GAWKER reports Republican Senate nominee Todd Akin claims the female body is capable of warding off an unwanted pregnancy during a ‘legitimate rape’. What does that even mean? Many politicians have taken to including a woman’s body in their political agendas – a rather questionable move.
In efforts to gain constituents throughout the country and of course the support of their ‘pro-life’ followers, they feel taking shots at women is the way to go. They fail to realize women make up a large percentage of the voice in the United States.
The 2012 presidential elections are growing near and with that, many politicians are growing inpatient as they spew tasteless comments regarding women and their bodies. As human beings, women are strong creatures, but are they truly capable of controlling whether they want to get pregnant during a rape incident? Come on, what kind of a person legitimately makes that statement?
‘Legitimate rape’ ??
Todd Akin actually stated: “First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
What?? What is a ‘legitimate rape’? Having control of your body and what you want to do, whether sexually or otherwise, is something that is decided by the individual. Rape, in no way, ever constitutes a legitimate act. Power and control are part of the dynamics of rape, not healthy relationships.
The reality is that the control of something biological such as whether or not to get pregnant during a rape is something that is out of a woman’s control. Akin made these statements to build a case against a woman’s choice to have an abortion, should she choose to do so. The abortion debate has turned in one that apparently leads many to think they can tell women what they can and can’t do with their bodies.
Sources: GAWKER, TPM, The New Civil Rights Movement
Women are strong, capable of many things. But when people such as Todd Akin make such ludicrous statements that women can control their ability to get pregnant during a ‘legitimate rape’, it’s no wonder females continue to be abused, taken for granted, and still largely considered second rate cititizens.
Watch Rep. Todd Akin in this video:
What do you think of Republican Senate nominee Todd Akin’s statements about rape and women?
