Conservative’s Sick and Twisted Obsession with Controlling Women
Suppression of women has occurred throughout history and in many cultures and it is almost always based on religious beliefs. There is an indoctrination at early ages on gender expectations and roles and for women, it often meant lack of education as well as empowerment. This encompassed all aspects of life, from the ability to own property to even having the right to vote. Control of women, especially when it comes to their bodies, maintains that dogma and in the U.S., conservatives have not only adopted that attitude, but they have become obsessed with the subject.
It is difficult to believe that all of the progress that was made during the women’s movement of the 60’s and 70’s has not only been fought by Republicans, but that they have no shame in blatantly recommending and passing laws that reduce the equality of women. Their concept of male domination reaches into the realms of their personal religious beliefs and their actions demonstrate that they feel women are second class citizens. Psychologists have tried to explain the behavior in a number of ways. In a Psychology Today article, Steve Taylor, PhD offers:
“I suggest that most human beings suffer from an underlying psychological disorder, which I call ‘humania.’ The oppression of women is a symptom of this disorder. It’s one thing to take over the positions of power in a society, but another to seemingly despise women, and inflict so much brutality and degradation on them. What sane species would treat half of its members — and the very half which gives birth to the whole species — with such contempt and injustice? Despite their high level of testosterone, the men of many ancient and indigenous cultures revered women for their life-giving and nurturing role, so why don’t we?”
But let’s take this question one level deeper to address why more conservative men have a stronger desire to control women and put them in lesser roles in life.
Yeah, the Church Holds Responsibility for This
We need to address the role of the Christian church in their responsibility for these attitudes. By far, they are not the only religion, but since a majority of the men in power in the administration are Christian, we will focus on this choice. The church has a tainted history when it comes to the treatment of women, with the most blatant version relating the Mary Magdalene. Mary was the ‘odd person out’ in the followers of Christ and the church had a difficult time explaining it. The entire idea of an intelligent and prosperous woman being an apostle could not be accepted. She was also completely independent as she wasn’t someone’s wife or mother. The fact that Mary played a critical role in both the crucifixion and the resurrection made the men, uncomfortable. So in the sixth century, Pope Gregory made use of a reference of a prostitute in a paragraph the preceded mentioning Mary Magdalene and gave her the accusation of being that woman. It made logical sense to the men of the time that the only reason that she would be at the side of Jesus, was that she was a repentant fallen woman. Although considered to be a saint in many Christian variations, it wasn’t until centuries later that the accusation of being a prostitute was removed.
By this time, two thousand years of damage has been done and every child learns in their religious schools that Mary Magdalene along with all women, can only be held in ‘grace’ as a second class citizen. It is a subliminal message that has been taught through the generations and it carried forward as the Puritans landed in the ‘New World’, bringing their belief system for the place of women in society. This continued to carry on as we see women being blamed for consorting with the devil and then burned at the stake at the witch trials in both Great Britain and Salem, Massachusetts. Religion played a major role in reinforcing their beliefs that women that thought independently, healed using herbs or had more intelligence and knowledge than their male counterparts, must be influenced by evil. In their world, women were to be under the control and guidance of men and live a subservient life.
Let’s spin forward to today. After the revolution of the women’s movement which broke many of the old bonds and attitudes, birth control became easily accessible and this in itself brought freedom to exist and work outside of the family unit and have an independent earning potential. While many churches fought this ideology, the overwhelming popularity introduced liberation from the male dominated control. For the first time, women could determine their own destiny and this, above all, was the biggest fear of the conservative male.
Women’s Health
There is probably no more sickening image than the one above. A room filled with men making the decisions on women’s health. But these aren’t just ‘men’, these are white, conservative, Republican men whose power can choose whether a woman and her children live or die. They are playing the role of ‘God’ when it comes to ensuring the safety of women, their access to birth control and general health care. There aren’t any comments that have been left unsaid regarding the fact that not one woman is represented in the discussion.
Some have compared this picture to those of countries that have Sharia Law, and they aren’t that far off. Those decisions regarding women are also religiously-based and in the countries where that is practiced, women often have few rights to combat mistreatment of the worst kind.
But this isn’t the first time that Republican men have taken a stand against women. They have had a long history of this behavior. From refusing equal pay for equal work to their defunding of Planned Parenthood, who offer an array of healthcare options for the underprivileged, their decisions and choices have completely and solely been based on their personal religious convictions, which include women’s issues as unimportant. In the meeting above, the ‘House Freedom Caucus’ took it one step further in their refusal to offer aid to any country that offers abortion services, even if it is considered to be legal within that country. They have undermined the Roe v: Wade ruling, which is the law of the land, tying it up so women are forced to have babies, no matter what the circumstance.
No other U.S. political party has made so many blunders on the topic of rape than the Republicans. Their rather bizarre view has been spewed forth in statements that are considered to be appalling. The fact that rape is an act of violence and control, rather than a sexual act went completely over their heads.
“Rape is kinda like the weather. If it’s inevitable, relax and enjoy it” — Clayton Williams, Texas oilman and Republican nominee for gubernatorial election.
“Rape victims should make the best of a bad situation.” — Rick Santorum, former U.S. Republican Senator from Pennsylvania
“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to shut that thing down.” — Todd Akin, Republican U.S. Representative of Missouri
“If a woman has (the right to an abortion), why shouldn’t a man be free to use his superior strength to force himself on a woman? At least the rapist’s pursuit of sexual freedom doesn’t (in most cases) result in anyone’s death.” — Lawrence Lockman, Republican member of the Maine House of Representatives.
“Even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that is something that God intended to happen.” — Richard Mourdock, Republican candidate for Senator in Indiana.
“In the emergency room they have what’s called rape kits, where a woman can get cleaned out.” — Jodie Laubenberg, Republican Member of the Texas House of Representatives.
The comments of these men exemplified the attitude of male conservatives as their view of sexual dominance is part of their historic right over women, including their bodies.
The Hypocrisy of the Pro-Life Stand
The secondary and just as important aspect of ‘control’ over women’s bodies enters into their constant desire to inflict their religious interpretations on all women. As Republicans take the stand that they call ‘pro-life’ (and others refer to as anti-choice), they base their decisions about women’s bodies and pregnancies on their religious beliefs, while at the same time, refusing to pass or approve of bills that assist or help the women forced to bare children against their wills.
Psychologists often refer to this attitude as the ‘Madonna/Whore Complex’. “In sexual politics the view of women as either Madonnas or whores limits women’s sexual expression, offering two mutually exclusive ways to construct a sexual identity.” For women that may have become pregnant out of wedlock, they are to be punished for the ultimate ‘sin’. Of course, in their perspective, the men that were involved in the liaison are not held in any level of responsibility.
We have seen this hypocrisy in the current administration as well as the Republican led House and Senate as they continue to strip away all bills and areas of assistance for women that has empowered them to be independent. They ‘cherry pick’ the segments of their religious beliefs to conform with their personal attitudes and in doing so, return women back to a time where the only choice in life that they had was to be dependent upon men and to remain at home caring for the family.
Republican Males: Get Ready to Pay the Price for Your Idiocy
If there is anything that can be said about the continued oppression of women by the conservative male, it’s that women will not stand for it. A massive example of this was during the Women’s March in Jan., 2017 when both liberal women and men of all ages and demographics joined forces to be a single voice of complaint.
Women have experienced their own freedom and have developed their own identities, making choices that are personal to their lives. They have come to a point in our social structure where they no longer accept ‘mansplaining’ and reject the parochial conservative views. The Republicans may not realize it, but they have opened the door for a massive revolution. Women will not return to the days when they were considered to be ‘doormats’ and they have earned the respect and dignity that they deserve.
The current administration may have a temporary ability to set up the rules, but it’s the women that are rising up to negate them.
“Like art, revolutions come from combining what exists into what has never existed before.”
- Gloria Steinem
