OK, everybody, I have some really shocking news. I know this is going to really hurt some people, but I can’t keep this to myself any longer. So, here goes: Being antiwomen goes hand in hand with being antigay. I thought it best that you hear it from me.
If you hear someone spouting that we need to ban birth control and force women to have babies no matter goddamned what, chances are good this is not a person cool with two dudes marrying each other.
Case in point: U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.), who has been getting burned by the media spotlight non-stop since he uttered his woefully ignorant comments about how women don’t get pregnant from rape unless it’s a “legitimate rape” [because] “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Just in case there is any confusion, Akin’s statement is not true. It is, however, crazy enough to be defended by notable Republicans including Mike Huckabee (also an opponent of gay rights), who went on the record to say that rape babies are awesome for everyone involved (I’m paraphrasing a little bit).
Wiser Republicans have urged Akin to drop out of the race. But they’re not that wise considering that the official party platform contains a radical antiabortion provision that is in line with Akin’s belief that there should be no exceptions for rape or incest.
And not surprisingly, that same Republican Party platform contains anti-gay language as well, giving a party-wide thumbs-up to an antigay-marriage amendment to the United States Constitution.
No doubt Akin is very pleased with this provision, as it echoes his own record.
According to Michelangelo Signorile, “Akin voted for a federal marriage amendment twice … voted against repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ (twice) and against a federal hate-crimes law to protect LGBT individuals (twice).”
In 2006, Akin gave a speech on the House floor about marriage equality. “From a practical point of view, to preserve our civilization and society, it’s important for us to preserve marriage,” he said. “Anybody who knows something about the history of the human race knows that there is no civilization which has condoned homosexual marriage widely and openly that has long survived.”
I’m not sure what civilizations he’s referring to. Akin is, apparently, talking about some kind of mythical place where homos were the norm. Since “anybody who knows something about the history of the human race” is supposed to know all about this homo-collapse phenomenon, I guess I know absolutely nothing. Or maybe he forgot to insert the word “pretend” between “something” and “about.”
But there’s nothing pretend about the Republican Party’s disdain for gays and lesbians. Or women. Akin may be getting all of the attention, but he is but a symptom of the disease. Today’s GOP doesn’t want the government to be part of your life, unless it’s deciding what is “legitimate” in your most personal and private life. They decide what is a “legitimate” rape, what is “legitimate” sex between consenting adults and what constitutes a “legitimate” marriage.
Akin is a poster boy for a party that believes you are a person deserving of rights only while you’re in the womb. After that, fuck off. Actually, wait. Fucking of any kind is probably not considered “legitimate.” But then, neither should the Republican Party.
D’Anne Witkowski has been gay for pay since 2003. She’s a freelance writer and poet (believe it!). When she’s not taking on the creeps of the world, she reviews rock ’n’ roll shows in Detroit with her twin sister.