Am I the only one who gets the feeling

[unreadierLizard]

the following few days will be a bit....hostile in the General Discussion forums?

I mean, with the whole "men say women lawmakers can't say vagina!" debate. I know when the whole abortion/contraception thing was brought up, I felt REALLY awkward to post there because some of the threads there were just...I dunno, hostile.

I obviously don't support Republican stupidity, but...yeah.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. I think lawmakers should say vagina, and I am 100% pro choice and pro contraception access.

So, nah, I don't see a problem, personally.

[unreadierLizard]

3. Well, so am I.

But when it comes to issues like these, I often see certain posters makings weeping generalizations of the male sex that really make me uncomfortable.

[Warren Stupidity]

2. No. By which I mean yes you are likely in a vast minority here.

[4th law of robotics]

4. Yeah it's gotten pretty intense

adding in the heckler guy didn't help.

And, not that this makes it ok but for the sake of accuracy, that woman was censured for implying rape rather than simply for saying the word vagina.


“I’m flattered you’re all so concerned about my vagina. But no means no.”

[noamnety]

5. Sometimes it helps to keep things in perspective.

Making it illegal for a woman to NOT carry a fetus to term when it's the product of rape vs. feeling a little uncomfortable in some threads because of the victims of that legislation are pissed off ...

Maybe letting people be angry about it isn't such a burden, you know?

[unreadierLizard]

6. I don't think anyone here

implied that women should not be angry. Hell, I think it's utterly buffoonish stupidity at it's finest.

But following the pattern of some of the threads in this forum when women's issues are brought up, it tends to bring out a few posters who like to lump in all men as supporting the "male privilege party" of the GOP, among other things.

[lumberjack_jeff]

7. The dog who gets kicked when the master gets home from a tough day at work

... may have a hard time keeping that perspective.

Letting people be angry about republicans attempts to outlaw abortion or limit access to contraception or generally being jackasses isn't the issue. We're all angry about those things.

The problem is what some people are doing with that anger. The point of politics is getting people to support your cause, not taking out your frustrations on them.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. I think a productive approach is reasoned reminders that we all want the same things.

God, i flew all the way across the ountry for the march for womens lives... I have been a tireless advocate for reproductive freedom my whole adult life. When anger is epressed at some asshat religious right legislator, i dont take it personally. And are women mad at the men (and women) who would presume to tell them what to do with their own bodies?

Absolutely, and i dont blame them one bit.

I think the rational thing to do is delineate the difference between us people who support choice and freedom, and the puritans of all stripes who want to impose their decisions on other people.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

9. I wouldn't worry too much

I'm sure Ann Coulter or Jan Brewer will say something vile to add to the din, and every gender can feel shame.