Oh, and clearly somebody finds abortion a laughing matter.

“I’m going to say this as nicely as I can (and you know how I can be), I dont’ believe you have ever been pregnant or ever will be. So until males can be, back off. Hormones are very real. And a huge issue especially when pregnant. No sterotype.”

I think people are talking past each other here. It’s not that anyone is denying the existence of hormones (wouldn’t that be stupid), but that, in our culture, hormones, genes, and other little bio-chemical things are so often thought to explain away all of our behavior, instead of adding to our knowledge of our complex behavior (but it’s either hormones OR rational thought, genetics OR socialization…not some complex, intelligent mixture of the two).

And, unfortunately, the “hormones trope” has been used over a long period of time in this country to hurt women. What was one of the primary (faulty) reasons for women being excluded from the political process for so long in this country? “It’s there hormones! These women can’t be trusted to use their tiny minds b/c hormones rule women’s bodies! Can you imagine!?” And, of course, one of the only times “male hormones” are ever invoked to explain behavior is to excuse many men’s abherrent behavior toward women, especially with regard to sexual harassment and, yes, assault. “It’s just the testosterone working! You see, testosterone hates womens!”

So that’s why it’s troubling that during any episode of complex human emotion and thought that involves a woman (especially a pregnant one), someone can just say the word “hormones” (or, better yet, say it 3 times in a row), and we all go, “Oh, hormones! Well that explains everything. And for a moment I was going to actually listen to what that woman had to say!”

So, anyway, women’s hormones are definitely real. And so are there abilities to be thoughtful, intelligent people. And those two things are NOT mutually exclusive.

though I still think “hormones, hormones, hormones” is both a sloppy stereotype and a well-worn sexist trope

I’m going to say this as nicely as I can (and you know how I can be), I dont’ believe you have ever been pregnant or ever will be. So until males can be, back off. Hormones are very real. And a huge issue especially when pregnant. No sterotype.

…But reworded by someone who’s got experience writing comics.

It *would* be difficult to make her have an abortion and still be funny at all. But at the very least she ought to *mention* choice, and that can still be done humorously.

Then again, what with the character being white and middle class, any child would likely be readily adopted, so at least a decision to give up for adoption, instead of abortion, doesn’t represent the sociental burden that an unwanted baby is.

As to hormones, I don’t think KTK denies their reality. I think he is being, as he often is (perhaps overmuch so), sensative to the implied rationale of a statement: “Oh, you’re just freaking out because of hormones.” is awfully close to “Oh, you’re just insane because of hormones; I guess you can’t make rational decisions as a legally competent adult.”

Also, just because you feel something is misogynistic doesn’t make it so. I’ll be damned if someone tells me that the changes that occur in pregnancy are some sort of manifestation of my subconscious anti-women programming. Until you’ve carried a child and given birth, don’t belittle women by telling us that our real physiological changes are imaginary.

Oh yeah, and “You Go Girl” needent end in “to the abortion clinic”.