Political comedian Bill Maher has often joked that the political landscape of the US has changed with the left moving more to the right and the right moving to a mental hospital, but the joke seems more prescient in 2012 when one of the central issues that keeps cropping up is whether or not birth control should be restricted- and a tone deaf crack made by Rick Santorum Super PAC donor Foster Friess is a good example of how many right-wingers view this issue.
Women and progressives in general are kind of stymied by the steps backward- if fighting over abortion rights felt backwards, fighting over access to the pill itself feels downright antiquated. But there is a contingent in the US that is growing ever more vocal opposing these very basic reproductive issues- meaning, contraception- and it’s increasingly embarrassing that we are the only Western country in which this is even a debate.
The joke to which Friess referred is an old one, likely older than most of us- about using aspirin as a contraceptive by holding it between your knees. While it seems harmless enough, the implication behind it is- while not necessarily super-offensive- is that women who have a need for contraception really just need to keep their legs together. After making the crack on MSNBC, Friess apologized on his website- though mainly for the age of the joke:
“After listening to the segment tonight, I can understand how I confused people with the way I worded the joke and their taking offense is very understandable. To all those who took my joke as modern day approach I deeply apologize and seek your forgiveness. My wife constantly tells me I need new material- she understood the joke but didn’t like it anyway- so I will keep that old one in the past where it belongs.”
When asked about Friess’ comment, Santorum fell back on the “gotcha politics” clause and blamed the media.