Tag Archives: abortion

Kirk Cameron Defends Rep. Todd Akin On “The Today Show,” Obviously

Amelia McDonell-ParryAugust 21, 2012 //

Lemme think ... nope! Not gonna get it! Read More »

Kirk Ruined Sex For Me

An abstinence video starring Kirk Cameron ruined sex for writer. Read More »

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Kirk + Todd = Friends Forever

I am not even the teensiest bit surprised that Kirk Cameron, star of “Growing Pains” and well-known anti-choice/anti-gay marriage crusader, came to the defense of Rep. Todd Akin when he appeared on “The Today Show” this morning. They share the same values. Bros before hos who get raped and pregnant, right? Anyway, I am, however, intrigued that while Cameron noted Akin had apologized for “misspeaking” and lauded him for being a family man with six kids (emphasizing how many kids is odd to me — do children act as vouchers in heaven or something?), he never actually took a stance against anything Akin had said. Honestly, I think Kirk Cameron might still believe in the APRMT (Anti-Pregnancy Rape Mechanism Thingamajig), you guys. Eek.

Mike Huckabee Finds Silver Lining, Says Rape Can Result In Some “Extraordinary” People

Amelia McDonell-ParryAugust 21, 2012 //

An Exception For Rape

The problem with the anti-abortion movement's "rape exception." Read More »

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Akin's Defenders

Not everyone thinks what Rep. Todd Akin said is so bad! Read More »

STFU, Please

“[Gospel singer] Ethel Waters, for example, was the result of a forcible rape. I used to work for James Robison back in the 1970s, he leads a large Christian organization. He, himself, was the result of a forcible rape. And so I know it happens, and yet even from those horrible, horrible tragedies of rape, which are inexcusable and indefensible, life has come and sometimes, you know, those people are able to do extraordinary things.”

– Sit down, Mike Huckabee. No, really, sit down. First, I’m relieved that you are, apparently, not from the Rep. Todd Akin School of Thought which says “legitimate rape victims” spew pregnancy-preventing venom. That’s something, I suppose. And I’m not questioning the loveliness of the two people you used as examples of rape babies who grew up to be upstanding citizens. I am, however, questioning your insistence on turning lemons into lemonade when it comes to the subject of rape. No matter how sweet you try to make it sound, you might as well just make a list of awesome people the world wouldn’t have had without rape. Thanks, rapists, for giving us these extraordinary people! I mean, Ethel Waters! Imagine if her mother hadn’t been raped. Would have been a total bummer, right? Phew! Keep reading »

Rep. Todd Akin Asks For “Forgiveness,” Finally Admits Pregnancy Can Result From Rape

Amelia McDonell-ParryAugust 21, 2012 //

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Akin's Defenders

Not everyone thinks what Rep. Todd Akin said is so bad! Read More »

An Exception For Rape

The problem with the anti-abortion movement's "rape exception." Read More »

Todd Akin Asks For Forgiveness

Well, I guess I can finally put away my hand mirror. My wrist was starting cramp up and I think I threw out my back. See, I’ve spent the last 36 or so hours looking for my APRMT — that stands for Anti-Pregnancy Rape Mechanism Thingmajig — which Rep. Todd Akin said kicks in when a woman is “legitimately” raped in order to prevent pregnancy. But I guess, 36 hours later, he’s finally admitting rape can result for pregnancy and the APRMT doesn’t exist? Well, what took him so long? I mean, I know yesterday he clarified that he thinks rape is terrible. (How kind of him.) But it wasn’t until the message above, in which he asks for forgiveness, that he actually admits that the information he presented as FACT — that doctors had told him “the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down” — is actually not true. Thanks for getting around to it, Rep. Akin. I know you’re busy! Keep reading »

“Rape Is Rape”: President Obama On Rep. Todd Akin’s Ludicrous Comments

Julie GersteinAugust 20, 2012 //

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Akin's Defenders

Not everyone thinks what Rep. Todd Akin said is so bad! Read More »

Obama On Abortion

Read the president's statement about Roe Vs. Wade's 39th anniversary. Read More »

QUOTABLE

"Rape Is Rape"

“The views expressed were offensive. Rape is rape. And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn’t make sense to the American people and certainly doesn’t make sense to me. So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn’t have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women.”

– President Barack Obama, on completely asinine comments made by Representative Todd Akin over the weekend, that women who experience what Akin-termed as “legitimate rape” rarely get pregnant. In other news, feel free to send campaign contributions to Akin’s Senate opponent Claire McCaskill to make sure this bozo doesn’t get another term. [Huffington Post]

The Soapbox: The Problem With The Anti-Abortion Movement’s “Rape Exception”

Ava KrizevcanAugust 20, 2012 //

Akin's Rape Science

Rep. Todd Akin says "legitimate rape victims" don't get pregnant. Read More »

Mother Aborted Me?

This author explains why her mother should have aborted her. Read More »

It Was Rape

Help fund a documentary about sexual assault survivors. Read More »

This weekend, a Missouri Congressman and Senate candidate, Todd Akin, infuriated people everywhere when he claimed that victims of “legitimate rape” do not become pregnant. He was explaining his belief that abortion should be outlawed even in cases of rape. Apparently, Akin believes that the female body has ways to “shut that whole thing down,” if the woman involved didn’t really want to have sex. Nevermind that according to a 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, approximately 32,101 pregnancies occur due to rape every year in this country.

The response to Akin’s disgusting remarks has been fast. After the initial wave of outrage, the Congressman released a statement saying that he “misspoke” but continuing to defend his extreme views on abortion. Akin clarified, “I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action.” Keep reading »

Longtime Tennessee Abortion Clinic Forced To Close

Jessica WakemanAugust 17, 2012 //

A longtime abortion clinic in Tennessee is shutting down as the result of a new law called the Life Defense Act, which requires doctors have admitting privileges at local hospitals. The Volunteer Women’s Medical Center in Knoxville has provided women’s health care to TN women for 38 years but had to close because the only physician who had admitting privileges recently died and the clinic could not afford to stay open while other physicians obtained them. [Washington Post]
Twelve Democratic women running for office in the U.S. have already bested their competitors in fundraising. [Politico]
Chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov was arrested for protesting outside the Pussy Riot trial in Moscow today. The three band members were sentenced to two years in prison for “hooliganism.” [The Quietus]
Criminal prosecution of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, was dropped today. [KansasCity.com]
Keep reading »

Girl Talk: I Had An Abortion

EyelidAugust 17, 2012 //

Mother Aborted Me?

This author explains why her mother should have aborted her. Read More »

My Miscarriage

One writer discusses her miscarriage. Read More »

This Is My Body

This is a video anti-abortion activists need to see. Read More »

This piece first appeared on Eyelid’s LiveJournal and has been reprinted with her permission. You can read some clarifying background info here.

So uh, don’t freak out, but I was pregnant and had to have an abortion last weekend.

Yes, yes I know, my uterus is ruled by Murphy’s Law. Patrick and I both thought it was pretty funny, in that “oh, life” way, when it occurred to me a few days after I missed my period why I wasn’t bleeding.

Being first-trimester crazy (I have fits of horrific rage, I get depressed, I can’t sleep, I can’t concentrate) has made everything more difficult these last couple weeks. Having an abortion is really not that big of a deal, but it would be even less of a deal if one were not suffering from overhormones when it’s all going down.

I didn’t really waffle at all on it. Patrick and I are both exhausted. When we are at home dealing with the kids, someone constantly needs something (or many people need things at once), and then there’s cleaning up after four kids, etc. We already should do more for our kids than we do. There is no way we can deal with another pregnancy or baby on top of one-year-old twins, two older children, work, and life. I could feel Patrick’s terror at the thought; he’s already on his last nerve. It would also be very difficult to afford. and where would we put another baby? Keep reading »

Former Susan G. Komen Exec Karen Handel Writes Anti-Planned Parenthood Book

Jessica WakemanAugust 14, 2012 //

Grants Pulled

Susan G. Komen for the Cure has halted grants to Planned Parenthood. Read More »

Komen Site Hacked

Susan G. Komen for the Cure's web site was hacked. Read More »

Karen Handel Resigns

Karen Handel has left Komen after the funding controversy. Read More »

God bless America, the land where you can resign from your job in shame after doing something douchey and then turn around and blame it on the victim of your attack. I speak, of course, of Karen Handel, an anti-abortion ex-politician and former executive of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, who resigned in February after attempting to defund Planned Parenthood. Although Komen’s grants were only used for cancer screenings, PP was targeted because some clinics perform abortions.

Handel has signed a deal with Simon & Schuster for a book called Planned Bullyhood, out in September. Planned Bullyhood, huh? Because giving Pap smears to low-income women who have no other health care options is so bullying! “Glee” should do a dance number! Get Lady Gaga on the phone! Anti-abortion activists were born this way! Keep reading »

Girl Talk: I Wish My Mother Had Aborted Me

Lynn BeisnerAugust 14, 2012 //

Abortion Lies

CPCs scolded for misleading women about abortion. Read More »

My Miscarriage

One writer discusses her miscarriage. Read More »

Who's Paul Ryan?

Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Announces Rep. Paul Ryan As His Vice Presidential Pick

12 things to know about Mitt Romney's new running mate. Read More »

In this piece, reprinted with permission from Role/Reboot, Lynn Beisner explains the difference between the two phrases “The best choice for both my mother and me would have been abortion” and “I wish I had never been born.”

If there is one thing that anti-choice activists do that makes me see red, it is when they parade out their poster children: men, women, and children who were “targeted for abortion.” They tell us “these people would not be alive today if abortion had been legal or if their mothers had made a different choice.”

In the past couple of months, I have read two of these abortion deliverance stories that have been particularly offensive. The first story is one propagated by Rebecca Kiessling, the poster child for the no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. On her website Kiessling says that every time we say that abortion should be allowed at least in the case of rape or incest we are saying to her: “If I had my way, you’d be dead right now.” She goes onto say, “I absolutely would have been aborted if it had been legal in Michigan when I was an unborn child, and I can tell you that it hurts [when people say that abortion should be legal.]” Keep reading »

Paul Ryan: 12 Things To Know About Mitt Romney’s VP Pick

Amelia McDonell-ParryAugust 11, 2012 //

Happy Saturday, folks! Did you hear? Mitt Romney has announced his running mate for the presidential election — Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI). Let’s get to know him, shall we? Keep reading »