"Birth Control is for Sissies" shirt

[FakePigtails]

barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/oppressed-catholic-woman-shops-for-bra.html

I can't believe how these women think this is so funny and awesome when really they're being total jerks with their statement. And then are taking the offended reactions like it's hilarious, like there's no way women are making good informed choices so they can do things like stay sane, take care of their other children better, or put off having children so they can work or study towards a career (including fields that will be directly needed by her and her children at some point, like doctors and nurses, teachers and professors, etc.).

Ugh this type of crap makes me so sick. I can't even articulate all the upset thoughts in my head . . .

[GeoBQn]

No shit, the elderly and retired people were giving you dirty looks for your shirt. I tabled at the farmers market for a reproductive rights organization one summer, and I can't even count the number of women over 50 who came up to us and said some variation of, "Thank you for your work. I remember the days before Roe vs. Wade and birth control, and I hope we never go back to that."

[ladypuglover]

barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/oppressed-catholic-woman-shops-for-bra.html

I can't believe how these women think this is so funny and awesome when really they're being total jerks with their statement. And then are taking the offended reactions like it's hilarious, like there's no way women are making good informed choices so they can do things like stay sane, take care of their other children better, or put off having children so they can work or study towards a career (including fields that will be directly needed by her and her children at some point, like doctors and nurses, teachers and professors, etc.).

Ugh this type of crap makes me so sick. I can't even articulate all the upset thoughts in my head . . .

So it is ok for her to wear these type of shirts hoping to get a reaction but if she saw someone wearing a pro-choice shirt she would flip her wig. Hmm. I guess in her world only messages that she approves of are ok. Now, where can I find a pro-choice shirt that will fit my round body and still look good?

[Shirley MacLaine]

[ beats head against wall ]

[Constance Vigilance]

It's nice when the people beyond all hope of reason identify themselves on sight. Makes it much easier to avoid them. :D

[BelieveinScience]

Do these type of people not get that BC is used for other reasons besides preventing pregnancies? Or do they just not care?

[Guest Anonymous]

Face, meet palm.

[Anise]

There is nothing noble about suffering through horrible periods each month. Nor is there anything noble about having as many children as possible. Although, by labelling women who do not make that choice "sissies" they admit that having many children does involve hardship, pain, etc. - perhaps not ideal family picture for women after all.

[Shirley MacLaine]

Not to mention they're making that point with a misogynist-adjacent word. So women on birth control are more effeminate than women not on birth control? And the snake eats its own tail.

[dairyfreelife]

Countered with a "Birth Control: Use to Breed Responsibly" shirt.

I love this line.

In Naples, the women mostly just ignored it while the elderly retired men gave VERY pointed looks of disapproval. I found that a little odd.

Proves those elderly retired men have more respect for other women than you do.

[GeoBQn]

Oh fuck, she's on the "Nestle uses dead babies to make their chocolate" bandwagon.

barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/7-quick-takes-friday.html

[demgirl]

Frankly, I do not believe she got nearly as many looks, comments or even as much acknowledgment of the shirt as she claims. It reads to me, "I'm persecuted!!11!1!" I don't doubt she got some, but I require further proof to accept her story as is.

[Constance Vigilance]

Nestle actively market their products in a way that leads to the death of actual, live children in developing countries. If she cares more about imaginary dead baby parts than that, then spoiler: she is not pro life. But then none of them are. :roll:

[mockingbird]

Wait... doesn't "sissy" mean acting like a girl? So the opposite would be acting like a boy or man? The fundies surely don't want their women doing that. Therefore, she's actually supporting BC and doesn't know it ;)

[valsa]

I'd rather be called "sissy" than "Mommy".

[Minerva]

Oh fuck, she's on the "Nestle uses dead babies to make their chocolate" bandwagon.

barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/7-quick-takes-friday.html

Not sure what's more hilarious, this or "pro-lifers" who are all like SAVE THE BABIEZ and then serve Nestlé water at their rallies.

Edited for omitted word.

[FakePigtails]

For more facepalming action, check this out, especially the comments:

barefootandpregnantblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/some-medicine-is-life.html

So apparently women who like that the pill prevents ovarian cancer should just prevent ovulation for that purpose by pregnancies and breastfeeding instead. When I see things like that and stuff about abortions being dangerous, I'd really like to see well-done statistics on risks of a complete pregnancy vs. ovarian cancer and abortion complications.

[mockingbird]

One of the comments: "I loved putting my kids in a onesie my mom got me that said, "Mmmmmm, boobies." That got me a few looks as well - but usually more laughs than glares."

This seems a bit sexual to me? I don't like shirts like that; don't see why we need to sexualize babies/young children.

I read her other post about BC vs. asthma meds. I have to say I understand where she is coming from, in that other medications should be provided free too. Doesn't mean it invalidates why BC should be provided or that you need to brag about how good you are for paying for your kids' medication and not mooching off the government, but I do see why she would be frustrated.

[Minerva]

I think I would refuse to serve someone wearing such a shirt at my workplace. And I think my boss would let me. Between the homophobic connotations of the word "sissy" and the dangers people with her beliefs pose to other women's health and lives, there's nothing light-hearted about it.

Possible reply: "You're right, tough women suck it up and have an abortion every few months!"

[onlyorganic]

THESE people piss me off. "Oh, is my asshole shirt making YOU uncomfortable?" YES I'm uncomfortable because you are TRYING to make a statement and I just want to go about my business." People with an agenda piss me off. I'm all for doing what you want, what I'm not comfortable with is throwing that in someone else's face... which is just what this woman was doing. Frankly, she sounds upset she didn't manage to stir up more of a scene in the bra depo at Nordstrom's.

[Jessica]

I'm sure glad my mom took birth control and then had a hysterectomy after I was born so i could grow up with her here instead of in a grave.

[FakePigtails]

I'm sure glad my mom took birth control and then had a hysterectomy after I was born so i could grow up with her here instead of in a grave.

I was just thinking how lucky she is that she didn't run into someone who uses birth control for a life and death situation and who wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

Of course, in the blogger's camp the solution is keeping one's legs shut. Suffering for God and all . . .

[GeoBQn]

This week as I was reading the story of Moses and the golden calf it occurred to me that birth control is the golden calf of contemporary Western culture.

Oh, fuck off.

If I hear that birth control "prevents" cancer one more time, I might join you in punching the person saying it, to be totally honest.

You know what is actually preventing that cancer? (ovarian is the one most commonly cited). NOT OVULATING. That's the mechanism that causes the side effect of preventing cancer.

You know what else causes a woman to not ovulate?

Getting pregnant and breastfeeding. You don't ovulate when you do either of those things, either.

Guess what? Prevention of those cancers is naturally built into our healthy, properly functioning fertility.

Pregnancy is not a disease to be prevented - it is the actual medicine that is doing the preventing!!!!!

I hope that this commenter never runs into me or any other woman with PCOS. Women without "healthy, properly functioning fertility," who don't have easy access to "the actual medicine" of pregnancy.

[Kitchen Princess]

One of the comments: "I loved putting my kids in a onesie my mom got me that said, "Mmmmmm, boobies." That got me a few looks as well - but usually more laughs than glares."

This seems a bit sexual to me? I don't like shirts like that; don't see why we need to sexualize babies/young children.

.

Ummm, it's not sexualizing babies. They LOVE boobies, for what boobies were made for. It's not sexual at all.

I think the shirts are stupid, but not sexualizing babies.

[mockingbird]

Ummm, it's not sexualizing babies. They LOVE boobies, for what boobies were made for. It's not sexual at all.

I think the shirts are stupid, but not sexualizing babies.

I get that... maybe that was my first reaction because the term "boobies" is associated with the type of sexual slang you'd use in middle school to me, not because of breasts themselves (I have never heard anyone over maybe 15 call them "boobies" - "boobs" sure, "boobies" no). That could vary by region though.