Study: Anti-abortion views linked to sexist attitudes towards women

[DonViejo]

Source: RawStory/Affilia

Research in the feminist journal Affilia suggests that opposition to abortion is driven in part by sexist attitudes towards women.

The study examines the relationship between sexism and abortion through the lens of the Ambivalent Sexism Theory. The psychological theory holds that sexist attitudes about women come in two main forms: a hostile version and a benevolent version.

Benevolent sexism describes the belief that women are nurturing, caring and gentle, but cannot function properly without protection from a strong male partner. Kathleen Connelly of the University of Florida has summarized benevolent sexism as the belief that “women are wonderful, but weak.” Hostile sexism, on the other hand, represents overt antipathy or dislike of women. Both forms of sexism maintain that women should be subordinate to men.

“While women have been shown to endorse forms of hostile sexism somewhat infrequently, women’s endorsements of benevolent sexist beliefs are quite common,” the researchers noted.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/study-anti-abortion-views-linked-to-sexist-attitudes-towards-women/

[iandhr]

1. In other news water is wet.

[ananda]

2. So what?

Just more study and talk while the war on women
continues unabated.

[DURHAM D]

3. I'm shocked !

not

[sakabatou]

28. Shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

Last edited Fri May 8, 2015, 09:59 PM - Edit history (1)

[BlueJazz]

4. This is probably not earth-shaking news to most women. Really boils down to Respect.

[christx30]

21. You mean the religion that blames women

for the troubles in the world (it wasn't Adam that ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge) doens't respect women?

[BlueJazz]

22. That and enough other things and humans to give "War and Peace" competition for the lengh...

..of it's story.

[3catwoman3]

5. What's that old phrase?

No $h!t, Sherlock!

[AuntPatsy]

6. Absolutely...the more things change the more they stay the same...

[mountain grammy]

7. It's as old as the cavemen.. control of women.

Nobody gives a rat's ass about the unborn, it's all about control of women..

My theory is, a long time ago, men realized that women had nearly complete control over the continued existence of the human race. No matter how strong or powerful men were, this power over procreation was utmost. Best to keep women subjugated to ensure the survival of the human race, then men can decide who's life is worthwhile.

See how well that's worked out?

[BlancheSplanchnik]

37. I think it has a lot to do with physical power.

Millions of years of evolution, where the physically strong and aggressive prevail. That power is...a powerful drug. You have that power, you want more.

[mountain grammy]

39. Men are, for the most part, physically stronger than women

so they do have that power, but I'd love to see any one of them give birth..

[BlancheSplanchnik]

41. well, I'd never do that!

Anyway....I don't think that's helped our position. From prehistory to the present, it makes us burdened and dependent. We've got the ability to tolerate high levels of pain, but generally, can't protect ourselves from generally stronger, more aggressive males.

And now, there's no more, "But the species would die off if you don't have more babies!!!"...no, we're killing the planet with our fertility.

[mountain grammy]

42. Yes, we're just smart enough to bring on our own extinction.

Too bad evolution didn't get us a bit further.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

43. truth.

I always say, WE are the proof there is no such thing as an Intelligent Creator. Only an idiot would have made us so fertile.

[jwirr]

8. That does not surprise me. I wonder if there has ever been a reliable poll about men's attitudes

about birth control and abortions? Prior to birth control men also paid the price of having too many children to support and the risks of unwanted pregnancies. I think these would be very interesting. A friend of mine was furious because his wife did not take her pills and got pregnant for the 4th time. If asked he would be totally for birth control.

[SoapBox]

9. Well, duh!

[niyad]

10. ya think????

[lark]

11. I'd like to add another category,

Misogyn for political gain. People like Santorum and Romney whose own wives have had abortions but who are against abortions for any reason whatsoever for anyone other than his own wife. The obviosly aren't anti-abortion. Tim Tebow's mom, who risked death rather than have an abortion is anti-abortion, these clowns don't have that set of principles. They use this to manipulate their fundamentalist base and get their votes. They know those clowns don't have common sense and will vote against their economic benefit for "God".

[Moostache]

12. Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead

Nothing shocking about that to anyone paying even a modicum of attention to the issue.

What does astound me is how the GOP has ANY female members at all...talk about the Stockholm syndrome writ large.
I would have a tiny bit of sympathy for the anti-choice crowd if they were setting annual records for adoptions and foster care of children from unwanted pregnancies, but that never seems to enter into the discussion - you know, the actual CARE for children who are born to parents incapable or unwilling to fulfill the role.

In addition to being anti-choice and anti-women, these people are also anti-children when it all gets down to brass tacks. They are interested in one thing and one thing alone - punishing women (and the children that they may bear) for the temerity of having sex at all - whether by choice, by coercion or anything outside of male dictated and tightly proscribed circumstances.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. No kidding?

!!

[onyourleft]

14. Oh, surprise,...

...surprise. Not.

[tclambert]

15. Yes, but it's "benevolent sexism." You know, like not letting them vote

because their menfolk will look out for them, protect them, and not make them worry their pretty little heads about that nasty political stuff.

Next up: benevolent racism, wherein Cliven Bundy describes "the problem of the Negro," and how the colored folks were better off during slavery because their masters would look out for them.

[Novara]

16. THIS DAY IN DUH!

[calimary]

29. Love it!!!

That's as good as what the Rude Pundit said recently, inspired by whorish Moslem-hating Texas provocateur pamela geller:

"Well fuck us all with a surprise stick."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026634231



"This Day in DUH!" GOOD one, Novara!!!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

38. ...

Edit to add this quote from The Rude's always excellent insightful writings:

The Rude Pundit's question to the right wing spooge smearers---

By the way, aren't you the people who think that the problem with rape on college campuses isn't that rapists do it, but that sexy coeds get drunk and are easy targets?

[BlueMTexpat]

35. I second everything that

Calimary said!

[malthaussen]

17. Who'd have thought it?

Kudos to our brave and brilliant experts for discovering this obscure tendency.

-- Mal

[Paladin]

18. The latest release from the Bureau Of Painfully Obvious Facts. (nt)

[LeftishBrit]

19. Seems like stating the bleedin' obvious; but I suppose there are people who pretend there is no

sexism involved.

[awoke_in_2003]

32. Yep, they're called republicans...

they don't think they are racist, either.

[bekkilyn]

20. Obvious

It's blatantly obvious without the need for any studies and yet even here on this site, I've occasionally seen a post where someone just accuses people who support any sort of feminist views as whining about a non-existent problem. So maybe these studies are needed after all. Of course, the mere fact that it was published by a feminist journal automatically discounts its validity to certain mindsets.

[calimary]

30. Welcome to DU, bekkilyn!

Glad you're here! Good point. But it's verbal ammo. It's another arrow in your quiver when you have to suit up for battle - facing another family gathering with weird old Pox Noise-worshipping Uncle Harold or whoever. Next time you hear somebody assert things that aren't true and there's evidence to prove it. This place generates boatloads of material for all occasions! It'll make you smarter and better able to hit back - verbally of course.

You're apt to find that you're better-informed than most of the people with whom you might find yourself arguing.

[bekkilyn]

36. Thanks!

Thanks for the welcome, calimary! I do tend to lurk more than post, but sometimes I do get inspired.

[BrotherIvan]

23. They need a study for this?

[Starry Messenger]

24. Until sexism is recognized as a form of bigotry, it's going to continue to be pervasive.

[Skittles]

25. CORRECT - they are not "PRO-LIFE", they are ANTI-WOMEN

[Warpy]

26. Gee, what a terrible shock.

I mean, considering they reduce the woman in the whole equation into a cipher, a mere flowerpot, an animate but non sentient being with no rights of her own.

They'd also be the first to leer while telling you how much they love women.

[longship]

27. No shit! R&K nt

[eridani]

31. Filed under "Thank you, Captain Obvious" n/t

[rocktivity]

33. Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" Award

the "To Figure this out, you had to do a freaking STUDY?" category.


rocktivity

[MADem]

34. It is obvious, but it bears repeating nonetheless. Some people just need repetition before they

"get it."

[Manifestor_of_Light]

40. It's about control. Some men force women to get abortions.

Because children cost money. As one example, I read that Ava Gardner had "a couple of abortions" when she was married to Frank Sinatra that didn't sound entirely her idea.

Some men are horrified at the prospect of being a father, even if they are married to the mother and promised to love, honor and cherish. They don't love, honor and cherish the mother when she gets pregnant. Apparently the men are too good to wear a rubber or get a vasectomy.