Texas House Women Angry Over "Despicable" Flyers
The lower chamber erupted into a gender war of sorts this afternoon, with Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, angrily accusing a special interest group of sexism and using exploitative images, and Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, suggesting that some lawmakers have pornography visible on the House floor.
Thompson gave an impassioned personal privilege speech over flyers passed out in the House chamber about an insurance bill, HB 2093. The flyer, which was printed by the Texas Civil Justice League, said "Don't Expand the Nanny State," and had a graphic picture of a child suckling a woman's bare breast.
"I am ...
Comments (32)
John Maldonado
where can we find a picture of the flyer?
Amy Ellis via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If the flyer is the one pictured in your article, I take issue with the women who are offended in this case. Considering an image of a suckling child to be pornography is ridiculous, and reinforces the shame many women have about breastfeeding. This attitude goes a long way towards explaining why we have such pitifully low breastfeeding rates in our prudish country.
You can dislike the flyer, dislike the message, and heck - I dislike that they use a beautiful image of a mother feeding her child to illustrate a "nanny state" concept - but it is NOT pornography. Get a grip.
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
What an idiotic thing to waste time on. It makes a valid point - whether you agree with it or not.
Susan Stella Floyd via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I think the pornography discussion was related to other items that male members had on the floor and was mentioned as part of a larger discussion about objectification of women in the House. I could be wrong. Can anyone who was present clarify? Also, I agree with Amy re: stigmatizing breastfeeding, but can still see how that particular flier might be construed as offensive by some. Of course the elephant in the chamber is the whole trans-vaginal probe thing... both regarding this brouhaha and regarding the TSA "groping" issue. But Republicans are nothing if not oblivious to irony.
Bob Brown via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If I read the article correctly she has a problem with them using a picture of a breast-feeding baby to represent a nanny state as something undesirable. First I know of no nannies that breast feed their clients babies. Second, breast feeding is not a bad thing. Third the other concern was with house members having porn on the house floor that is what I would call impeachable.
John Maldonado
The reference to pornography was not to the flyer, it was indeed in reference to a member showing another member pornography on their computer.
Karen Brooks via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I was there. SSFloyd, you're right.
Also, no one said breast feeding was a bad thing, nor did they condemn it in any way. Ms. Thompson had a problem with the graphic nature of the photograph, not with anything having to do with breastfeeding or public breast feeding or anything like that. Besides, women who breast feed in public don't typically remove their entire shirts and bras to do it, so this is not exactly the same thing. She, and the rest of the women on the floor, believe the photo is graphic and objectifies women. Try not to read anything more into it than that.
SSFloyd is right - the pornography thing was a different issue altogether.
Nobody's calling breast feeding pornography, either.
Sharon Richard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
You misunderstand. Certainly the women meant that they are angry that a group of men are using images like this to try to impact a bill. It's not the women who object to breastfeeding, for goodness sake...they object to the men who would use a photo like that to try to demean women.
Susan Stella Floyd via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Let's just go ahead and call this the Women Aren't People Session and be done with it. :smashes champagne bottle on Dan Patrick's stern:
Samdavis
I'm guessing Ms. Riddle is referring to Dan Patrick's nude photos of Rush Limbaugh.
Bill Carson
Methinks she doth protest too much.
Sonora Hartley via Texas Tribune on Facebook
In a sick and twisted way this fits with the abortion sonogram bill, the defunding of women's healthcare and now the proposed drastic cuts to the Federal WIC program. We are on our way back to barefoot and pregnant or perhaps to the society of the Handmaid's Tale. (wouldn't the right love that!) Up next? Perhaps the repeal of child labor laws so poor uneducated Texas children can work in non union factories and sweatshops.
tom brown
More grandstanding, this time by women. Get a grip ladies, you're as bad as the gentlemen of the house..
Rita Lucido via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I didn't think it even depicted breastfeeding. Thats not how children breastfeed The photo was meant to be provocative in support of some insurance bill at the expense of women. Mrs. Thompson is right. Offensive.
psymetric
What I found disgusting was the man in the background spitting tobacco juice into his cup.
Robert Moorhead via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Bullies like to hit girls...
Mickey Meader via Texas Tribune on Facebook
STOP THE KILLING OF THE UNBORN.
Robert Moorhead via Texas Tribune on Facebook
... AND STOP KILLING THE ONCE-BORN!
Karen Bice via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stupid question, but what is a nanny state?
John Jordan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
There's further context here: Karen Brooks, remember a coupla weeks ago when the 'boys' on the floor started meowing?
MadDawgg
Parsley should resign, period.
Beverly Nuckols
What a whiney complaint! Breastfeeding is a wonderful, beautiful, natural and nurturing act. This picture is not in the least bit 'hate, etc." in fact, it could have just as well been an advertisement * for public breastfeeding. It certainly not "kicking" anyone!
Shelly Blair via Texas Tribune on Facebook
They started meowing? I'd love more info on this for my blog at fairandfeminist.com
Karen Brooks via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Shelly. I'll give you a link to my post on it. They started meowing when two female reps got into it on the floor. Thanks, John - you're right.
Karen Brooks via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rita - you're right, that's now how children breastfeed. I caught that, too.
Steve Ferrell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is no surprise coming from the Texas Civil Justice League. They are as bad as TLR if not worse.
Sarah Melecki via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Karen Brooks - would you mind sending me a link to your post on the boys who were meowing? I'd like to read it and I can't find it online!
Beverly Nuckols via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rita and Karen, that is exactly how children of that age often nurse: looking their mothers in the eye.
C Baker
It's not about breast feeding...it's about disrespecting women who are the only ones who can breast feed.
To Sanora: "(wouldn't the right love that)" It's not about right or left, I'm so tired of hearing that bunch of bull.....and as far as repealing child labor laws...you better wake up and take a look around at all of the illegal alien children being used in child labor right here, right now! You need to get out of the fog.
David Meller
These women are POLITICIANS, for heaven's sake! You're supposed to make fun of them, discredit their policies, and in the timeless words of the Constitution, "secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity..."
This is done most effectively when the political class, and the corporate, financial, and military bottom-feeders subsidized and cartellized by those people (both female and male) in the Government machinery to their profit and OUR disadvantage, is exposed as completely and as conspicuously as possible!
Of course, maybe the little ladies are are far too delicate in their sensibilities and pruderies to be exposed to such a vulgar and obscene buffoonery as politics, law, and public policy! If they can't take the heat, they should go back to their kitchens!
Okay, Truman said "if you can't stand the heat, get OUT of the kitchen, but he--and the Americans of HIS time weren't troubled by the feminist and "heterophobic" scolds that we are today!
PEACE AND FREEDOM!!
David K. Meller
PS--I detest the nannystate call it as much as anyone, and there may be better advocacy of liberty and self-responsibility than posters showing females at baby-nursing! I shall not fault the authors of these posters for giving us all a good laugh! God Bless the Constitution, especially the First Amendment! DKM
C Baker
David Mullet said: "Of course, maybe the little ladies are are far too delicate in their sensibilities and pruderies to be exposed to such a vulgar and obscene buffoonery as politics, law, and public policy!"
Don't underestimate those "little ladies". Being that they know their way around a kitchen, I bet that they could turn you from a bull to a stear in about 30 seconds!
C Baker
That is a STEER