I feel that the "pro life" movement is hoax. It is a blatant attempt to control women. After all, a patriarchy that can't control women isn't a patriarchy. If you don't want women to have abortions, then make the world a better place to raise children. Support health care for all (or at least for children). Support pre-school education, K-12, and post-secondary education. Ensure that all children are properly housed and fed.
Women are not subservient to men. We have control over our bodies. We can choose when to have sex and when to have children, period. Being pregnant does not mean forced motherhood. It's a fetus, not a baby. Abortion has always been and will always be. For thousands of years, women have worked to control their fertility. Before the 19th century abortion wasn't considered a sin. "Until the early part of the century, there were no laws against abortions done in the first few months of pregnancy. Prior to the 19th century, Protestants and Catholics held abortion permissible until the 'quickening' the moment the fetus was believed to gain life." (From "The History of Birth Control" by Kathleen London) So why the change now? Did things change during the Women's Rights Movement? Do women have "too much freedom" and does their sexuality need to be "reigned in?"
I believe that women around the world will never be equal without reproductive freedom. The patriarchal religious right has an overzealous cult-like worship of the fetus. With this belief, they have attacked abortion and birth control. They have tried to mandate abstinence-only sex education. It doesn't work, just ask Sarah Palin. Real equality, gender equality, means reproductive freedom. Women are the ones who have to "bear the burden of carrying a child," we are in control of our own fertility, not men.
Today is the 36th anniversary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. Today and everyday, support the freedom of choice. Thank you to all the bloggers that blogged for choice today.
Some choice links
The History of Birth Control
Could this be a "new era for reproductive rights?"
History of abortion
Wikipedia history of abortion
Catholics for Choice Statement on the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
SUPPORT CHOICE and reproductive freedom
1. Donate to pro-choice organizations
2. Voice your support for choice by blogging, writing letters to the editor, writing your local and congressional legislators, and talk to your friends
3. Support women around the world in their fight for gender equality and reproductive rights
4. Stay informed about reproductive freedom issues
1 comment:
You are absolutely right about the importance of reproductive freedom to women's rights. Human are sexual creatures we are biologically programmed to reproduce not to be happy or fulfilled. In the absence of reproductive services women end up having sex having too many children and in a terrible state of dependency. That's why patriarchal organizations have always aimed for greater female dependency through controlling sex.
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