Tuesday, August 28, 2012

More misogyny - but this time it's all a joke

I've been highlighting some of the scary things Republicans have been saying as regards rape today and a friend of mine sent me something that shows that it's not just politicians from the US right who say stupid and dangerous things.

Step forward Senator Morgan Femai from Zimbabwe. Hot on the heels of the Iranian clerics who blamed women wearing a bit of make up and mini skirts for earthquakes, in May a Zinbabwean senator said that beautiful women were to blame for HIV and they should be made to shave their heads and take fewer baths. Really. 

Well, it took one of his mates two months to come up with an excuse. Apparently, he was just having a laugh. 

So that's fine then. 

Just because something is supposed to be a joke does not make it funny. Nor does it make you somehow wrong if you don't laugh at it because it's not funny. 

Given the importance of HIV infection in Africa, you would think that legislators would take training about it seriously and behave with some decorum, rather than using it as a sexist free-for-all. 

Not at all impressive. 

If, on the other hand, you want to see something that is funny, have a look at this concerning Todd Akin, he of the scary Republican "legitimate rape" quotes. There's a slight veneer of plausibility to get you interested and then it's laughter all the way, just like political satire should be.




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