Post by heightsyankee on Jun 14, 2012 17:01:24 GMT -5
Female Legislator Who Dared Say ‘Vagina’ During Abortion Debate Banned From Speaking on House Floor
After offending Majority Floor Leader Jim Stamas by using the offensively medically accurate word "vagina" in an impassioned floor speech opposing Michigan's draconian new abortion law, State Representative Lisa Brown was banned indefinitely from speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives. Her colleague Barb Byrum, another passionate pro-choice elected official, was also served with an indefinite Shut The Fuck Up order from the the male-lead body. Apparently, during Michigan's War on Women, ladies aren't even allowed to serve in combat.
Byrum and Brown joined several of their female colleagues in voicing their vehement opposition to Michigan's anti-abortion bill, a steaming pile of misogyny that would criminalize all abortions after 20 weeks' gestation in all cases (so, if you had some terribly severe birth defects, too bad, sister — you carry that dead baby until that dead baby decides to be born) and contains no exceptions for the woman's health. It also straps abortion providing facilities with new burdens designed solely to make it a pain in the ass for them to operate.
As you might expect, debate's been heated. Hundreds of women have flooded the capitol to protest the bill's careless fast tracking, ham-fisted paternalism, and disingenuous concern mongering. Yesterday, before the bill was passed by the House, several female state representatives stood up to voice their opposition to the proposal. And two of them got a little too uppity for the male Speaker's taste. Want to get mad? Of course you do. Anger is the only way you know how to feel feelings anymore. Read on; it gets worse.
Rather than be a manly man and tell the women to their face that they had upset the Speaker, Bolger acted like a mincing, spineless ninny and relayed the women's speaking ban through their party's House leader. He gave no explanation as to why the women were banned, so both are left guessing (and fuming) today.
Byrum's silencing is a little more cut and dry than Brown's; she spoke out of turn (after trying, unsuccessfully, to be recognized to speak), which is technically a violation of House rules, which means that the Speaker was within his rights to reprimand her. But legislators speak out of turn fairly regularly, and only rarely are they told to sit down and shut up, officially.
I spoke with Rep. Lisa Brown, who was on the floor of the Michigan State House when we talked (because it's not like she was allowed to participate in any debates today, right!? Cry.). She's confused about what she did to offend the Man-Gods who want to run Michigan's uteruses, but she's got a couple of theories. During yesterday's speech, she mentioned her Jewish faith, which she thought might have irked Republicans. But more plausible is the explanation that it was her use of the medically accurate, anatomically correct word "vagina" during the debate ("I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but no means no.") grossed her male colleagues out. "What word should I have said?" she asked. Apparently, "vagina" is another v-word that Must Not Be Named. Like Voldemort.
Brown's looking into her post-ban legal options, as her inability to speak on the floor of the House means that her constituents are effectively unable to have their Representative weigh in. Both women have been told (through their party leader because Michigan Republicans are trying to break the douchebaggery land speed record) that the ban is indefinite.
Women have been absent from the debate around a bill that seeks to govern their bodies from Day 1. During committee, no pro-choice women were allowed to speak. Planned Parenthood was barred from testifying. And now this — two pro-choice female legislators all-out banned from voicing an opinion on the state's role in their anatomy. This is un-fucking-believable, and inexcusable. To borrow a phrase from my grandmother, Michigan Republicans should be ashamed of themselves.
Let this be a lesson to you, women: shut up and let men do all the deciding about your bodies.
I'm going on the assumption that this is an accurate portrayal of events (which is kind of a leap of faith for me given the source--Jezebel, not OP).
I'm calling shenanigans. An indefinite ban? Even if the ban is for speaking out of turn, it shouldn't be indefinite. That's crazytalk.
Hey, Male Republicans? Hi, I'm a female Republican voter, and I don't like it when you don't let people speak, even if they're not on "our" side (although in this instance, you are on your own...I want no part of bills like this one.)
Post by earlgreyhot on Jun 14, 2012 18:27:01 GMT -5
If if this story is exaggerated it's still scary. It makes me sick to my stomach that these bills are passing left and right, and now to say that "vagina" is offensive??
This is ridiculous. In almost all public school health curriculums the kids are taught to use vagina and penis rather than alternative/nickname words.
And how can you ban someone from speaking - just not call on them or acknowledge them during committee and floor discussions?
My mom works in early childhood education and they encourage using the words penis and vagina as well. Because if a child tells a teacher that an adult touches them in their whammy wham, the teacher won't know what that means. It's not only medically correct, it's a safety issue.
Their job may be to give a voice to their constituents, but two Michigan state representatives had to do that job silently today after they were banned from speaking on the House floor.
Representatives Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum, both Democrats, were barred from participating in debates Thursday because they were “disrupting decorum” during debate on Wednesday over three bills that would put restrictions on abortions, said Ari Adler, spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger.
The cause of Brown’s gag order was this statement, which she made during a floor speech opposing a bill that would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks: “I’m flattered that you’re all so interested in my vagina, but no means no.”
Byrum’s speaking privileges were revoked after the state congresswoman shouted multiple times at the legislature’s chairman that she should be given a chance to speak on her amendment, a chance she was not given during debate Wednesday.
“This is yet another example of this Republican majority’s misogynistic and cowardly tactics,” Brown said in a statement. “Regardless of their reasoning, this is a violation of my First Amendment rights and directly impedes my ability to serve the people who elected me into office.”
Adler said the Republican leadership’s verbal order barring the two representatives from speaking was nothing new in the Michigan state house.
“It was a rather common practice when House Democrats had control and would not recognize any Republicans to speak,” Adler said.
The Democrats were just as up in arms about why they were prohibited from speaking as they were that their speaking privileges were being revoked.
“If they are going to legislate my anatomy, I see no reason why I cannot mention it,” Brown said of her choice to use the word “vagina.”
But Adler insisted Brown was not being reprimanded because of the word, but rather because of the context, which he said was “inappropriate.”
The representatives’ outbursts came during a day of heated debate over a bill that would implement screenings to see if doctors were coercing patients to get abortions, mandate in-person consultations with a physician before women can purchase the morning-after pill, and increase the licensing and insurance requirements for abortion-performing doctors and clinics.
The bill passed the House on Wednesday and the Senate is expected to begin debating it in the fall.
Post by basilosaurus on Jun 14, 2012 20:43:16 GMT -5
What was inappropriate about the context? Should she have said hoo-ha? Is vagina only supposed to be used by a doc? In the privacy of your own home? Tell me, when is the context wrong to use the medically appropriate term for a body part?
Her context was entirely appropriate. These politicians need to acknowledge that attached to all of that female anatomy is a real woman, just like the women standing up to speak about the issue before them. She said, 'my vagina,' because when they legislate the reproductive rights of women then she's included in that group. They're making legislation about what happens in her uterus and her vagina.
Her statement was clear, accurate, poignant, and appropriate. They just didn't like it.
What was inappropriate about the context? Should she have said hoo-ha? Is vagina only supposed to be used by a doc? In the privacy of your own home? Tell me, when is the context wrong to use the medically appropriate term for a body part?
When you are using said diction to assert your bodily autonomy. However, it is entirely appropriate to say it-- often-- when planning mandatory ultrasound laws. HTH.
But Adler insisted Brown was not being reprimanded because of the word, but rather because of the context, which he said was “inappropriate.”
Oh, so that context was inappropriate, got it. You know what else is inappropriate in context? THE ENTIRE FUCKING BILL YOU ASSHOLES
:Y:
What other context could there possibly be? She used the word in pretty much the context one would imagine given the topic of this debate, which to be fair she obviously was not in control of.
Her context was entirely appropriate. These politicians need to acknowledge that attached to all of that female anatomy is a real woman, just like the women standing up to speak about the issue before them. She said, 'my vagina,' because when they legislate the reproductive rights of women then she's included in that group. They're making legislation about what happens in her uterus and her vagina.
Her statement was clear, accurate, poignant, and appropriate. They just didn't like it.
I can't really comment on the main point because I'm too enraged and exhausted all at the same time, but I had no idea that representatives could actually be banned from speaking. I am curious how often that actually happens - seems like a serious threat to democracy when our politicians are as polarized as they are these days.
25 Republican-Approved Ways to Say ‘Vagina’ Without Offending Political Pussies
Yesterday, two female state representatives in Michigan were banned indefinitely from speaking on the floor of the State House because they refused to fall in line during a debate about abortion. The Republican who banned Reps. Lisa Brown and Barb Byrum said some nonsense about "decorum," and another GOP-er took offense at her use of "no means no." But this excuse doesn't make a lot of sense, and so the women have been left to speculate about the real reason they were given the boot. Byrum spoke out of turn, but Brown's most egregious crime seems to be using the word "vagina" in the presence of delicate Republican man-ears. So what's a female legislator trying to defend her vagina against government intrusion to do?
Infantile slang! Here are 50 ways that Michigan women can use to refer to their "special husband zone" around men who find medically accurate words for women's anatomy offensive, and suggested ways to use them in a sentence.
1. Love cave Honey, can you go buy me some tampons at the store? My love cave is bleeding.
2. Baby chute When I get home from work, I want you to put your mouth on my baby chute.
3. Forbidden area It may seem unfair that Adam makes more money than Molly simply because Molly has a forbidden area, but that's the way of the world.
4. Basement The President inserted a cigar into Ms Lewinsky's basement, then put the cigar in his mouth and said: "It tastes good"
5. Kid factory Did you hear that Virginia passed a law requiring trans-kid factory ultrasounds for women seeking abortion?
6. Sin gash My roommate's not going out tonight because she has a yeast infection in her sin gash.
7. [uncomfortable silence] Mr. Speaker, I'm uncomfortable with the government's sudden interest in my [uncomfortable silence].
8. Man trap Car insurance costs less because having a man trap makes you less reckless.
9. Hermetically sealed shame basket Luckily, her gynecologist made sure to be gentle when prodding her hermetically sealed shame basket.
10. Spousehole If I wanted the government in my spousehole, I'd fuck a Senator.
11. Schmegina I can't help it if I have a heavy flow and a wide-set schmegina.
12. Mystery machine Don't use flavored lube to make your mystery machine taste better.
13. Rape invitation After sleeping with a man who claimed to be Joe Francis, Laura began experiencing discomfort in her rape invitation.
14. Wide receiver Inez isn't a slut; but her wide receiver is rarely unoccupied.
15. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil Why is it that men think that women really love it when they jackhammer the shit out of their Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?
16. Untapped resource If you want to be tough, grow an untapped resource. Those things can take a pounding.
17. Inferiority complex After a particularly difficult delivery, a woman's inferiority complex may need a few stitches.
18. Spaghetti junction After a romantic weekend at a bed and breakfast, Helen's spaghetti junction needed a break.
19. Despair The cool thing about this new vibrator is that it stimulates all of the most sensitive parts of your despair.
20. God's stab wound He told me I had the prettiest God's stab wound he'd ever seen.
21. Penis house I want to try using a Diva Cup, but I fear that my penis house is oddly shaped.
22. The not-so-fresh place Moving from phonetics to etymology, ‘the not-so-fresh place' originates from a word meaning sheath for a sword.
23. Pelvic interior As compensation for their labors, men are given periodic use of a woman's pelvic interior.
24. Kant So few men understand how to navigate Kant.
25. Vulva
So there you have it! Nice, sanitized words for ladyparts that won't scare Republicans. But a word of advice, for future reference: if you can't bring yourself to say the name of the thing you're trying to legislate, you should probably just let that shit go. It was never yours to begin with.
"'What she said was offensive," said Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville. 'It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women. I would not say that in mixed company.'"
"'What she said was offensive," said Rep. Mike Callton, R-Nashville. 'It was so offensive, I don't even want to say it in front of women. I would not say that in mixed company.
WHOA.
VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA VAGINA. Nope, still not offesive.