Slate‘s XX Factor blog has a good summary of this whole Tucker Max/Planned Parenthood situation — you should really go read it. In brief, Max, the author who’s made his money off the tales of terrible things he’s done, mostly to women, offered a half-a-million donation to a Texas Planned Parenthood chapter if they would rename a clinic after him; they refused; and his PR people don’t get why.
The Slate post is a must-read, if only for a reminder of what a prat Max is. They mention a Forbes profile that was done before the release of his most recent book, Hilarity Ensues, that got passed around a lot since he talks about moving into a new stage of his life and giving up his old ways. I’m taking this new incident as proof positive that even if Max has changed from his old asshole-ish self, he’s just a different kind of asshole. If he’s serious about any kind of self-improvement, he’s got a long way to go.
As a reminder of what he’s working with — and as an excuse to post something from Whitworth-favourite Lindy West — let’s hear from a Stranger piece on Max, written when the movie version of his book, I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell, was in the process of flopping:
The attitude and the culture that Max espouses — central thesis: “I don’t hate women; I love women! Why else would I put up with all their shit?” — is antiquated and damaging and fucking dumb.