The war on women goes Southern Fried Chicken

I saw this on the news yesterday (ok, not the "real" news, but the only news that's reporting anything remotely offensive that the far right is doing - that would be the official "fake news", The Daily Show.

It seems everyone is rallying around poor woman-harasser Herman Cain. From Rush Limbaugh's disgusting slurpy sounds and desire for women to wear burkhas so men aren't tempted up to Huckabee's Southern fried chicken. This was our moment of Zen last night:



Huckabee would do well to remember the EEOC's definition of sexual harassment. And from the FCC's website:
Examples of actions that may create sexual hostile environment harassment include:

• Leering, i.e., staring in a sexually suggestive manner
• Making offensive remarks about looks, clothing, body parts
• Touching in a way that may make an employee feel uncomfortable, such as patting, pinching or intentional brushing against another’s body
• Telling sexual or lewd jokes, hanging sexual posters, making sexual gestures, etc.
• Sending, forwarding or soliciting sexually suggestive letters, notes, emails, or images

It sure seems to me that what Sharon Bialeck has claimed - that Cain stuck his hand up her skirt and grabbed her genitals while pushing her head toward his lap - meets that definition. Add in the "You want a job, right?" line, and I think that Cain's face actually appears in the dictionary next to the definition.

Now, having someone in a service environment call you sweetie or honey is annoying. I'm the first to admit it. Personally, I hate it when someone, especially someone several years younger than me, says, "What can I get for you, hon?" Ugh. Is that annoying? Yes. Is that harassment? No. It might be if I was required to deliver napkins to a restaurant every single day, and every day that girl said, "That shirt looks nice on you, babe." And I told her that made me uncomfortable. And she continued anyway. And I was required to interact with her FOR MY JOB. Not because I felt like filling my fat ass with fried chicken that day at lunch.

This level of backlash is the EXACT reason that most women don't report sexual harassment in the workplace. Or rape. Because of the fear or retaliation (and make no mistake - this is retaliation) or retribution is huge.

The facts are that the National Restaurant Association settled two cases against Cain in the 1990s. So why didn't these women didn't come forward sooner? Perhaps it was because of the gag order on them, written into the settlements.

The level of hatred for women that the far right continues to show is simply appalling. From laws restricting our rights, and attempts to undermine our health and well being, and sexually harassing us, and calling our leaders "princess", they continue to show disdain for the majority of the population.

So sorry that I wasn't born with a dick. I'll be happy to get one if that would make you happy.

Oh wait. You don't like that either.