Not a war on women - A war on humanity!

Just when I said I am going to change the name because I don't really rant on Rho's Rants.  Here comes one bubbling up from the bottoms of my feet.  And I am pissed about it.  I was going to title this "Conception Begins at Erection" (Curtis laughed and asked where I had heard that?  I MADE IT UP because that is how ridiculous all of this sounds to me), but that isn't really what this is about.

Just calling what is going on by old, white, legislators a "war on women" is wrong.  Let's call it what it is -- A WAR ON HUMANITY.  And if we are not paying attention, we will be the boiled frog.  You know what I am talking about?  The adage that if you put a frog in boiling water, they will jump out immediately. But if you put that same frog in a pot with water that just keeps getting hotter and hotter that it will cook to death before it realizes that it is in the heat.  THAT is what this feels like to me.

Here are some examples I came across this week that I felt were "worthy" to share:

Wisconsin repealed the Equal Pay State Legislation that makes it illegal in the state of Wisconsin to pay a woman a different rate than a man for the same work.  The argument by the governor is that there are federal laws that take care of that.  I know doing the work that I have done for many years, that while federal legislation is great, state laws have more merit when it comes to follow through and prosecution.

Another example from this week is a question and answer session with Virginia House Speaker Howell.  It is apparent in the video (link above) that he is uncomfortable with her line of questioning and instead of answering her questions he starts to belittle her. Telling her that he must use "littler words so she can understand him".  I call douche bag!

Arizona just passed a law signed by Governor Brewer that life "begins two weeks before conception".  That doesn't even make scientific sense.  But we probably shouldn't let science get in the way of this intelligent discussion huh?  That might have too many big words in it for our wee little brains to handle.

I could go ON and ON and ON and ON with examples, but they really serve no purpose other than to make me very upset and illustrate how the heat is being turned up and we are going to be boiled alive.

I am currently reading a book called Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women.  The link is the NY Times review.  The title comes from a proverb that says WOMEN and GIRLS hold up "HALF THE SKY" in the world.  But their point is that in countries where women are oppressed - sold into slavery - sexual or labor, there will likely be more incidents of war, famine, and poverty.  As the review states, the book starts off with:

          “Gendercide,” the daily slaughter of girls in the developing world, steals more lives in any given decade “than all the genocides of the 20th century.”


That line alone blew me out of the water.  We focus so much on the casualties of war, but pay no attention to these victims around the world that are sold at the tender young ages of 7, 8, 9 - not exaggerating.  The families of these young girls are told that they are going to be "working" in fruit markets or as housekeepers and then they get to the city and are forced to have sex with men and the money stays with the person (usually a woman) that purchased them.  Why the girls?  They have young boys too?  Why are they not sold?  The authors so eloquently (better than me) point out that "girl's don't matter".  They are "less than" so it makes it easier to sell them.  GENDERCIDE!


The book spends a lot of time talking about maternal birth rates and poverty and how we as a "civilized" country do nothing about these world atrocities.  That millions of girls just "disappear" each year and we do nothing about it.


So HERE is where my rant comes in.  We spend so much time arguing pro-choice, pro-life, pro-abortion, pro-WHATEVER!  Can we please spend as much time working on even addressing the issue of the GENDERCIDE?  Informing the world about this war on humanity?  


But it leads to me to make the connection between the poverty rates in the United States that mostly affect women and children and this increased pressure on women to "conform" to standards of ridiculousness.  The ridiculous "vaginal ultrasounds" before a woman can have an abortion.  The expectation that everyone that has to make this AWFUL choice is having a party and celebrating is completely and utterly WRONG!  I will state right now, that I don't believe in abortion.  I DO believe that a person has a right to choose what happens with their bodies.  I DO believe that this medical procedure is currently legal in the United States.  And God help you if you Mr. Gray Haired White Man would ever have to make this life changing decision.  Judgement is not yours!


The fight going on in the Senate right NOW with the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act - This should be a bipartisan NO BRAINER.  But it has turned into a political mine field and threatens the lives of so many women, children, and men.  Iowa's own Senator Grassley is in the fore-front of this fight and on the wrong side in my opinion.  It has become ridiculously political.


Okay - my brain is calming down.  Mostly because I am on medication for a terrible ear ache and now I am just tired.   What do I want you to do?  

• Read this book.  It is amazing and eye opening and disturbing and inspirational
• GET INFORMED! Not just from one news source.  In fact - not news at all - read alternate websites, books that have scientific research on the matter, and form your own opinions.
• Speak out
• MOST OF ALL VOTE!  Women can not stay home this election year.  We must ascend on the polls as if there is a revolution

Speaking of REVOLUTION!  That coming together of all women would have those White Haired Old Men shitting themselves on a daily basis.  Don't let them convince you that REVOLUTION isn't sexy or REVOLUTION isn't lady like or REVOLUTION is angry.  I AM F&$CKING ANGRY!  So let's get it started!  REVOLUTION!


AND DON'T BE A BOILING FROG!  The water is getting HOT!  JUMP MY FRIENDS!  JUMP!!!!!!