FLASHBACK: Limbaugh To “Feminazi[s]”: Love Your Body, “Because Nobody Else Does”
Written by Chelsea Rudman
Published
Rush Limbaugh is a pioneer in American misogyny: He popularized the use of the slur “feminazi” against women who seek to be treated equally in our society. Although he originally claimed that the word referred to “a specific type of feminist” and that there were “not many of them,” Limbaugh has routinely used it to attack feminists, abortion-rights advocates, and progressive women alike.
In October 2008, he dragged out the slur to attack the National Organization for Women (NOW) for promoting “Love Your Body Day.” In a press release on its website, NOW said the day marked “another year in our campaign to educate and encourage women and girls to say 'no' to negative stereotypes and 'yes' to awareness, health, and a positive body image.”
It might seem like no one could possibly take issue with a campaign aiming to “encourage women and girls” to have “a positive body image.”
But Rush Limbaugh did. He mocked the campaign by saying, “If you're a feminazi ... Love Your Body Day, because nobody else does.” Repeating a line from an old column of his, he also said that “Undeniable Truth of Life Number 24” is that “feminism was established so that unattractive women could have easier access to the mainstream.” Listen:
LIMBAUGH: Yesterday was Love Your Body Day, the NAGs. It was Love Your Body Day. The NAGs, the National Organization for Women, the NAGs, National Association for Gals. “For over a decade now, the” NAGs' “Love Your Body campaign has countered the unrealistic beauty standards, gender stereotypes and sometimes harmful messages. 'We are constantly bombarded by media's ideals of what beauty should be,' said the” NAG “Foundation President Kim Gandy.”
" 'The vitriolic language used to describe Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Sarah Palin is a direct effect of the way media and advertising have created a world in which even the most powerful women are reduced to objectification,' said Gan-- " hey, you've been on the bandwagon to attack Palin.
What have I always told you, though? Undeniable Truth of Life Number 24: Feminism was established so that unattractive women could have easier access to the mainstream. So what happens? The very -- the only women who mind sexual harassment -- I'm just kidding, drive-bys. Just kidding, just a little lighthearted interjected comment here. You ever notice a Hooters girl doesn't care? Ram It Down Their Throats Day here on the EIB Network.
Feminist truth, undeniable truth of life: Feminism was established so as to allow unattractive women easier access -- and here you go, the NAGs with their Love Your Body Day. And there's actually -- they've got a -- like, a poster or sign here that says, “I love my thighs.” What is this? “I love my thighs.”
Love Your Body Day. If you're a feminazi, if you're a NAG, Love Your Body Day, because nobody else does. That's what this is all about. They can't stand that there are still pretty women in the world, and they really can't stand that one of the prettiest is a vice presidential nominee. But they do mention Sarah here as having been shellacked and attacked for her looks and so forth -- objectified. They say Sarah has been objectified.
But this is also about the women's movement that took away from us all the role of women in life. It's just all so twisted. So now, Love Your Body Day. Did we need a Love Your Body Day before the feminazis geared up? Love Your Body Day, because nobody else will.
So after years of calling women “feminzais,” Limbaugh used the term to attack an organization for encouraging women to have “a positive body image.” Just another display of cruelty from a man who laughed after the 2011 earthquake that killed thousands in Japan, mocked a transplant patient who faced expensive medical bills, and said Michael J. Fox “exaggerate[ed]” the effects of his Parkinson's disease.