23 Comments

I swear, so many men cannot fathom the horrors of rape. These quotes prove it - disgusting. Makes my stomach turn. It’s not just ‘violent criminals’ doing it, but average men. Everyday, everywhere. They don’t get it. And the ‘65,000 pregnancies resulting from rape in red states’ statistic seems to have disappeared into the void. Thank you for the work you do.

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My rapist wasn't a random violent criminal, it was my ex-boyfriend and I was unable to comprehend that somebody who claimed to love me could do something like that. It took me 8 months and my friends holding an intervention for me to even admit to myself that's what it was. Why would I even bother reporting that? Who would even believe me?

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The republican states are POLICE STATES!! This is goddamned outrageous!! Vote the republican bastards OUT of office!! And now we hear that some medical personnel have turned in a young woman who lost a fetus in the bathroom of a restaurant! What, HIPAA doesn't work anymore? The United States is becoming a police state! I am so damned angry!

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There are so many layers of atrociousness in the attitude these men have towards rape. Raped by someone who is not a known criminal? Probably ok. Raped just a little bit? Totally fine. The fact that they use these extreme examples not only shows their weird fantasies, but also shows that they’re trying to distance themselves from rape. To them, the ordinary man is not capable of rape and a woman who accuses him of such is lying and has no need of an abortion.

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Jessica, thank you for your tireless coverage. I am feeling so distraught at what has happened to women. The only hopes I have are people like you and a few people I know who have always been republican who are now voting for Harris. Sadly, a few family members are still voting for Trump and they just say nothing when I bring up the subjugation of women. They have nothing to say. I say " you're okay with supporting policies that force raped women to bear the child of a violent assault?" They say little of meaning in response.

It's sooooooooooooo depressing.

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founding

Regarding the study on Arizona, and really any of the red states, we should remember why the Berlin Wall was necessary. If people can see a better, healthier place close by, they'll try to get there, and that's always a problem for dictatorships. Just as it was a problem that American slaves might flee to freedom in the North. But if there's nowhere else to go, there's nothing to compare it to.

For what they want to 'work', it's not enough to just control some states; they have to have the whole country. That's why they won't give up. And sealing the border doesn't just mean nothing in; it also means nothing out. They have to take away hope. I don't know how effective it would be but I really wish we won't have to find out. Harris winning and we having to deal with efforts to overturn it and the subsequent insurrection and/or civil war are our best case scenario at this point.

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Jordan is my favorite TDS anchor and to see the two of you together made me so happy, happy!!! You go girl!

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Read the chapter on punishing women before bed last night. Took a while for the mental images to leave and let me sleep. Those people are purely evil.

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So happy to see your book on the best seller list, congratulations! Your timing couldnt have been more perfect, it's so important that abortion rights are highly visible in this moment. Thank you for your hard work and dedication, it is appreciated and inspiring!

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“What is it about the image of brutalized young women that Republican men are so interested in?” Sadly, it’s not just Republican men. Watched TV or any movies lately? It’s darned difficult to find anything to watch that’s meant for grown ups and doesn’t have at least one scene lovingly depicting the brutalization of a woman.

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founding

I look for things written/directed/created by women, or at the very least with female protagonists, and I tend to find a lot of good shows that way. I'm sure that's not representative of the broader landscape, but the world is backwards and all I know to do is try to make my own bubble.

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You earned that best seller status. All women owe you for helping us gain the right to choose.

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Congrats, Jessica! Way to go!

On a different topic, anyone from Arizona, or know anyone who lives in Arizona? Make sure they vote in the 2 Supreme Court races, and vote against retaining the 2 justices on the ballot. Supreme Court justices in Arizona must go on the ballot every few years, and if voters don’t vote to oust them, they get to keep their jobs. The justices on the ballot this year are very conservative, and you want to vote to get rid of them so that Katie Hobbs can appoint 2 Democrats. A different conservative justice is retiring, so Katie Hobbs will appoint that justice’s replacement as well. If Arizona can get rid of all 3 of these justices, it will flip the court, 3-2 Democrats, instead of 4-1 conservatives. This will be critical if the abortion ballot initiative passes, which it appears on track to do. You know there will be court challenges, and you’re gonna want a state Supreme Court that’s on your side.

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Okay so his is highly related and unrelated. The biggest asshole you knew in high school is trying to get me fired from my new job. I am his new boss and he has a known history of bullying the people who had the job before me, one of whom I still work with. All women. There is no merit and because this isn’t my first asshole I have the receipts. I documented , time stamped and put in writing everything I do. This person is gaslighting other team members who don’t agree with him. This whole situation follows male privilege “how dare she challenge me” 101.

And even though I’m backed and I did nothing wrong except refuse to be bullied out of doing the job. An aside. I am actually a very kind empowering manager but I demand professional behavior and so the few checks this guy has had has him into high escalation mode. The details don’t matter but the pattern is the same. This guy is 21 years my junior and I have earned my expertise by kicking ass at my job and yet he feels very comfortable, again I’m his manager, telling me I’m wrong and arguing with me about the work. I never take his bait, but for fuck’s sake.

It’s all different sides of the same coin. The only thing all misogynists have is that they are men. They might skew conservative but those who call themselves liberal or progressive still can’t quite handle direction from women. It’s a well documented phenomenon but I’m still fucking pissed. Now I have to deal with this bullshit instead of the very meaningful work I do as an educational leader in a marginalized district.

Just an FYI, I experienced very little sexism in my career as a teacher. That is, until I moved into leadership. Again, different but exactly the same. I know this isn’t a support group but I could use a little validation and support from this awesome feminist community. I have to be more dispassionate at work so I really need a place hen I can scream FUCK!!!.

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Oct 11·edited Oct 11

Document everything so you have it. Make others a part of the process (HR I mean). If it leads to termination of this guy, you should have a strong case.

When I was working, I had a series of different managers. The most knowledgeable one was a woman. It made it obvious that women had to work harder, be smarter, play a better game to get to the same place. When I became a manager, I sought out women in my group to find out their goals and help them achieve them. I'm hoping the day is coming when people are treated completely fairly without respect to their gender.

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As a woman who worked with (misogynist) older men, you have my sympathy. I dealt with it a lot.

When he starts arguing with you, you might mention that his job is not a democracy and he doesn't get a say in how things are run.

Or "When you're the boss, you can run things the way you want, but I'm the boss now and things will be done the way I want them done."

"Maybe you'd be happier somewhere else?"

Remember, as a boss, you usually spend 80% of your time with the 10% of the people who give you a daily headache.

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Thanks for sharing your Daily Show interview, Jessica. Excellent job! And kudos to Jordan Klepper for having you on. This is the way!

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Great interview on the Daily Show - you nailed it! So glad you out there speaking the gospel!

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Don't be sorry. You are right and no need to apologize for that.

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Very happy and excited about the book! I pre ordered 3 copies and 2 are gifts 🎁... I read good news about Center for reproductive rights. Molly Duane the lead attorney on several lawsuits for women ( including Texas where I witnessed her amazing work in front of the worst state Supreme Courts in the country) was considered one of the 100 most powerful women according to a report by Time magazine . I saw somewhere there is a documentary on the Texas law suits- possibly on the center for RR website.... don't remember...!

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