@ Elwin Ransom: So your antidote to the Obama administration's supposed control is to impose your own control over other people's private lives by denying them the rights to make their own choices? Major logic fail.

I mean this as sincerely as possible——are you really this ignorant or are you purposely trying to lead folks astray? The hearing had nothing to do with making sure every librarian at Notre Dame gets free birth-control pills. It had everything to do with religious and personal liberty that Obama continues to rape and pillage in his lust for control over every aspect of our lives. Seriously, read a little before you post.  Besides, there are way more important issues to be riled up about—-for example, for Buzzfeed's target audience (currently experiencing a 20% unemployment rate), it is way harder to get a job than find a free condom. But you are wasting time and effort to focus on a fake issue. Congrats for wasting an opportunity to be relevant.

Sometimes I wonder if America has made any real advancements in women's rights since the 70s…

Republican committee chair Darrel Issa explained that there are no women allowed on the panel because this is not a womens' rights issue but a “religious freedom issue”. Following that logic…why are men allowed on the panel if this isn't a “mens' rights issue?” Or, are women not religious? No, it's just that none of the major religions allow women to be religious leaders. Another realm in which women are forced into a lesser position. Of course, that's not even addressing how completely fucked up it is that we are once again seeing religion dictate public policy and politics…despite the supposed “separation of church and state.” Make no mistake, this is not about religious freedom. This is about controlling women's ability to be sexually active and have the ability to control their own bodies and fates. (I'd love to see what the reaction would be if Viagra were at risk of not being covered by insurance companies.) I propose if these religious leaders expect their whining to get any attention from the government they can start by paying taxes!

Yep, therein lies the heart of the abortion matter. Abortion issues are a thinly-veiled front in the seemingly endless battle of the sexes. What's at stake is less about the rights of fetuses and more about the right of women to control their own fates. Still a lot of club-toters out there who have a problem with the latter.

Sooooo… bunch of angry-looking dudes, eh?

why is anyone surprised by this? women are - at best - second class citizens (at worst chattel) in the eyes of republicans.

Abort religion!

Yeah, the one in green clearly didn't get the dress code memo. How embarrassing.

So these are the men who are in the know when it comes to vaginas, eh? I say they all deserve a Fleshlight for their testimony!

Yeah, there's only one black guy.

WELL, WHY ARE WE LETTING THEM DO THIS?!?!