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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

Jen Sabella

by Jen Sabella

Judy Blume and Cynthia Nixon are under pressure

Author Judy Blume has never been one to shy away from a topic or opinion due to pressure from the religious right, so when the hate mail and alleged death threats came rolling in after she wrote a letter urging people to donate to Planned Parenthood last week, we are sure she thought it was just water under the bridge.

In honor of Mother’s Day, Planned Parenthood brought out some celebrity supporters, including Blume, to drum up donations. Though most of the time, Planned Parenthood is providing gynecological care, birth control and STD screenings to those who are uninsured or need discounted services, the right wingers were quick to shout from their glass houses about Blume supporting “the nation's largest abortion business.”

“I'm a mom, and I'm also a writer and an activist,” Blume wrote to Planned Parenthood email subscribers. “Nothing has made me prouder than seeing my own children — and really, all young people — grow up to be healthy, educated, and in charge of their bodies and their lives. That's where Planned Parenthood comes in. There is no organization that I know of that supports motherhood and all that it means more than Planned Parenthood.”

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The next day, after an anti-choice website picked up the letter, Blume was reportedly bombarded with hate mail and death threats. (That’s right, death threats from a “pro-life” crowd.)

Over the years, Blume has butted heads with the holier-than-thou crowd more than a few times. Her books for children and young adults discussed teen sexuality, masturbation and body image in a frank and funny way that I’m sure many of us appreciated when we were younger — I certainly did. Her books were censored and banned in some cases — because we all know it’s better for kids to be surprised by their sexuality rather than be educated about it.

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While making someone fear for their own life doesn’t seem like the most “Christian thing to do,” the anti-choice crowd didn’t stop with Blume. Another celebrity Planned Parenthood supporter, out actress Cynthia Nixon, was next in line.

On Friday, Nixon sent a similar letter on behalf of Planned Parenthood, which put her in front of the firing squad. She lauded the health center for “providing the reproductive health care, education, and advocacy that help women everywhere to be healthy and to thrive.” She was taken to task by the same websites and said to be promoting poor health for women.

No matter what side you may be on, is threatening someone’s life really accomplishing anything? I mean, aside from making you look like a total hypocrite.

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  • dame_elphaba's picture

    I really applaud Judy Blume

    I really applaud Judy Blume and Cynthia Nixon for taking the heat--both are so badass and willing to stand up for what they believe in. And Judy Blume will always be one of my favorite authors for saying everything she feels and never backing down. And for, you know, writing incredible books. 
    drbambee's picture

    "because we all know it’s better for kids to be surprised by the

    "because we all know it’s better for kids to be surprised by their sexuality rather than be educated about it" or how about going to our friends to ask their opinion of what might be going on and getting more wrong information?  Stupid Christian Right. 

    Lowell's picture

    sick sick sick

    people really have to get lives.
    rebelzz's picture

    Sometimes I don't get

    Sometimes I don't get people who oppose planned parenthood and abortion. Isn't planned parenthood a way of preventing abortion? If people used contraceptives when having sex, they'll reduce their chances of having an unwanted baby. They will not be forced to have to make the choice of abortion. Those fanatics who oppose them just don't make sense.

    Abstinence is the best, but it just doesn't work in real life. The world is overpopulated enough already. We need more responsible parents, who are mentally ready and prepared for having children.

    I applaud Judy Blume and Cynthia Nixon for their efforts in education.

    KiwiGirl1974's picture

    The thing that gets me is ...

    These anti Planned Parenthood, anti choice people are always so pro WAR! ...   Morons!
    Skypaday's picture

    I'm gunna brace myself for backlash...

    ...but Pro Life is one of the few things about the Christian Right that I can kind of understand.  Not completely, because the idea of a group made mostly of men deciding what women can and can't do with their bodies makes me uncomfortable, but I can see where the anti-abortion movement comes from.  We call them hypocrites for being Pro-Life but Pro-War, so what does that make us for being Pro-Choice and Anti-War?

     Even though the death threats make no sense at all (seriously?  did they not notice their own hypocrisy?), I can respect people who disagree with abortion speaking out against it and writing letters and even avoiding her books.  It's certainly what I do when there's an issue I feel strongly about (minus the hate mail).

     But I also know that Planned Parenthood is about more than abortion.  It's also about prevention and education, which I agree should definitely be supported.  

    rebelzz's picture

    Yup yup, I agree with you

    Yup yup, I agree with you completely. There's a difference between pro-life and anti-abortion.

    We always stereotype them as the radical Christian right, but I think... there are the crazies out there, and there are moderates. The crazies support war and are anti-abortion. For example, some people blow up abortion clinics (killing many people inside), to make their point.I just don't get them.

    Yet, there are still many peaceful pro-lifers who simply think that killing is wrong. On all fronts. In that scenario, if their views are consistent, then I can respect them for saying that. It's the hypocrites I can't stand.

    Personally, I think abortion is a hard choice a woman has to make - but legal abortion clinics must be present. Otherwise MORE women and fetuses will die, with illegal abortion like... shudder... wire clothes hangers.  

    jennifer from pittsburgh's picture

    Control

    Some guys who can't control something immediately want to kill it. Hence the death threats, and why we have religion in general existing as the construct that it is. I wonder: Do we need these evils to see what is right? Just FYI, I am Christian, just not a 'good' one.
    Jenifer's picture

    Just want to comment on Water under the bridge

    I do agree with the all comment above but Just really have a strong feeling about this quote "Just the water under the bridge", I think it is really nice and people who saying that might have been cool, I really appreciated that.