Fundamentalist Christians are convinced that contemporary American society is the World's Most Spectacular Display of hideously mutated, diseased and anomalous freaks. "Step right up folks!" the preacher yells, "and witness a grotesque parade of ho-mo-sex-uals, lesbians, Wiccans, radical feminists, godless liberals, secular humanists, and ... (congregation gasps) Muslim extremists!"
Anti-choicers have taken to claiming that women shouldn't have contraception, because "pregnancy isn't a disease". This makes as much sense as saying women shouldn't have access to exercise, because being out of shape isn't a disease.
Over and over and over again people tell me to leave religion out of the debate over abortion. "Many Christians believe in the right to abortion, at least in cases of rape or incest," I am often told, "So, why alienate them by bringing up religion?"
Autumn Sandeen explains how transphobia could hurt renewed ERA efforts. Rick Perry's campaign dogged by sexual health issues, and Arizona forces three clinics to stop providing abortion.
How do you tell a partner that you're not comfortable with something they want to do, whether you have sexual abuse in your history or not? You tell them you're not comfortable with something they want to do.
The population problem is all about me: white, middle-class, American me. Well-meaning people have told me that I'm "just the sort of person who should have kids." Au contraire. I'm just the sort of person who should not have kids.
