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Bozita

(26,955 posts)
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:15 PM Jun 2012

Vagina remarks, silencing of Michigan lawmakers draws firestorm online

Vagina remarks, silencing of Michigan lawmakers draws firestorm online
11:00 AM, June 15, 2012
Compiled by Jason Karas
Detroit Free Press Staff


What started out as a debate in the Michigan House of Representatives spilled out to the Web yesterday. And while state Reps. Lisa Brown of West Bloomfield and Barb Byrum of Onondaga were banned from speaking by the Republican leadership, that didn’t stop pundits and bloggers from chiming in.

Naomi McAuliffe writes for The Guardian:

“Apparently, when discussing a medical procedure, it's not really appropriate to use medical words. Well not about lady bits anyway. It makes me wonder what euphemisms would be acceptable. "Will the representative get his hand out of the otter's pocket?" "Can the honourable gentleman refrain from trespassing in the lady cave?"”

Allison Yarrow from the Daily Beast writes:

“Brown said that the Republican leadership did not tell her why she was banned. In her brief floor remarks Wednesday, she also explained that as a Jewish woman, she chooses to keep kosher in her home, and that she also abided by the Jewish tenet dating back to the biblical era that “abortions performed in order to preserve the life of the mother are not only permissible, but mandatory.” ”

more, lots more...
http://www.freep.com/article/20120615/BLOG36/120615034/vagina-Michigan-House-Representatives-Lisa-Brown-Barb-Byrum-abortion?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

32 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Vagina remarks, silencing of Michigan lawmakers draws firestorm online (Original Post) Bozita Jun 2012 OP
"Otter's Pocket" or "Lady Cave" might be acceptable terms (McAuliffe) NYC_SKP Jun 2012 #1
Of course they would be acceptable. The nitwits wouldnt have a clue what they meant. rhett o rick Jun 2012 #10
Nay nay on the Vi Jay Jay... rfranklin Jun 2012 #2
This should have blown up as a big news story. However, it is basically being ignored by mfcorey1 Jun 2012 #3
Did the New York Times run it yet? Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2012 #22
uterus would have been more accurate. she used vagina for gasps. the issue, is the men shutting seabeyond Jun 2012 #4
They entered the vagina to get to the uterus. She used the correct terminology. They have mfcorey1 Jun 2012 #5
the more accurate term would have been uterus. it is that simple. they are wrong to shut her up. nt seabeyond Jun 2012 #7
I don't believe that either you or the MI GOP DisgustipatedinCA Jun 2012 #8
why is "uterus" more acceptable than "vagina"? I don't get it... CTyankee Jun 2012 #11
Because "vagina" is verboten - it's the thing that performs intercourse, which is DIRTY. kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #13
and some women don't like using the word "vulva" either because the you-know-what is there... CTyankee Jun 2012 #15
Vulva and vagina are NOT the same, not interchangeable at all. kestrel91316 Jun 2012 #23
of course. but you'd be surprised how many women who are fine with "vagina" can't really CTyankee Jun 2012 #25
Those Michigan Republicans obviously think it's dirty Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2012 #27
Missing the point! N_E_1 for Tennis Jun 2012 #16
Penis affected by global warming! LOL! Wonder what it looks like? Inquiring crunch60 Jun 2012 #21
Right on target. immoderate Jun 2012 #30
They were looking for any excuse to silence these women. n/t drm604 Jun 2012 #6
Envision Speaker Boners' nose!! N_E_1 for Tennis Jun 2012 #28
I don't like your message so you can't speak. SoutherDem Jun 2012 #9
Ejecting members who have violated no laws Warpy Jun 2012 #12
EXACTLY right! n/t CaliforniaPeggy Jun 2012 #14
as a man d_r Jun 2012 #17
Maybe they should have airbrushed out the word or at least covered it in a full lengh skirt. Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2012 #18
Can chastity belts be far away? mfcorey1 Jun 2012 #19
Yes. If Catholics can object to laws requiring them to provide birth control pills, JDPriestly Jun 2012 #20
Exactly! Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2012 #26
i am so sick of these idiots noiretextatique Jun 2012 #24
JamesBolger@house.mi.gov yewberry Jun 2012 #29
how many of those firestorming online are going to get out into the streets donheld Jun 2012 #31
All male MI Democrats should get up and sing this ditty next session. edbermac Jun 2012 #32
 

NYC_SKP

(68,644 posts)
1. "Otter's Pocket" or "Lady Cave" might be acceptable terms (McAuliffe)
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:18 PM
Jun 2012
Naomi McAuliffe writes for The Guardian

“Apparently, when discussing a medical procedure, it's not really appropriate to use medical words. Well not about lady bits anyway. It makes me wonder what euphemisms would be acceptable. "Will the representative get his hand out of the otter's pocket?" "Can the honourable gentleman refrain from trespassing in the lady cave?"”


I love these two women and that they can inject some humor while exposing the utter absurdity of it all.

K/R
 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
10. Of course they would be acceptable. The nitwits wouldnt have a clue what they meant.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:56 PM
Jun 2012

How long did it take the teabaggers to figure out we were mocking them. Granted it is hard to mock an idiot.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
4. uterus would have been more accurate. she used vagina for gasps. the issue, is the men shutting
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:21 PM
Jun 2012

Last edited Fri Jun 15, 2012, 07:43 PM - Edit history (1)

the women up. that is all around wrong.

mfcorey1

(11,001 posts)
5. They entered the vagina to get to the uterus. She used the correct terminology. They have
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:30 PM
Jun 2012

no problems using the word abortion for every fricking thing they find objectionable about contraception.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
7. the more accurate term would have been uterus. it is that simple. they are wrong to shut her up. nt
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:42 PM
Jun 2012
 

DisgustipatedinCA

(12,530 posts)
8. I don't believe that either you or the MI GOP
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:50 PM
Jun 2012

gets to dictate what's appropriate for her to say. That's kind of the point of the exercise.

 

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
13. Because "vagina" is verboten - it's the thing that performs intercourse, which is DIRTY.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 01:25 PM
Jun 2012

That little matter of "vagina" being the medically correct terminology for THE VAGINA is beyond certain pea brains.

CTyankee

(63,912 posts)
15. and some women don't like using the word "vulva" either because the you-know-what is there...
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 01:29 PM
Jun 2012

so there are all these young girls with well meaning parents who are learning about their anatomy incorrectly. I had a co-worker, a young woman, who thought "vulva" was a Swedish car...

It's odd. They're just words...accurate, medical terms...

 

kestrel91316

(51,666 posts)
23. Vulva and vagina are NOT the same, not interchangeable at all.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 02:58 PM
Jun 2012

The vulva is the EXTERNAL genital folds. The vagina is the hole and its lining.

CTyankee

(63,912 posts)
25. of course. but you'd be surprised how many women who are fine with "vagina" can't really
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 03:03 PM
Jun 2012

deal with "vulva." And I do think it has to do with the clitoris, I just don't know why.

N_E_1 for Tennis

(9,775 posts)
16. Missing the point!
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 01:38 PM
Jun 2012

Whatever the correct terminology is in context, you mean to tell me that just saying the word vagina is enough to allow you to get kicked out of the session? Lisa is my Representative, I supported and voted for her. Please don't disparage the action by semantics. It sounds like all the male Republicans we have serving here. Trite and misogynistic.

What if State Rep. Martin Knollenberg (R) said that his penis was affected by global warming or lack there of? Do you really think he'd get kicked out of session for saying penis? Good bet not!!

I'm so sorry if I missed your point.

 

immoderate

(20,885 posts)
30. Right on target.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 06:42 PM
Jun 2012

I see the women as provocative. And I think it would have been hard to respond similarly if they had said "uterus."

For the record, the Republicans are assholes, and these Reps have the right to say whatever they want.

I wonder if they didn't wind up doing well, considering...

--imm

SoutherDem

(2,307 posts)
9. I don't like your message so you can't speak.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 12:55 PM
Jun 2012

Wasn't it Michigan which the day before railroad through a voter suppression law by holding a voice count only although the number to stop it had their objections entered into the minutes?

So that is democracy, agree with me or you can't speak?

Warpy

(111,332 posts)
12. Ejecting members who have violated no laws
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 01:14 PM
Jun 2012

and preventing them from debating an issue that affects their constituents should result in legal action and not against the members in possession of vaginas.

Those prissy men need to spend a night in the can for contempt.

d_r

(6,907 posts)
17. as a man
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 01:46 PM
Jun 2012

I want to say somewhere that the attitude and actions of these Mich. repubs absolutely disgust me.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
20. Yes. If Catholics can object to laws requiring them to provide birth control pills,
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 02:08 PM
Jun 2012

why can't Jews object to laws prohibiting them from saving a mother's life by aborting a child?

Same principle of freedom to practice your religion. Of course, Scalia wrote that the law that is not religious in nature must be followed, not the religion. I think the case is called Smith. I'm not going to look it up but if you want the link, I could find it. Just ask me.

noiretextatique

(27,275 posts)
24. i am so sick of these idiots
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 02:59 PM
Jun 2012

and they are fucking idiots. if they are too prissy to hear the medically correct terms for those parts of a women's body they are trying to control, they have no business passing laws related to women's bodies. absolutely sickening

donheld

(21,311 posts)
31. how many of those firestorming online are going to get out into the streets
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 07:08 PM
Jun 2012

and make a visible protest?

edbermac

(15,943 posts)
32. All male MI Democrats should get up and sing this ditty next session.
Fri Jun 15, 2012, 08:59 PM
Jun 2012

From Monty Python's Meaning Of Life, just to ridicule these neocon nutcases.

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