Eight female state senators in Georgia walked out of the Senate chambers on Wednesday to protest two bills that hinder access to abortion and contraceptives. All eight female democratic senators left the chambers together after two bills they oppose passed the Republican-led Senate. From Atlanta’s WXIA, the legislation:
- Prohibits state employees from using state health benefits to pay for abortions
- Does not allow employees of private religious institutions to demand that their insurance policies pay for contraceptives
“We stood together to protest what we feel is absolutely a war on women here in Georgia and we want to sound the alert to Georgians,” said Sen. Nan Orrick.
Republican state senator Joshua McKoon said of the legislation, “What I would say is the war that’s being waged is on a religious minority in this country that has strong beliefs that are protected by the First Amendment.”
The bills now heads to the House, where both are expected to pass.
The senators who walked out: Sen. Gloria Butler, Sen. Gale Davenport, Sen. Nan Orrock, Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, Sen. Donzella James, Sen. Miriam Paris, Sen. Valencia Seay and Sen. Horacena Tate. Looks like I’ll be spending my Friday night emailing these senators to thank them for taking a stance on an incredibly important issue.
Everyday politicians receive huge amounts of mail from organised campaigns aimed at undermining human rights, usually from right-wing Christian groups. Why not take some time out today to email these 8 brave women with your support.
prochoice, abortion, women's rights, feminism, georgia,
atheism, atheist, black, african american, humanism, feminism,
Feminist, cis male, and fear. →
I was recently reading some old back stories on Feministe.us discussing what advice feminists identifying as women might give feminist identifying as males in a relationship, and would love to throw the topic open to my wonderful friends from the real world and the internet on my Tumblr.
Let me begin by acknowledging I come to this discussion as a cis male who has benefited from the privilege that entails. I am also a black man, and as such I have always found certain situations ideologically confronting. For example, when I am walking down a dark street and a someone I presume to be female and white appears to me to be scared, I have in the past taken racial offence to this. I also acknowledge I have, while arguing with women, not always checked the rage, thinking to myself: there is not need to be so emotional about an intellectual debate.
At the time, I justified these reactions as responding to historic and cultural ideas surrounding race, when in fact this showed a remarkable failure in my own gender politics. Gender oppression transcends race, and in many ways is amplified by it. Tone of voice, physical stance, and positioning can all lead to feelings of fear and concern in women when confronted with men -in my experience.
I would love, however, the thoughts of those out there on how as cis male I can better check myself during discussions with women to avoid this.
cis, male, feminism, fear, feministe, privlege, relationships, gender, gender politics,
(via putitinprint)
