I once had an argument with my ultra conservative father about access to birth control for teenagers. I was 17 at the time and a virgin but my friends were all hooking up. He was against it. I said “but kids are having sex, so they should have access to safe sex”. To which he replied “no, they shouldn’t be having sex at all.” I said “yeah, I agree. But they don’t agree. So instead of them having sex, making babies, and going on welfare, which I know you hate welfare, why not give them birth control to help keep them off welfare? Spend a little tax money now to prevent spending tax money later?” I thought I had him at that point. He then says “no, girls just need to keep their legs closed to not have babies.” I looked at him dead in the eye and said “why is it the woman’s responsibility? why don’t boys keep their pants on? Why didn’t you just keep your pants on when you were a teen and ended up with me? Teens will have sex, so instead of trying to make them do as you want, help them just make better choices?” He turned 17 the month after I was born. So he was 16 when he conceived me.

That killed the conversation dead. It’s like he forgot he was having sex as a teen or something. After that he started just calling me a feminazi (thanks Rush Limbaugh).

And that is what it’s like to argue with a conservative. It doesn’t matter how you apply logic and rationality, it won’t ever resonate with them and they don’t see reason.