Women hold 25% of the seats in the Senate and 23.4% of the seats in the House. Women hold less than 30% of the seats in state legislatures across the county. And in Alabama, for example, just 15% of seats in the state legislature are held by women.
This means men are playing a huge role in laws that are passed. Even laws that impact reproductive health – even laws that primarily impact women’s reproductive health.
This Twitter thread shows why that’s such a problem. User @brownandbella posed this question:
Women, what is the dumbest thing a man ever said to you about sex, reproductive health, menstruation, etc? Reply with a comment below, no quote RTs.
Let's laugh at these dummies together!
— Adrienne | Creative Consultant and Soap Queen 🫧 (@brownandbella) May 16, 2019
The answers speak for themselves. One guy tried to tell Mara Wilson that IUDs don’t hurt:
Another guy suggested I get an IUD, and that I make an appointment when he was out of town. When I told him that insertion hurt a lot and I would want him there to take me home, he insisted that it didn’t hurt at all. Having something put into your uterus wouldn’t hurt at all 🤔
— Mara Wilson (@MaraWilson) May 18, 2019
And another guy tried to tell a gynecologist where her clitoris was:
He tried to tell me, a female gynecologist, where my clitoris was (the poor dear meant my glans, but I digress)
— Jennifer Gunter (@DrJenGunter) May 17, 2019
This Twitter user was banned from wearing tampons for “reasons”:
My dad banned me from wearing tampons because they would “take my virginity” and also I would be used to “walking around with a penis between my legs.” Logic that he still fully believes
— Comedic Relief (@CoolitEffie) May 16, 2019
And here’s an interesting take on the umbilical cord:
My husband thought they disconnected the umbilical cord from the baby and put it back inside. Like the hose you use to inflate tires.
— Joan Carol (@psychomama) May 16, 2019
And this guy who didn’t understand menstruation:
I dated a 21 year old who did not realize that menstruation involved bleeding. He asked me how girls know when their period ends, and when I said "the bleeding stops." He screamed "YOU BLEED???" and recoiled in horror.
— Victoria Marini (@LitAgentMarini) May 16, 2019
And this take on breastfeeding:
"I'm artisanal. Single origin. Dolphin safe."
— Rachel Perrone (@RachelPerrone) May 16, 2019
And a few men chimed in to apologize:
Soooo, on behalf of all the responses to this thread…….Im sorry. Just gonna put that out there, cause we really do be that stupid.
— My father's son (@Bigboysplash) May 16, 2019
What’s even worse is the men who believe this horseshit then turn around and make legislative policy based on it.
— America Goddamn (@speedbudget) May 16, 2019
See the problem? So, please, educate yourself about reproductive issues. Vote for women. And for crying out loud, please listen to us when we tell you what’s going on with our bodies.
Heck, maybe we could get crazy and just let people make their own decisions regarding their own health.
Just a thought.
