“ABORTION AND BIRTH CONTROL CAUSE CANCER.” UofA students returned to campus to be greeted by ill-informed male protesters accosting them with misogynistic signs and verbal attacks against them such as this one. The sign-holders started their march at Tucson High School and eventually ended up at the University of Arizona. This is very ignorant because there were studies done that indicated there is no higher risk of female-specific cancers in those who had abortions compared to those who did not. Another study shows that birth control, in some cases, can reduce the risk of endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.
UofA protesters held up various signs, some stating that women were property, one in particular saying: “Types of Property: WOMEN, SLAVES, ANIMALS, CARS, LAND, ETC….” The insinuation that women are a type of property is the equivalent of calling a woman the same as an appliance, which is disgusting and absolutely degrading. Society’s view of women has made great strides over the past century and to completely disregard all the progress we have made by comparing them to cars, animals, and land is outrageous.
This backward thinking is heavily reminiscent of the 1950s when men thought that women had to act and dress a certain way. They were articulating their opinions on how some women dress, saying that dressing immodestly is a sin.
While all of this protesting seems completely outlandish, they are still allowed to do it because of the First Amendment. And while the First Amendment does give the right to freedom of speech, it does not give you freedom from judgment or backlash.
But this also begs the question: Just how much hate speech is covered by the First Amendment? Some of these protesters allegedly would make crude comments, and even threaten to rape women that would pass by on their way to class. None of them had any repercussions for this and that is not okay.
These protests have migrated and continue to spread their hate speech up to Phoenix near Arizona State University. They continue to hold up vulgar signs and flaunt them around.
The fact that this is allowed to continue is horrible; it’s not just in Arizona, but everywhere. All around the world women continue to face hate and oppression. This needs to stop.
