The Georgetown University law student who was called a ?slut? by Rush Limbaugh for testifying on Capitol Hill about women?s access to contraception condemned the conservative radio host Thursday night for remarks ?outside the bounds of civil discourse.?
?I?m not the first woman to be treated this way by numerous conservative media outlets, and hopefully I?ll be the last,? Sandra Fluke said on MSNBC?s ?The Ed Show.? ?This is really inappropriate. This is outside the bounds of civil discourse.?
Continue ReadingFluke described to Schultz the experience of receiving a barrage of public attacks from Limbaugh on Wednesday and Thursday.
?My reaction is what the reaction that a lot of women have when they?ve been called these names. Initially you?re stunned, but then very quickly you?re outraged,? she said. ?Because this is historically the kind of language that is used to silence women especially when women stand up and say that these are their reproductive health care needs and this is what they need.?
Fluke repeatedly expressed her gratitude to members of Congress and others in her community for the outpouring of support. ?I think it?s clear from what they?ve said that they?re not going to be silenced today,? she said.
The third-year law student quickly became a symbol for women?s reproductive rights in Washington after Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) prohibited her from testifying at the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee?s all-male panel hearing on the issue earlier this month.
Fluke was asked to testify at an unofficial hearing of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee convened by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), during which she described her experience of being a student at a religious-affiliated campus whose insurance coverage does not provide contraceptives for women.
Limbaugh infuriated Democrats for calling Fluke a ?prostitute? and a ?slut? on his show Wednesday, but despite the criticism, showed no signs of apologizing or scaling back his remarks on the air Thursday.
Asked if the Republican Party should denounce Limbaugh?s comments as many Democrats have demanded, Fluke told Schultz, ?I don?t really see why anyone would not condemn this type of language.?
She also suggested that being thrown in the middle of a national controversy would not deter her from continuing to share her views.
?I would always be willing to speak out in favor of women?s health and the type of accessible affordable health care that they need,? Fluke said, when asked if she would testify again.
?You?re very brave. And it?s unfortunate that a college student has to put up with this,? Schultz said at the conclusion of the interview. ?It?s rather an amazing story. I feel like I have to apologize to you tonight and I want to say that you?re very brave to stand in front of the media and do what you?re doing.?
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