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Media Blackout on Anti-Choice Campaigns

Posted by Amanda Marcotte, Pandagon at 8:23 AM on June 3, 2008.


Only alternative media is reporting on the activities of anti-choice activists
birthcontrol

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As I expected, the American Life League coming clean about their desires to ban the birth control pill with their “Pill Kills” campaign has had the intended effect of making it easier for those of us who’ve been busting our asses trying to get out the word that the anti-choice community is not all that worried about fetal life, and far more concerned about returning women to a life where the threat of unplanned pregnancy hangs over our heads day and night. Like Dr. Dana Stone wrote in her guest post at Feministing:

Call it nostalgia for the good old days, when men were men, sex was unspeakable, and women lived in fear of unintended pregnancies.

Well, sex was unspeakable to women, and I suspect that’s because it was largely viewed as something degrading you do to women, even as some people privately experienced it as a fun “couples’ activity”.  As I mention in this week’s podcast, I was impressed by Rick Perlstein’s descriptions in Nixonland of the sex panic that ensued when comprehensive sex education became a staple in many schools.  One man bragged about how he had never spoken of sex to his wife in 17 years of marriage.  I suppose the nightly wife degradations were something that they pretended didn’t happen?  Related in the book: Laws against pornography in many states had an exception for stag parties, where men got together in woman-free environments like the Lion’s Club to watch pornographic films together.  Hearings against pornography back then usually featured an opportunity for congressmen to get together to watch the films and hoot and have a good time. That speaks volumes, I think, about the world that anti-choicers want back.

It’s a ripe opportunity to get out the truth about the anti-choice movement and their desires to disempower women from our ability to prevent pregnancy as well as terminate it. Dan Savage mentioned it on his podcast, as a reminder to straight people that the same assholes who want to ban gay marriage aren’t letting you off the hook because you mix and match.  Unfortunately, the mainstream media hasn’t run with this story.  The Chicago Tribune allowed Katha Pollitt to talk about it,* but I didn’t see much else.  The protest day is June 7th, so maybe there will be an uptick?  I’m not holding my breath, though.  One of my biggest frustrations is the media blackout on the basic facts about the anti-choice movement.  I suspect they’re scared of being accused of being in the pocket of the feminazi conspiracy if they don’t agree to keep the campaign against birth control on the down low.

*You can read the two of us go back and forth on feminism and politics from the link on this page all week.

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Tagged as: anti-choice, media, women


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Great blog post, thanks
Posted by: Lauren on Jun 3, 2008 9:57 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was just thinking yesterday about gay marriage and this women must be kept down attitude.

I realized it is another unspoken reason to keep gay marriage outlawed.

Gay marriage is going to legally look like a marriage of equals, so the effort preserving the 'sanctity of marriage', is actually an attempt to preserving the sanctity of the master/slave relationship that the marriage relationship has already inserted into our law.

Perverse, isn't it? But you got to admire their tenacity.

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So Little Coverage
Posted by: JSquercia on Jun 3, 2008 10:44 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I am also concerned about the lack of coverage given to the fact that these groups NOT only want to ban abortion but are actively opposed to idea of Birth Control PERIOD .
The whole issue of Privacy rights came up due to a Conneticut case Griswall vrs Connecticut in which a MARRIED couple could not obtain Birth Control .
Nothing so illustrates the Neanderthal Thinking of these people than their reaction to Gardasol which will help protect Girls against the virus that causes Cervical Cancer . They would rather have the "sluts" get Cervical Cancer than have them protected . Their attitude is that making the injection available will encourage Sexual Activity nd this must be stopped at ALL cost and if a few sexually active girls die so be it . Jesus would be so PROUD of these people

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» RE: So Little Coverage Posted by: Lauren
Amanda Nails It
Posted by: Arlene on Jun 3, 2008 2:19 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I remember those days. Even though I am post menopause, I will still do everything I can to reverse the backsliding that has occurred with reproductive rights in America.

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ITS NOT A BLACKOUT
Posted by: mindtrvlr on Jun 5, 2008 3:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
IT'S IS CENSORSHIP

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ITS NOT A BLACKOUT
Posted by: mindtrvlr on Jun 5, 2008 3:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
IT'S IS CENSORSHIP

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