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Friday, March 29, 2024 - 09:47 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

The former star of "Who's the Boss?" wants to make it clear who isn't the boss of women's bodies. But Alyssa Milano's idea for protesting Georgia's new pro-life law has only proven one thing: Just because Hollywood takes a side doesn't mean they understand the issue.

"Our reproductive rights are being erased," Milano tweeted Friday. "Until women have legal control over our own bodies, we just cannot risk pregnancy. JOIN ME by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back." When word of her #SexStrike started making the social media rounds, the blowback was amazingly universal. People on both sides of the political aisle -- women, especially -- could hardly contain their irritation (if they were liberal) or laughter (if they were conservative).

From the liberal media to the most militant feminists, the actress's suggestion went over like a ton of bricks. The Left seemed absolutely appalled that Milano was reinforcing this idea that "women's power lies primarily in their willingness to 'give' men sex." As if that weren't enough, an appalled Peggy Drexler at CNN couldn't believe that anyone would suggest abstinence -- abstinence -- as a viable solution. "The Georgia law is a blow, for sure," she writes, but Milano's campaign is a joke.

"Think about it. In calling for a sex strike as a way to regain 'bodily autonomy,' as she put it, Milano is implying that women pretty much only have sex to please men or for babies. There's no acknowledgment that women might have sex for their own pleasure. Calling for a sex strike also suggests that women can, and should, bribe men with sex, effectively reinforcing an age-old stereotype, which feminism has worked hard to debunk, that all women have to offer is their bodies."

She didn't make any friends in the women's movement either. "Please stop feeding the narrative that women are providers and men are consumers of sex. Bribing men for equal rights with access to our bodies is not how feminism works," one feminist fired back. Other liberals were upset that Milano completely missed the irony of her sex strike. "There is a danger when a high-profile person makes a huge statement without thinking it through," activists as far away as the U.K. complained.

Conservative women, meanwhile, couldn't help but smile. After all, Milano had accidentally stumbled on the path to true reproductive freedom. "First time I've ever seen a pro-choicer advocate for personal responsibility," Allie Stuckey replied. "Kudos! If y'all have a rally, LMK-- I'll be there!" Lila Rose was on board too. "I'm totally with you, [Alyssa], on not having sex. But the issue isn't 'reproductive rights.' The issue is reproductive responsibilities & fidelity. No one should have sex until they're ready to embrace the privilege & responsibility of lifelong commitment & raising a child."

You just can't make this stuff up, Amanda Prestigiacomo points out at the Daily Wire. "Ms. Milano and company are promoting abstinence -- the most effective way to ward off unwanted pregnancy -- to stick it to the conservatives. And, ironically, the women who hate 'being told what to do with their bodies' ...are telling other women what to do with their bodies."

And here's the other big blind spot for Hollywood and the hard Left: they've completely misread American women on this issue. Even before this debate started to rage in New York, women were already more "pro-life" than men! Now, with liberals arguing for flat-out infanticide, the numbers are even more glowing for pro-lifers. Obviously, it would be a lot more convenient for Alyssa Milano and other Democrats to make their phony chauvinist labels stick, but the facts don't bear them out. In fact, Democrats in general aren't on their side -- at least when it comes to the party's extreme new platform.

For now, our deepest thanks to Alyssa Milano. We've been trying to get liberals on board with sexual responsibility for ages. If more Democrats get on board with controlling their "reproductive rights", who knows? We must be able to eliminate the need for Planned Parenthood altogether!


Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.

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