--- title: What Do You Think Congress Needs to Know About Sexual and Reproductive Health? date: 2012-10-01T22:55:06-04:00 author: OBOS Admin canonical_url: "https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/ladydrawers-congressional-pop-quiz" section: Blog (Archive) --- [Donate](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/donate) [From the Archives of Our Bodies, Our Blog](/blog)# What Do You Think Congress Needs to Know About Sexual and Reproductive Health? By Christine Cupaiuolo • October 1, 2012 Please note: This entry -- originally posted at [Our Bodies, Our Blog](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog) -- has not been updated since the publication date listed above. Rep. Todd Akin, the Republican candidate in Missouri for U.S. Senate, made news again last week for his comments on the ladies -- this time for asserting that his opponent, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, acted "[much more ladylike](http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/akin-chided-for-saying-mccaskill-wasnt-ladylike-in-debate/ "Todd Akin chided for saying Claire McCaskill wasn’t ‘ladylike’ Read more here: http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/akin-chided-for-saying-mccaskill-wasnt-ladylike-in-debate/#storylink=cpy")" during the 2006 campaign, and for suggesting that it's fine for businesses to [pay women less than men](http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/09/28/929671/akin-equal-pay-women/ "Akin: ‘Free Enterprise’ Means Being Allowed To Deny Equal Pay To Women"). [Well, then](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/09/28/the-devastatingly-bad-candidacy-of-todd-akin-and-how-it-could-cost-republicans-the-senate/ "The devastatingly bad candidacy of Todd Akin — and how it could cost Republicans the Senate"). We do have Akin to thank, however, for sparking an upcoming [Congressional Pop Quiz](http://ladydrawers.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/call-for-participation-congressional-pop-quiz/ "Call for Participation") on gender, sex and reproductive health designed by The Ladydrawers. But first they need you to share **what *you* think Congress needs to know about sexual and reproductive health**. Here's info from the [call for participation](http://ladydrawers.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/call-for-participation-congressional-pop-quiz/ "Call for Participation"): > [The latest *Truthout* strip](http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11447-akin-roadtrip-our-quest-to-bring-sex-education-to-the-man-who-invented-legitimate-rape) asks readers to submit questions for a Congressional Pop Quiz on the workings of your body. We’d like you—the cartoonists, the ladydrawers, the gender-aware media makers—to submit *illustrated questions*. You can use the questions from the *Truthout* comments section, generate queries among your own communities, or just straight-up ask Akin to identify the different between your vag and, say, a praying mantis. Which, actually, is pretty damn good at shutting “that whole thing down.” > > > > We’d like questions on sex and reproductive health, of course, but questions about gender seem appropriate too. Marriage, partner benefits—it seems a little bit endless, what we must ensure Congress knows before further legislation is enacted. Anything. Be creative. Be funny. Be accurate. Use evidence-based resources, and cite them, so interested parties (R, D) can read more. > > > > Most important: submit them to us here at TheLadydrawers@gmail.com or [on our Tumblr](http://ladydrawers.tumblr.com/) by October 15. We’ll publish everything we receive here and on our Tumblr that fits the above guidelines (so include your website in your submission for proper credit), and choose the very best ones to print or publish in a quiz we’ll send directly to congress. (We might even have a way to pay you.) Line art only, please! > > > > Can’t draw? [Submit your text question on *Truthout’s* comment section](http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11447-akin-roadtrip-our-quest-to-bring-sex-education-to-the-man-who-invented-legitimate-rape), work with a friend who *does* like to draw, or *do it anyway*. You’re the expert: on your body, and on what you want to say about how it should be legislated. **The deadline is Oct. 15, so get going!** [![](https://assets.ourbodiesourselves.org/images/blog-archive/furit-of-the-womb.jpg "furit-of-the-womb")](http://ladydrawers.tumblr.com/post/31337554714/pals-lets-quiz-congress-on-sex-gender-and)Having [road tripped](http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/11447-akin-roadtrip-our-quest-to-bring-sex-education-to-the-man-who-invented-legitimate-rape "Akin Roadtrip: Our Quest to Bring Sex Education to the Man Who Invented "Legitimate Rape"") with The Ladydrawers in August to [deliver "Our Bodies, Ourselves" and sex-ed books and comics](http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/blog/2012/08/delivering-our-bodies-ourselves-to-rep-todd-akin "Road Trip: Delivering “Our Bodies, Ourselves” and Sex Education Books to Rep. Todd Akin") to Akin's office, I can pretty much guarantee that they're the most awesome rabble rousers this side of the Mississippi (view [more photos and drawings](http://ladydrawers.tumblr.com/tagged/AkinRoadTrip "hysterical -- and informative!") from that adventure). The trip's urgency was set off by Akin's unfortunate comments about "legitimate rape" and pregnancy. Since we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped by McCaskill's office and a [training for sex-ed educators](http://expressmilwaukee.com/article-19708-yes-virginia-there-is-comprehensive-sex-ed-in-missouri.html "Yes, Virginia, There Is Comprehensive Sex Ed in Missouri"), dropping knowledge and spreading the word that *everyone* deserves access to accurate, evidence-based information on reproductive health. In fact, we're about to launch a larger-scale delivery effort; more on that soon! --- #### 7 Responses Our Bodies Ourselves is no longer able to accept comments. **Timid Atheist** on Oct 01, 2012 I see in the photo it says women's health care. But not all women have uteri and not all uteri owners are women. How does this push for abortion and reproductive rights fit trans\* men and trans\* women or those who identify as genderqueer, etc. but have a uteri? I'm all for getting everyone more informed, but if we're doing that I hope we can go all the way. **Christine Cupaiuolo** on Oct 01, 2012 Great comment. The photo is a drawing that was done during the Missouri road trip -- its original posting is here: http://ladydrawers.tumblr.com/post/30322818953/its-true-that-st-louis-seems-to-have-some-sort In short, it refers to a women's health center that we found somewhat troubling because of its description of women's bodies. So it was more of a humor piece from the trip, and not intended to represent the focus of the pop quiz. If you're not familiar with The Ladydrawers, their work is very much about inclusion. From the website: "We are a collective of women, men, transgender, and non-binary gender folk who research, perform, and publish comics and texts about how economics, race, sexuality, and gender impact the comics industry and our culture at large." I hope that helps, and again thanks for pointing that out! **Alan Mills** on Oct 02, 2012 Congress doesn't need to know anything. It has no business legislating on the topic at all. That's what doctors are for. **Christine Cupaiuolo** on Oct 02, 2012 Well, sure, but unfortunately Congress is legislating our bodies and our health \*all the time\*. **Rachel** on Oct 02, 2012 Alan, maybe a great question would be: Why do you think you should be determining a women's reproductive choices rather than her and her doctor? Like to see them answer that! The ironic thing is that there are quite a few legislators with medical expertise. And regardless, all legislators should have a basic knowledge of women's health. I don't want ignorant people deciding issues like health insurance and funding for research. **Christine Cupaiuolo** on Oct 02, 2012 Great question, indeed! Here's a new related posting at The Ladydrawers tumblr: http://ladydrawers.tumblr.com/post/32737587253/congressional-pop-quiz-the-million-dollar **CoreenS** on Oct 04, 2012 Congress' role in legislating health care should be to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has access to care that is non-partisan, non-biased, non-judgemental and personally acceptable. Discrimination, and indoctrination have no place in healthcare legislation. ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)Topics - [Abortion & Reproductive Rights](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/abortion-reproductive-rights) - [Activism & Resources](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/activism-resources) - [Feminism & Gender](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/feminism-gender) - [Public Policy](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/public-policy) - [Sex Education](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/blog/topic/sex-education) ![](/assets/img/monogram.webp)### *Why You Can* **Trust Us** - We rigorously evaluate all content - We embrace a reproductive justice framework - We don’t accept ads or sell products - We reject funding from the pharmaceutical industry - We counter misinformation and disinformation - We address the social, political, and economic factors that affect health and sexuality [read more](https://ourbodiesourselves.org/why-you-can-trust-us) Share [](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)[](javascript:void();)