This is an op-ed from comedian and writer Lizz Winstead.
Back in November of 2016, I had to field yet another round of panicked questions from well-meaning white women: “How did this happen? Who saw this coming? What do I do?!” As a comedian who has spent 30 years combining politics and comedy, I always get questions like this. After the 2016 election, however, it became constant.
My response to that question used to be, “I dunno, I’m just a comedian.” As a co-creator of The Daily Show, an Air America Radio host, and a cable news pundit, I have spent my whole career using comedy to call out hypocrisy and stupidity in politics, more specifically in the fight for abortion rights.
However, at a certain point, after I finished my book five years ago, I was tired of being what I like to call an “anger fluffer.” Sure — I could continue making my jokes and we could all be pissed off together, but where the hell was that anger supposed to go?
After the 2016 election, I realized that instead of creating another TV show, I could combine humor with activism to engage people who would otherwise not know what to do by giving them some direction. Instead of continuing to be an anger fluffer, I could build an army of my very favorite comedians, writers, actors, and activists to sound the alarm about the reproductive rights crisis and the need to destigmatize abortion. Additionally, we could call out misogynistic politicians and rally voters to fight back at the polls on a federal, state, and local level. In short, we could plot a feminist takeover of the entire United States government.
Though Donald Trump's election woke a lot of white women up, black women have been awake for a long time. I think when you hear that a post-election survey report analysis by Pew Research Center indicated 47 percent of white women voted for Trump, it’s clear that white women still have a lot of work to do, though it’s true that many have now been startled into action.
Lizz Winstead
My personal wake-up call came back in 2012. Barack Obama might have been president, but the war on reproductive rights was raging in state legislatures. I saw that if you weren’t fighting against lawmakers in every state hellbent on chipping away at abortion rights, you might wake up one day to find that Roe has been all but repealed. After all, what good is a Supreme Court decision if your state has created so many garbage laws that abortion clinics are functionally regulated out of existence, which has happened in multiple state and local governments (who haven’t gone the way of Oregon, who enacted the Reproductive Health Equity Act of 2017)?
Enter Lady Parts Justice, the organization I founded precisely to start answering that question.
Lady Parts Justice uses social media (hilarious memes) and comedy videos (hilarious videos) and a podcast (seriously — it’s pretty hilarious) to keep people informed and laughing.
We take our show on the road throughout the year, bringing our favorite comedians and musical performers together to throw parties and events on the ground with local clinics and activists, giving people a way to chill out, meet new friends, and learn how to take direct action and be civically engaged on these vital issues.
And it turns out it’s easier to get people in the room if you’re making them laugh while they drink cocktails. It’s way more fun to call your local politicians and yell at them about abortion rights if you’ve got a group of friends firing you up and helping you make that call. What a thought.
By the end of one of our events, we’ve connected clinics and activists with people in their own backyards to help create (or grow) their local support structure. We’ve signed them up as volunteers, we’ve given them tools to take the next step, and we’ve all had a good time.
And now, we’re gearing up for our crown jewel event, the Golden Probe Awards. The event is our take on The Golden Globes, the play on words an in-your-face reflection of how government continues to make laws that violate patient privacy.
The Golden Probes, dubbed “sexism’s most glamorous night,” is a showcase of the politicians around America who are most determined to destroy abortion rights. It’ll be filled with the trademark humor and satire that Lady Parts Justice is known for. Think of it as America’s most glamorous voting guide for the upcoming mid-terms.
Margaret Cho is hosting, Stormy Daniels is presenting, so many more of your favorite celebrities are participating, and oh yeah, you’re invited.
Stormy Daniels
If you’re in New York City, come to our taping of The Probes on Saturday, October 20th at 8 P.M. at Town Hall. For as little as $32 you can join us for red carpet realness and inappropriate vulva jokes. If you’re not in New York, don’t worry, because on Sunday, October 28, hundreds of watch parties are happening all over America for the live webcast. Find one in your area, or host your own.
One of the questions I always ask people during these seemingly hopeless days, besides “WTF is even happening right now?” is “Are you still laughing?” It’s a great emotional barometer for where a person really is, because if you’re still laughing, that means you haven’t given up hope. So laugh with us and we’ll put you to work, because we weren’t kidding when we said we’re plotting a feminist takeover of the United States government.
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