Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry is enduring a flood of criticism after donning a pair of tampon earrings to show her support for “reproductive rights” after Texas passed a law banning abortions after 20 weeks.
The Washington Times is reporting that Perry donned the earrings during her program Sunday in response to the confiscation of such items during hearings in Texas while the abortion bill was being debated.
“Of course , you’ll remember that the Texas state Legislature said that you couldn’t bring tampons in when … these women [were going to], in fact, stand up for their own reproductive rights,” Harris-Perry said. “You weren’t allowed initially to bring tampons. So, just in case that ever happens again ladies, you can just bring them on your earrings.”
What Harris-Perry deliberately didn’t tell the public is why those items were being confiscated by authorities – because women were planning to throw used tampons, pads, condoms, along with jars of urine and excrement, at lawmakers in the state Capitol. But the way she reports it in this clip, it’s as if the police had nothing better to do that day than rifle through ladies’ pocketbooks in search of personal hygiene items.
This could be why her on-air stunt is receiving praise from the left side of the aisle and nothing but scorn from everywhere else.
“Just make your point the extra drama is not needed!” one user wrote, while another simply called her “a flake.”
A commenter named Libertarian Advocate wrote” I’m just wondering what tampons have to do with a law stopping the murder of unborn children after 20 weeks . . . Basically nothing.”
I agree. Harris-Perry’s stunt is reminiscent of the empty bra-burning gestures of the 1960’s “women’s liberation movement” that resulted in women leaving the “movement” in droves. Today’s woman is much more interested in intelligent and effective dialogue, not publicity stunts that mock her femininity and leave her feeling embarrassed and uncomfortable.
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