NOW Objects To Sexism, Conservative Media Respond With More Sexism

by Mike Burns/Media Matters

Following Rush Limbaugh's misogynistic attacks on Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke, the National Organization for Women (NOW) last week announced a new initiative named "Enough Rush," which calls out bullying by Limbaugh. 

In response to NOW's campaign against sexism and other bullying tactics, conservative media have responded with ... more sexism. 

During a segment of Fox News' The Five about NOW's campaign, co-host Greg Gutfeld said that NOW isn't relevant these days, because "women have, you know, all the rights ... they can shop."  

Today, Limbaugh himself piled on with more sexism. Limbaugh, who has often demeaningly referred to NOW as "NAGs," said: "[T]he NAGs are having some meeting in May oriented around getting rid of me. The National Organization for Women, with a big convention oriented -- I mean, the objective is to get rid of me. I looked at it and I said, These poor women. They must be running out of money and members, because that's all this is. Don't worry about it folks, it's just a fundraising drive." 

Limbaugh later added: "The NAGs obviously running low on cash, and I don't know, their membership probably isn't all that hot to trot either, so drag me out." Limbaugh also referred to NOW president Terry O'Neill as "the head NAG."

It should come as no surprise that Gutfeld and Limbaugh responded to NOW's campaign with sexism, given that both have long histories of making sexist comments. Gutfeld has, for instance, said that Janeane Garofalo "is as sensible as she is attractive," and declared himself "a Jon Huntsman supporter" after seeing pictures of Huntsman's daughters. He has even been called out by his own colleague for his "creepy" comment about her appearance. 

And Limbaugh has a decades-long history of sexism. In addition to his misogynistic attacks on Fluke, Limbaugh referred to a 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton as the "White House dog," called NOW "a bunch of whores to liberalism," and said the presidential limo "weighs eight tons without" First Lady Michelle Obama. And the list goes on and on.