In a show of solidarity with Michigan State Representative Lisa Brown (D) who was banned indefinitely from speaking on the House floor because the male House leader "took offense" to her use of the word "vagina" while addressing legislation involving just that, I have chosen to write about the body part that enabled a lot of you the honor of celebrating today, Father's Day.
I find it ridiculous that grown men in the year 2012 are uncomfortable hearing the correct medical term VAGINA. What's even more reprehensible is that these same men have no problems writing legislation requiring women seeking abortions to have a transvaginal ultrasound. Before I get a bunch of "hate-comments" from my loving family, I will say this: I am not at all an advocate for abortion. I am not a member of any pro-choice groups. Likewise, I am not a member of any pro-life groups. I do not carry placards for either side of the Roe v. Wade controversy. I have never had an abortion, nor would I. Personally, I feel like the law was written and upheld now since 1973 and no amount of protesting in the damn near 40 years that the law has been on the books has made even one iota of difference. So, there are plenty of others who disagree with me. That's fine. If you find that abortion is wrong, don't have one. Teach your kids abstinence and to be responsible and not to have abortions. That's what I'm doing.
But having a man, who doesn't have and never will have a vagina, dictate that one of the most invasive and horribly intrusive forms of ultrasound be performed on a woman before she can have an abortion, is just insanity. I had one of these procedures done when I was spotting during my third pregnancy. The ultrasound technician, a man, performed the procedure as though he were grinding the gearshift in his 1974 Ford Pinto because he hadn't bothered to press down on the clutch. I remember him saying several times, "I just need to get a look over here." And the phallic shaped device poked even harder into my cervix. What came of all this? Well, I felt like I had been raped with an inanimate object while viewing it on a monitor by some pimply faced technician who had the sensitivity of a hungry gorilla poking through a "box" of "hairy tacos" in search of one little bean. (Yeah, puns intended...that's why those words are in parentheses.)
I went home and my spotting had turned to bleeding and then to full on hemorrhage requiring an emergency D&C procedure when my blood pressure had dropped to 40/20. I was twelve weeks pregnant when I
"miscarried." I have refused to have a transvaginal ultrasound ever since.
So here's the thing that makes me so angry about the situation in the Michigan State House of Representatives. People who don't want their taxes to pay for abortions are okay with paying for forced intrusive procedures and then their taxes pay for abortions. OR their taxes don't pay for the abortions but because they don't want anyone to have abortions, even though the US Supreme Court upheld the legality of abortion back in 1973, they're going to be vindictive and punish those abortion seekers via a forced invasive procedure that their tax money IS going to pay for. (Scratching my head now.) Is the issue the money? Or is it punishment? I haven't figured it out yet. It's seemingly a case of "You shouldn't have screwed around and gotten pregnant and there's nothing we can do about it legally to keep you from aborting. So we're gonna literally screw you, too, with an inanimate object and force you to watch from the inside out...at our expense." WHATTTT????!
Seems to me the GOP has lost its "family values" leg to stand on.
So, when a female member of the Michigan State House is banned from speaking on the House floor indefinitely because she used the word VAGINA and the House Leader found it "offensive," I begin to wonder. Had she used the term "HOO-HOO," "snatch," "bearded clam," "gash," "slit," or "lady junk"
would he have been any less offended? If referring to her "pee-pee," "baby-chute," "love hole," or "carnal canyon of happiness," by its PROPER ANATOMICAL NAME makes him so uncomfortable, perhaps he should reconsider legislating as to what goes into it. (Also, if I were the gambling type, I would be willing to bet that the same dude nervous over the word VAGINA doesn't have any qualms about any up-close and personal shots of one while he's watching his favorite free internet porn site.) I'm just saying.
Oh, and Happy Fathers Day.
I find it ridiculous that grown men in the year 2012 are uncomfortable hearing the correct medical term VAGINA. What's even more reprehensible is that these same men have no problems writing legislation requiring women seeking abortions to have a transvaginal ultrasound. Before I get a bunch of "hate-comments" from my loving family, I will say this: I am not at all an advocate for abortion. I am not a member of any pro-choice groups. Likewise, I am not a member of any pro-life groups. I do not carry placards for either side of the Roe v. Wade controversy. I have never had an abortion, nor would I. Personally, I feel like the law was written and upheld now since 1973 and no amount of protesting in the damn near 40 years that the law has been on the books has made even one iota of difference. So, there are plenty of others who disagree with me. That's fine. If you find that abortion is wrong, don't have one. Teach your kids abstinence and to be responsible and not to have abortions. That's what I'm doing.
But having a man, who doesn't have and never will have a vagina, dictate that one of the most invasive and horribly intrusive forms of ultrasound be performed on a woman before she can have an abortion, is just insanity. I had one of these procedures done when I was spotting during my third pregnancy. The ultrasound technician, a man, performed the procedure as though he were grinding the gearshift in his 1974 Ford Pinto because he hadn't bothered to press down on the clutch. I remember him saying several times, "I just need to get a look over here." And the phallic shaped device poked even harder into my cervix. What came of all this? Well, I felt like I had been raped with an inanimate object while viewing it on a monitor by some pimply faced technician who had the sensitivity of a hungry gorilla poking through a "box" of "hairy tacos" in search of one little bean. (Yeah, puns intended...that's why those words are in parentheses.)
I went home and my spotting had turned to bleeding and then to full on hemorrhage requiring an emergency D&C procedure when my blood pressure had dropped to 40/20. I was twelve weeks pregnant when I
"miscarried." I have refused to have a transvaginal ultrasound ever since.
So here's the thing that makes me so angry about the situation in the Michigan State House of Representatives. People who don't want their taxes to pay for abortions are okay with paying for forced intrusive procedures and then their taxes pay for abortions. OR their taxes don't pay for the abortions but because they don't want anyone to have abortions, even though the US Supreme Court upheld the legality of abortion back in 1973, they're going to be vindictive and punish those abortion seekers via a forced invasive procedure that their tax money IS going to pay for. (Scratching my head now.) Is the issue the money? Or is it punishment? I haven't figured it out yet. It's seemingly a case of "You shouldn't have screwed around and gotten pregnant and there's nothing we can do about it legally to keep you from aborting. So we're gonna literally screw you, too, with an inanimate object and force you to watch from the inside out...at our expense." WHATTTT????!
Seems to me the GOP has lost its "family values" leg to stand on.
So, when a female member of the Michigan State House is banned from speaking on the House floor indefinitely because she used the word VAGINA and the House Leader found it "offensive," I begin to wonder. Had she used the term "HOO-HOO," "snatch," "bearded clam," "gash," "slit," or "lady junk"
would he have been any less offended? If referring to her "pee-pee," "baby-chute," "love hole," or "carnal canyon of happiness," by its PROPER ANATOMICAL NAME makes him so uncomfortable, perhaps he should reconsider legislating as to what goes into it. (Also, if I were the gambling type, I would be willing to bet that the same dude nervous over the word VAGINA doesn't have any qualms about any up-close and personal shots of one while he's watching his favorite free internet porn site.) I'm just saying.
Oh, and Happy Fathers Day.
THANK YOU!!
ReplyDeleteAmen.
ReplyDeleteI actually hadn't heard about this and can't even believe what I'm reading!! That is crazy!! I am so sorry for the horrible experience you had to go through too. Well all I can say is applaud, applaud and well written!!! you rock!
ReplyDelete