Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh reached new levels of woman-hating on Monday when he declared that “‘No’ means ‘yes’ if you know how to spot it.” Yes, you read that right.
Limbaugh, in mocking Ohio State University’s proposed new definition of sexual consent (which requires both parties to consent every step of the way and discuss why they’re engaging in sex), argued that men can’t be expected to think with their brains during sex, leaving them unable to obtain full consent.
“Seduction used to be an art, now of course it’s ‘brutish’ and it’s ‘predatory,'” he said. “Agreeing on the ‘why’ takes all the romance out of everything.”
Oh Rush, Rush, Rush. How deeply wrong you are. Don’t you know that obtaining an enthusiastic “YES!” from your lover is one of the best parts of consensual sex? And don’t you know that states like California have already taken steps toward ensuring that students abide by a “yes means yes” standard of consent? I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your misogynist, right-wing ideas are quickly going out of style.
Back in 2012, we started a hashtag campaign urging companies who advertise on Limbaugh’s radio show to pull their sponsorships after the host called feminist activist Sandra Fluke a “slut” when she argued in favor of mandatory insurance coverage for birth control.
We’d heard more than enough of Limbaugh’s anti-woman drivel at that point, so we used the hashtag #FlushRushNow to pressure companies to drop him. Many businesses took heed: Nearly 100 advertisers pulled their spots from Limbaugh’s radio show in the weeks that followed. He also lost at least one local radio contract.
Could this latest flub be the last gasp for Rush Limbaugh? We hope so! It’s time to rid the airwaves of Limbaugh once and for all: Join us in asking advertisers to drop their sponsorships and radio stations to cancel their syndication contracts. Tweet with the hashtag #FlushRushNow and let’s banish this guy for good!
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Photo courtesy of Flickr user DonkeyHotey licensed under Creative Commons 2.0
