I’ve written two pieces about Rick Santorum and his offensive quotes about women, but he’s not the only culprit of misogyny in the 2012 election. There has been a slew of right-wingers coming out saying really sexiest things. On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh called a law student a “slut” for testifying in the birth control mandate. He went on to say a few choice things about her and the other students that had partaken in this event.
When Mitt Romney, who is *also* running for President, was asked what he thought of Limbaugh’s quote, Romney said, “I’ll just say this, which is, it’s not the language I would have used.” And that’s just it. Even Newt Gingrich condemed Limbaugh for name-calling, but yet, one of the front runners for the 2012 Presidential Election simply says,”it’s not the language I would have used.” What would he have used? It’s hard to imagine that this is actually an issue in the year 2012, but here we are.
My stance on birth control has been clearly stated: it’s a blessing. I need it for medical reasons, and the fact that I probably can’t get pregnant on it is just a plus. I take birth control even when I’m not having sex because again, I medically need it. So, would I still be a slut because I need birth control? Guess so.
Are Rush Limbaugh, Romney, and Santorum so ignorant to the fact that a pill that has been around since the 1950′s (with the knowledge since the 1930′s that hormones prevented ovulation in rabbits) can do more than just let women have sex without pregnancy? These statements are ignorant and extremely irritating – the fact is a women who cares about herself, her health, her career, her needs, would be considered less than a respectable woman. To call someone a slut because they’re not ready to be a mother is dismissive. It’s a way of saying “you’re not the woman I want you be, so there for you are trash.” These are the men running for President and broadcasting this hate and ignorance through our radio-waves.
Encouraging, isn’t it?
