Rick Perry--just no.

After reading Annette's blog post on Rick Perry and the changes he wishes to seek if he were to become president, I feel sick to my stomach. Being a woman myself, I take offense to the requirements Perry feels the need to push on women. Annette outlines what currently is the issue and how Perry's "solutions" are "nothing short of insulting to women".

The issue with HPV and the Gardasil shot is most likely due to the poor sexual education provided in the school systems around the country. With the media and the younger of an exposed generation coming forth, sex is almost inevitable. Rather than trying to require a vaccine that a) costs $600 per person and b) does not even protect against ALL forms of HPV, we should probably hop off the whole abstinence bit and get real. Let's start talking about contraceptives and other forms of protection, having open discussion and making sure there is someone on campus who can personally answer questions that a student may feel uncomfortable discussing with their parents. Communication is the key if the message you're trying to get across is about being safe.

As for the Sonogram Bill, I couldn't agree more about Annette's stance on the idea. It's ridiculous. Getting an abortion can be due to many terrible reasons, whether it be a teenager getting raped, a woman who could lose her life without getting an abortion or a woman trying to spare raising a child with poor health implications that are incurable. No matter what the situation, abortion is a dreadful act that no woman looks forward to going through. If you had to go through with one because you were fifteen years old and ended up being raped, why should you be forced to look at something you couldn't even control? It's heart-breaking and abortions alone typically cause psychological illnesses among women, why add icing to the cake? Unless Rick Perry grows a vagina and goes through one himself and still has the same stance on the matter, I'd be surprised.

It may be more difficult for a man to understand the offense Perry's views on these matters are, but I feel like Annette spelled out the wrongs in his decisions to allow a reader of either gender to get the gist of how insulting Rick Perry is and why he is not suited to be president.