a little fuzzy on what is and is not consent. Brian, I don’t blame you – all this business about “saying yes to sex” is SUPER confusing. REAL rape can’t do much harm because a lady’s body can shut it down.
Representative Todd Akin of Missouri provided perhaps the gold standard for dumb comments about women’s bodies when he uttered this gem in 2012: “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something: I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child.” How eloquent.
Babies from a rape are a gift from God…
This nugget of wisdom is oft-trotted out by those who oppose legal abortion. According to Rick Santorum, rape definitely sucks but a baby enables a chick to “make the best of a bad situation.” Sounds like a solid plan, Rick. .…but rape kits ensure a woman will never have a baby in the first place!
Texas Rep. Jodie Laubenberg offered her thoughts on the concept of abortion in case of a rape: “"In the emergency room they have what's called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out.” Oh, really? Okay, Jodie. Carry on, then. And besides, sometimes good people are conceived in rape, so it's not THAT bad, right?
Mike Huckabee had a great point: sometimes people conceived by a rape grow up to be really awesome! Rape is “inexcusable and indefensible” but man, can it produce top-notch humans. Cool story, Mike! And just in case all this rape talk was getting you down, here’s a nice palate-cleanser… Silicone breast implants make a gal healthier!
Way back in the halcyon days of 2005, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma made this adorable statement: “I thought I would just share with you what science says today about silicone breast implants. If you have them, you're healthier than if you don't.” Brang on those implants, Tom!
Oh, that wacky scamp. Idaho Senator Chuck Winder got up to some shenanigans back in 2012 when he said, “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.” In other words, doctors shouldn't believe women when they say they've been raped. Great idea Chuck! Statutory rape isn’t really rape when the girl is "older than her chronological age."
Montana district Judge G. Todd Baugh wasn’t sure how "real" the rape of a 14-year-old girl by a teacher actually was when you considered the child acted “older than her chronological age.” In this case, Baugh was speaking of the deceased, as the girl had committed suicide years before the (47-year-old at the time of the crime) teacher saw trial. Baugh gave the teacher in question a 30-day jail sentence, sparking outrage among folks in Montana and across the country. Sadly, G. Todd is now retired. We’ll miss your wit and wisdom, GTB.
Having sex with an unconscious woman is fine so long as she’s your wife.
We’ve all been there. You get home after a long day of work, and your little woman’s asleep. Rather than wake her up and ask her, it’s more polite to just go to town, right? You can’t call that rape, can ya? Utah state Rep Brian Greene seems to be a little fuzzy on what is and is not consent. Brian, I don’t blame you – all this business about “saying yes to sex” is SUPER confusing. REAL rape can’t do much harm because a lady’s body can shut it down.
Representative Todd Akin of Missouri provided perhaps the gold standard for dumb comments about women’s bodies when he uttered this gem in 2012: “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something: I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child.” How eloquent.
Babies from a rape are a gift from God…
This nugget of wisdom is oft-trotted out by those who oppose legal abortion. According to Rick Santorum, rape definitely sucks but a baby enables a chick to “make the best of a bad situation.” Sounds like a solid plan, Rick. .…but rape kits ensure a woman will never have a baby in the first place!
Texas Rep. Jodie Laubenberg offered her thoughts on the concept of abortion in case of a rape: “"In the emergency room they have what's called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out.” Oh, really? Okay, Jodie. Carry on, then. And besides, sometimes good people are conceived in rape, so it's not THAT bad, right?
Mike Huckabee had a great point: sometimes people conceived by a rape grow up to be really awesome! Rape is “inexcusable and indefensible” but man, can it produce top-notch humans. Cool story, Mike! And just in case all this rape talk was getting you down, here’s a nice palate-cleanser… Silicone breast implants make a gal healthier!
Way back in the halcyon days of 2005, Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma made this adorable statement: “I thought I would just share with you what science says today about silicone breast implants. If you have them, you're healthier than if you don't.” Brang on those implants, Tom!