John,

Remember Todd Akin’s comments from 2012 on rape and pregnancy? If not, allow me to refresh your memory. Over a decade ago he stated that if a person experiences “a legitimate rape” that “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” [1]

Mad all over again? Good. Donate today to help us hold them accountable.

Setting aside for a moment the horrific idea of what does or does not constitute “legitimate rape” in his mind, and the antiquated and wrong gendered assumption that only “female” bodies are raped or can become pregnant after a sexual assault, and we’re still left with the fact that anti-abortion activists truly believe a person’s biological process can be quashed or overridden; the dangerous idea that a pregnancy cannot come from rape.

We know this is wrong. But they’re still at it. Help us fight back.

Just a few months ago on a podcast, Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins stated the same desperate falsehood saying, “…actually the horror of the sexual assault actually helps prevent a lot of pregnancies itself because your body’s natural response to this atrocity that’s happened.” [2]

This thinking is just another way of attempting to control people, stripping bodily autonomy, and creating mythical ideas of good and bad abortions. Don’t let them spread this. Give today.

Sincerely,

Shireen Shakouri
Deputy Director, Reproaction

P.S. They know they are wrong, too. But they won’t admit. Help hold their feet to the fire with a gift now.

Sources:

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/20/us/politics/todd-akin-provokes-ire-with-legitimate-rape-comment.html

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3t8eZdKxpBNwoKwjlqhvKL