NOT just a diary about cheerleaders, wilbanks or 13 yr olds!!!
uppity wimen - they are who are ruining america! And texas has finally found a way to fix it! In texas, the legislature voted today to outlaw cheerleaders wiggling their hips and being sexy! In florida (and throughout the world), the governor wants to force a thirteen year old to give birth against her will. In florida, a woman doesn't have the right to her own body in birth OR death it would seem (never mind a woman who is brain dead not being allowed to die!). And, also in that sunny state, god forbid if a woman chooses NOT to marry that bible quotin' man at the last minute! Why, even the media (cnn) thinks she should be held accountable and punished for changing her mind - and ruining a good (prospective) murder story! These stories taken separately are outrageous. together, they foretell a much more serious issue in our society.
The real issue here is about fight for the role of women in society, the battle we thought we had won back in the '70s.
At the turn of the 19th century, a Judge Wigmore famously ruled that women were incapable of telling the truth due to their mental instabilty. Also, the ubiquitous Wigmore declared that even when a girl as young as six accurately described the sexual acts perpetrated against her, her testimony was not reliable as it was "widely known" that prostitutes are born that way - and the precocious child was really a prostitute.
These attitudes in the law were perpetuated in precedent until massachuetts (1968) and tennessee (1971) began the repeal of "cooborating witness" laws.
However, in the twenty first century, attitudes toward women appear to have taken a turn for the worse.
Take, for example,democrat (how embarrassing) Al Edwards introduced legislation that outlaws sexy cheerleaders - and it passed 65-56! The Houston Chronicle reported today that
By a 65-56 vote, the House gave preliminary approval to a bill sponsored by Rep. Al Edwards, D-Houston, curbing "sexually suggestive" routines by cheerleaders, drill teams or other public school performance groups.
The bill doesn't define the behavior it is trying to prevent or specify punishment.
Edwards, who in past sessions has battled raunchy pop lyrics and advocated cutting off drug dealers' fingers, pledged that Tuesday's vote was just the opening volley in his effort to curb gyrating teenage booty-shakers.
"I've seen it with my own eyes," Edwards said. "I've had people talk to me about it at football games. There was just a feeling that people were waiting for something to be done about it."
"Why allow young girls 12, 13, 18 to be exploited like that?" he said.
some women in the house were correct in assessing this law
Critics of the measure maintain that it has no teeth, no sanctions and no effect.
"This is a ridiculous bill. I don't know how it got to the floor," said Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston. "We don't have any business mandating anything. We are spending time on '2-3-4, we can't shake it anymore.' It's an embarrassment."
and giving new meaning to spineless, one texas democrat spoke against the bill but voted for it anyway!
Rep. Carter Casteel, R-New Braunfels, agreed legislators should not be legislating morality or telling people what to do, but she voted for the bill
This new legislation, coupled with the attempt to force a thirteen year old girl to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term in florida, the coverage of jennifer wilbanks (i absolutely
refuse to use the term "runaway bride") who had second thoughts about marrying the popular christian son of a prominent doctor at the last minute, these stories taken separately show crass disrespect toward women.
Taken together, these stories paint a chilling picture of the attempt by powerful people (mostly men and the women who cowtow to them) to tell woman exactly where their "place" might be. The attempt to punish wilbanks clearly sends the message that she has no right to opt out of a situation that makes her feel threatened enough to flee across the country.
The media first pushed (without her knowledge and consent) the non-stop coverage of the disappearance of this financially acceptable white woman (while consistently ignoring the disappearance of those women of poorer financial means or those of minorities.) when ms wilbanks reappeared amid the media circus and (imho) was so frightened by this notoriety, she tried to create a suitable cover story to save face.
the media then demanded their pound of flesh from this uppity woman who dared to make them look foolish. [to give credit to the fiancee, he has not excoriated her in public]. From the moment she reappeared, the vultures at cnn demanded to know what laws she had broken, what legal actions could be taken and what legal actions would be taken, CNN drove the push for prosecution - interviewing immediately all law enforcement representatives they could reach to ask what will be the charges against her, effectively backing the officials into a national dilemma - to charge and get retribution or to be glad she wasn't dead in the woods.
What i find most disturbing is the subliminal message: Jennifer wilbanks had no right to change her mind about marrying because she will inconvenience the wedding party, the guests, the financee, the community. Where, in all of this, is the consideration of the damage of forcing a woman to marry into a situation where she is uncomfortable or unwilling. When does a woman have the right to retain her singular identity. Does this tell any woman thinking of marrying that after a certain date, it is a "done deal" whether she wants to marry or not?
For the young girl who sought the abortion: the message is clear from the fundies. You play, you pay. Period. The message from the pro-birth groups to ALL women is that women have no right to undertake sexual pleasure and enjoyment. Birth control and abortion should be withheld to punish women for their sexuality.
And finally, back to the cheerleading case...cheerleaders have no right to be sexy. mr. Edwards objects to the sexual content of the school cheerleaders, but does not define exactly what behavior causes his sexual arousal.
Edwards likened the perceived salaciousness of cheerleading routines to risqué television programs and Internet pornography sites. He also suggested that inappropriate cheerleading routines contribute to a social atmosphere that encourages teen pregnancy, poor scholastic performance, criminality and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Therein lies the problem... sexuality is perceived by the observer - the nape of the neck, the curve of a hip or breast, the movement of the body as the woman or man walks. In some countries, the foot is extremely erotic (as demonstrated by the binding of a woman's foot in japan). If these sexual messages are triggered within the mind of the observer, then how is the law to define what behavior should be illegal? What is most disturbing is the comment by mr. Edwards:
"Why allow young girls 12, 13, 18 to be exploited like that?"
how many of YOU see a 12 year old cheerleader as "sexual"?
The realproblem with fundies is their own unresolved sexuality and their lack of understanding or control over their own perceptions. Their solution is to control those who stimulate these desires and feelings: they must control women. [The obsessive need to suppress homosexual rights may very well be connected to unresolved issues of sexuality as well.]
For, after all, the real problem lies with woman... it is her fault - without woman, men would never have any problems..... right? women in the workplace, women on television, women in short skirts, women wearing perfume... women. that is their problem. wimen.
What i am expecting next from our illustrious elected leaders is the re-issuance of the chastity belt for all women who are not married. This would definitely assist the fundies in controlling their behavior, if not their arousal.