On a side note, I feel I should include not only what I Mean When I say Choice, but also how I feel Choice pertains to me specifically.
The prochoice community has long heard the argument from the antis of the Holy Trinity of Abortion Exceptions: rape, incest, medical necessity. What nice, neat little boxes they are. Too bad life is never nice or neat, nor do the lives of women fit into neat little boxes. Today I’m going to elaborate on pregnancy by rape and how I feel differently about it now than I did as an antichoicer.
There is no denying that sexual assault is quite probably the single worst thing anyone could ever experience. To have one’s right to their own body and their own safety stripped from them is the single worst act I can think of. Until we review the aftermath. Not only is this person (specific to this post, this woman) violated and robbed of her bodily autonomy, but then she faces the chances of a pregnancy that was the result of violence. This is where the Holy Trinity of Abortion Exceptions comes in to play. Even most antis will say “Well if she was raped, then it’s not her fault! She should have an abortion if that happens.”
Really? She “should”? How is telling a rape survivor that she should have an abortion any different than telling her she shouldn’t? Both indicate pressure against the survivor to “choose” one thing specifically. It’s not much of a choice if someone is making it for you, is it? “Shouldn’t” she have the authority to choose what’s best for her in that situation?
Conversely, we have the argument from the other side of the antis crying out “But it’s not the BAYBEEZ fault! She should have it! Don’t kill the BAYBEE!!” We’re pretty well used to these types. But for the sake of argument: NO!!! No she shouldn’t! She shouldn’t do anything that isn’t her decision completely!
This barking at rape survivors about what they should/shouldn’t do in the event of pregnancy is ALL antichoice. Those of you in the Holy Trinity group, maybe the best thing for this woman wouldn’t be an abortion. Those of you in the No Exceptions group, maybe having this child would be the worst thing for her. And for both of you, the only right choice IS. HER. CHOICE. End of discussion, guys! It is HER mental stability at stake. It is HER physical health at stake. Not yours. You have no clue what she should or shouldn’t do because it isn’t your mind, your body, or your life.
It’s something I’ve thought of over and over again, not only as a prochoice woman, but also as a rape survivor. Had someone asked me years ago, when my mind was still riddled with antichoice propaganda, I would have said that in the situation of sexual assault I would probably seek an abortion. Interestingly, had one asked me even years before that (and under even heavier layers of propaganda) I would have felt it was my obligation to carry that pregnancy. But now… that has changed for me. Prochoice has taught me that IT. IS. MY. CHOICE. If the circumstances are mine, even if they were beyond my control, the choice is mine. Even the choice to continue a pregnancy that most would consider damaging, the choice is still mine! No one can take that from me!
Once that thought occurred to me, I realized that, were I suffer an assault again, I really firmly believe that were I to become pregnant I’d continue the pregnancy and be able to raise that child. Of course, this is me thinking hypothetically and in hindsight. Were this to happen to me again (God willing, or what other Powers That Be, I hope it never does) I could very well feel differently. But that is still prochoice. The fact that I have the right to choose for myself, to choose for my life under any circumstances, is prochoice. And for an anti to tell a woman like me that I “should” choose abortion because it would be due to rape only further proves how antichoice they truly are. They don’t just want to oppose abortion. They want to oppose every choice a woman wants to make for herself.
Now please don’t mistake what I’ve said about myself as an indication that I would oppose abortion after a sexual assault for any woman. That is not at all the case. I would never impose what is good for me as an obligation for someone else. Hell, I wouldn’t oppose it for any woman under any circumstance. This simply me stating how being prochoice has put my life and my rights back in my hands, and in no one else’s. I have the right to choose what’s best for me, even if that’s choosing to keep a pregnancy that resulted from rape. Prochoice gave me back my mind, my body, and my right to decide in the best interest of me.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
This Is What I Mean By Choice
So, true to my blog’s name, I am once again late. Granted, not nearly as late as usual, but late all the same. Let’s make up for lost time now, shall we?
So our douchey local antis decided to be their interpretation of clever yesterday and attempted to highjack Blog for Choice Day and rename it (yes, cleverly) “Ask Them What They Mean By Choice Day”. Wtfsrsly? The answer, cats and kittens, is the same as it’s always been: all legitimate choices regarding reproduction, parenting, and sex. Was that a scandalously reasonable answer? Just a little too reasonable for you guys? It must be as not a single one seems to have even remotely acknowledged that there we support the protection of all choices. You try to pass us off as supporting only abortion. There are a plethora of choices in one’s reproductive rights, and each and every one of them deserves protection and each and every one of the women (and sometimes men) deserves respect for the choices they make. Instead of dictating what choice means to me exactly, I’m going to tell you about some of the people I know and tell you of the choices they made. Maybe then (though doubtfully) you’ll finally grasp just how broad the spectrum of “choice” reaches.
A dear friend of mine (I’ll just call her K) is a paraplegic. She was born 2 ½ months early and has cerebral palsy as a result. K is an unapologetically fierce little thing, and I admire her to the ends of the earth for it. When K was 17 she learned she was pregnant. This wasn’t going to be a problem for K. She’s a firecracker. K was absolutely happy. Until her doctor started pushing for an abortion. Yes, K’s condition DID present some complications. But that wasn’t the doctor’s primary concern. He didn’t approve of her pregnancy because she was young and unmarried. Maybe it wasn’t an ideal situation… but it was none of his business. K promptly found another, better, doctor to entrust her reproductive health to and happily had her son. And then a daughter. And another. She’s an amazing, feisty parent. I fully supported her decision to have her children and her decision to tell that bullying, judgemental antichoice “doctor” where to shove it as she left his office that one last time.
My sister (“B”) has scoliosis. Not the mild kind that makes your shoulders a little crooked. When she was 14, she had a surgery that involved drilling steel rods into her spine to hold her back straight. As she got older, she should have gotten taller. The rods have been compressing her spine for 10 years now. B married at 17 and proceeded to pop out child upon child. By the time she reached her fourth pregnancy, her spine was in horrific shape. She admitted to me later that she had seriously considered terminating that pregnancy. Not only because she is disabled, but because she and her husband already had three children they were barely able to care for. She never told her husband about her thoughts. Interestingly, he never told her he’d had the same thoughts too. He was so afraid of making her feel pressured. B came to the decision on her own that she did want to have this child, despite being destitute and disabled. Now, in addition to the “awful little beasts” (as I affectionately call them) she already had, she now has The One I Call Nars (nickname of course) who can’t seem to say anything without sounding like he’s growling. B’s choice she made for her family. She’d have had my support either way because I knew she’d have decided out of love.
In my previous blog post, I told the story of my mom. I supported her decision to keep trying to have children. However, the rest of that story requires a blog all to itself. Btw does everyone I know get pregnant at 17?
One of my dearest friends (W) found herself pregnant at 18 (okay then, maybe not). After careful consideration and discussion with her mother, she decided that it would not be responsible of her to have a child then. W had an abortion. She says it was one of the hardest decisions she ever made. She also said she would never regret it. It was the right decision for her. W now has a son, a husband, and two stepsons. Her life is full and complete. Though I didn’t know her at the time, upon hearing her story, I knew I supported her because I knew the woman who came out of that decision.
My favourite cousin! A (as I’ll call her here) married at 19, when she was 7 months pregnant. She married hastily, she says in retrospect. When her daughter was about 6 months old, her husband went to prison. For four years she remained the devoted wife and mother, writing to her husband at least every week, and keeping the courts informed of his supportive family in hopes of his release. But after four years, things change. She reevaluated their relationship. She realized that their marriage was not a healthy one. She had an affair. Despite all her consistent use of contraception, A became pregnant by a man other than her incarcerated husband. She hid her pregnancy as long as she could (5 months is pretty good for a woman all of 4”9). A had obviously decided to keep her baby. When she finally had to confront everyone, she was bullied very much by her in-laws to seek an abortion. And she stood her ground. Now, that child is three years old. Her husband is out of prison, and they are now mutually seeking a divorce and remaining excellent friends. He accepts and loves this second child. She is, after all, the baby sister of his own daughter. A could have had an abortion and avoided all of the hostility (and even threats of violence) she encountered. She didn’t want to. It was her choice. She is very happy with the choice she made. And I am happy for her.
A childhood friend of mine impregnated his high school sweetheart. C opted to marry his sweetie, and they had a lovely son. They now have 8 sons. C and Wife run a foster home taking in particularly hard to manage boys. They are amazing parents to each and every one of them.
L, H, and Cl all lost custody of their children to the state for varying reasons. Cl simply decided she wouldn’t be a good parent at that time and gave her daughter for adoption. L and H had their children removed. After battling, both came to the conclusions that their children would have better lives with different families than theirs. They made the heart-wrenching decision to release their children into new homes.
T is a very dear schoolmate of mine. She is a lesbian who has chosen to be childless. Her girlfriend has a stepdaughter from a previous girlfriend. They all share in family activities, T being involved all the way. This step (-step?) daughter fills T’s life. Ln is another schoolmate. She is a successful cosmetologist and has a wonderful fiancé. She, too, has chosen to be childless. Both T and Ln love children, but simply prefer to not have any of their own.
When I was 20, I was in the midst of my first divorce. A child was dropped off with me. I was asked to watch her for “a few hours”. Her mother never returned. This child was the niece of my best friend, who was not in a position to care for her at the time. I didn’t know this little girl. She didn’t know me. We were both scared and didn’t know what to expect. So we just did what we could. We ate, watched movies, played games, washed dishes, chased my grandmother’s goats (we lived in a rural area, obviously). With the help of my best friend, we managed to get her enrolled in school. I got government assistance to help care for her (I was only a waitress at the time). Was I the best parent ever? Hell no. I entered counseling not only to deal with my divorce, but to learn what the hell I’m supposed to do with an 8 year old girl I’m suddenly caring for. I made so many mistakes. My relationship with my friend got very shaky due to conflicts over the girl. When I started dating again, my boyfriend’s parents pressured him to exit our relationship because they didn’t like the idea of him caring for someone else’s child (real winners huh?). He refused (we later split over different reasons). And I persisted. Eventually I did have to relinquish care for my girl. And after several years she made her way back to us all. She lives with her aunt now, still my best friend of many, many years. She still calls me Mommy.
And though I never have met him, and doubt I’ll ever have the chance, the story of Thomas Beaty I find amazing and inspiring. Thomas chose to go to amazing lengths and defy criticism and adversity to bring a child to his family. This man utilized the body that betrayed him at birth to fulfill the dreams of himself and his wife by carrying and birthing their baby. There were no boundaries that were going to keep this man and his wife from having the child they deserved.
Every one of those stories I just typed up portrays a choice that a woman (and in the cases of Thomas and C, a father) has had to make. Some chose to keep their children. Some chose not to have a child. Some chose to care for someone else’s children. Some chose to let their children go to other, better homes. Some chose keep trying to have children though they lost pregnancy after pregnancy. Some chose their right to go against the medical odds and continue their pregnancies. Some chose to swallow hard and fight the judgement cast on them for keeping their child. Some chose to dismiss the overwhelming criticism and chose to defy societies “rules” dictating who can and cannot have children.
Each case is unique. There may be others that are similar, that come close. But no two situations are identical. These women and men knew their lives better than anyone else. They decided in each case what was best for them and their families. They made these decisions as women, wives, and mothers, men, husbands, and fathers. They made these decisions carefully and delicately. Intelligently. They exercised their choices. I admire each of them for it. Even myself, through all of my mistakes and screw-ups as an unofficial foster mother. We all chose. We all supported each other’s decisions. I’m so proud of all of us.
So our douchey local antis decided to be their interpretation of clever yesterday and attempted to highjack Blog for Choice Day and rename it (yes, cleverly) “Ask Them What They Mean By Choice Day”. Wtfsrsly? The answer, cats and kittens, is the same as it’s always been: all legitimate choices regarding reproduction, parenting, and sex. Was that a scandalously reasonable answer? Just a little too reasonable for you guys? It must be as not a single one seems to have even remotely acknowledged that there we support the protection of all choices. You try to pass us off as supporting only abortion. There are a plethora of choices in one’s reproductive rights, and each and every one of them deserves protection and each and every one of the women (and sometimes men) deserves respect for the choices they make. Instead of dictating what choice means to me exactly, I’m going to tell you about some of the people I know and tell you of the choices they made. Maybe then (though doubtfully) you’ll finally grasp just how broad the spectrum of “choice” reaches.
A dear friend of mine (I’ll just call her K) is a paraplegic. She was born 2 ½ months early and has cerebral palsy as a result. K is an unapologetically fierce little thing, and I admire her to the ends of the earth for it. When K was 17 she learned she was pregnant. This wasn’t going to be a problem for K. She’s a firecracker. K was absolutely happy. Until her doctor started pushing for an abortion. Yes, K’s condition DID present some complications. But that wasn’t the doctor’s primary concern. He didn’t approve of her pregnancy because she was young and unmarried. Maybe it wasn’t an ideal situation… but it was none of his business. K promptly found another, better, doctor to entrust her reproductive health to and happily had her son. And then a daughter. And another. She’s an amazing, feisty parent. I fully supported her decision to have her children and her decision to tell that bullying, judgemental antichoice “doctor” where to shove it as she left his office that one last time.
My sister (“B”) has scoliosis. Not the mild kind that makes your shoulders a little crooked. When she was 14, she had a surgery that involved drilling steel rods into her spine to hold her back straight. As she got older, she should have gotten taller. The rods have been compressing her spine for 10 years now. B married at 17 and proceeded to pop out child upon child. By the time she reached her fourth pregnancy, her spine was in horrific shape. She admitted to me later that she had seriously considered terminating that pregnancy. Not only because she is disabled, but because she and her husband already had three children they were barely able to care for. She never told her husband about her thoughts. Interestingly, he never told her he’d had the same thoughts too. He was so afraid of making her feel pressured. B came to the decision on her own that she did want to have this child, despite being destitute and disabled. Now, in addition to the “awful little beasts” (as I affectionately call them) she already had, she now has The One I Call Nars (nickname of course) who can’t seem to say anything without sounding like he’s growling. B’s choice she made for her family. She’d have had my support either way because I knew she’d have decided out of love.
In my previous blog post, I told the story of my mom. I supported her decision to keep trying to have children. However, the rest of that story requires a blog all to itself. Btw does everyone I know get pregnant at 17?
One of my dearest friends (W) found herself pregnant at 18 (okay then, maybe not). After careful consideration and discussion with her mother, she decided that it would not be responsible of her to have a child then. W had an abortion. She says it was one of the hardest decisions she ever made. She also said she would never regret it. It was the right decision for her. W now has a son, a husband, and two stepsons. Her life is full and complete. Though I didn’t know her at the time, upon hearing her story, I knew I supported her because I knew the woman who came out of that decision.
My favourite cousin! A (as I’ll call her here) married at 19, when she was 7 months pregnant. She married hastily, she says in retrospect. When her daughter was about 6 months old, her husband went to prison. For four years she remained the devoted wife and mother, writing to her husband at least every week, and keeping the courts informed of his supportive family in hopes of his release. But after four years, things change. She reevaluated their relationship. She realized that their marriage was not a healthy one. She had an affair. Despite all her consistent use of contraception, A became pregnant by a man other than her incarcerated husband. She hid her pregnancy as long as she could (5 months is pretty good for a woman all of 4”9). A had obviously decided to keep her baby. When she finally had to confront everyone, she was bullied very much by her in-laws to seek an abortion. And she stood her ground. Now, that child is three years old. Her husband is out of prison, and they are now mutually seeking a divorce and remaining excellent friends. He accepts and loves this second child. She is, after all, the baby sister of his own daughter. A could have had an abortion and avoided all of the hostility (and even threats of violence) she encountered. She didn’t want to. It was her choice. She is very happy with the choice she made. And I am happy for her.
A childhood friend of mine impregnated his high school sweetheart. C opted to marry his sweetie, and they had a lovely son. They now have 8 sons. C and Wife run a foster home taking in particularly hard to manage boys. They are amazing parents to each and every one of them.
L, H, and Cl all lost custody of their children to the state for varying reasons. Cl simply decided she wouldn’t be a good parent at that time and gave her daughter for adoption. L and H had their children removed. After battling, both came to the conclusions that their children would have better lives with different families than theirs. They made the heart-wrenching decision to release their children into new homes.
T is a very dear schoolmate of mine. She is a lesbian who has chosen to be childless. Her girlfriend has a stepdaughter from a previous girlfriend. They all share in family activities, T being involved all the way. This step (-step?) daughter fills T’s life. Ln is another schoolmate. She is a successful cosmetologist and has a wonderful fiancé. She, too, has chosen to be childless. Both T and Ln love children, but simply prefer to not have any of their own.
When I was 20, I was in the midst of my first divorce. A child was dropped off with me. I was asked to watch her for “a few hours”. Her mother never returned. This child was the niece of my best friend, who was not in a position to care for her at the time. I didn’t know this little girl. She didn’t know me. We were both scared and didn’t know what to expect. So we just did what we could. We ate, watched movies, played games, washed dishes, chased my grandmother’s goats (we lived in a rural area, obviously). With the help of my best friend, we managed to get her enrolled in school. I got government assistance to help care for her (I was only a waitress at the time). Was I the best parent ever? Hell no. I entered counseling not only to deal with my divorce, but to learn what the hell I’m supposed to do with an 8 year old girl I’m suddenly caring for. I made so many mistakes. My relationship with my friend got very shaky due to conflicts over the girl. When I started dating again, my boyfriend’s parents pressured him to exit our relationship because they didn’t like the idea of him caring for someone else’s child (real winners huh?). He refused (we later split over different reasons). And I persisted. Eventually I did have to relinquish care for my girl. And after several years she made her way back to us all. She lives with her aunt now, still my best friend of many, many years. She still calls me Mommy.
And though I never have met him, and doubt I’ll ever have the chance, the story of Thomas Beaty I find amazing and inspiring. Thomas chose to go to amazing lengths and defy criticism and adversity to bring a child to his family. This man utilized the body that betrayed him at birth to fulfill the dreams of himself and his wife by carrying and birthing their baby. There were no boundaries that were going to keep this man and his wife from having the child they deserved.
Every one of those stories I just typed up portrays a choice that a woman (and in the cases of Thomas and C, a father) has had to make. Some chose to keep their children. Some chose not to have a child. Some chose to care for someone else’s children. Some chose to let their children go to other, better homes. Some chose keep trying to have children though they lost pregnancy after pregnancy. Some chose their right to go against the medical odds and continue their pregnancies. Some chose to swallow hard and fight the judgement cast on them for keeping their child. Some chose to dismiss the overwhelming criticism and chose to defy societies “rules” dictating who can and cannot have children.
Each case is unique. There may be others that are similar, that come close. But no two situations are identical. These women and men knew their lives better than anyone else. They decided in each case what was best for them and their families. They made these decisions as women, wives, and mothers, men, husbands, and fathers. They made these decisions carefully and delicately. Intelligently. They exercised their choices. I admire each of them for it. Even myself, through all of my mistakes and screw-ups as an unofficial foster mother. We all chose. We all supported each other’s decisions. I’m so proud of all of us.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
My Mother vs The Sanctity of Life
Now before anyone gets all uppity about this post, please bear in mind that this particular post wasn't even my idea. It was my mother's. During one of our rambling sessions about reproduction and choice, she made a very interesting point and asked me to use her as an example in a blog post. Here is my mom's story and how it pertains to abortion and the sanctity of life.
Right at thirty years ago, my seventeen year old mother learned that she was pregnant for the first time. The news was recieved with much joy and nervousness. She wasn't nervous for the reasons you might think that a seventeen year old would be in this situation: she had learned from her doctor months prior that she had a uterine disorder that would severely complicate her ability to carry a pregnancy to term. By severely, he meant that it would probably never happen. Mom, in her youthful vigor, decided to try. It turned out that the complications in this particular pregnancy would be trying to get me out of her (I proved quite stubborn even inutero). And on August 10th, 1981 I, in all my Leonine ferocity, was presented to the world.
She, and I, were lucky.
Mom went on to get pregnant many more times. "Many" being approximately 19 0r 20. Five of us lived. It seemed that Mommy had become a one-woman example of the study proving that 80% of pregnancies essentially terminate themselves (http://tinyurl.com/63p34wn).
The majority of antichoicers will look at women who repeatedly try to have children and suffer miscarriages with sympathy, stating that "at least they're TRYING to bring life into the world" or some such dismissiveness. But the simple facts are that my mother had prior knowledge of her (in)abilities when it came to carrying a pregnancy and still kept at it regardless off the numerous spontaneous abortions that she knew could (and would) take place.
I suppose my question to the antichoice is this: what makes my mother's case so much "better" than that of women who seek one or two abortions in their lives? She, herself, argues that her reproductive decisions cost more "lives" than the decisions of any woman who opted to terminate a pregnancy. This, cats and kittens, coming from a woman who has never had an induced abortion and miscarried 14-15 wanted pregnancies.
So in the arguement of "saving lives", would you have chosen to remove my mother's reproductive freedom as she ran such a high risk of spontaneous abortion? After all, if abortion "kills a child", by your own logic my mother is a serial killer.
No. I, of course, do not think my mother is a serial killer. And I'm certain that the antichoice are going to claim that they don't either, and they'll claim to "take such pity on this woman". But this is what their logic aims at: criminalizing and demonizing women for having reproductive control. The control women have to not be pregnant and, in the case of my mom, the control she had to keep getting pregnant.
Right at thirty years ago, my seventeen year old mother learned that she was pregnant for the first time. The news was recieved with much joy and nervousness. She wasn't nervous for the reasons you might think that a seventeen year old would be in this situation: she had learned from her doctor months prior that she had a uterine disorder that would severely complicate her ability to carry a pregnancy to term. By severely, he meant that it would probably never happen. Mom, in her youthful vigor, decided to try. It turned out that the complications in this particular pregnancy would be trying to get me out of her (I proved quite stubborn even inutero). And on August 10th, 1981 I, in all my Leonine ferocity, was presented to the world.
She, and I, were lucky.
Mom went on to get pregnant many more times. "Many" being approximately 19 0r 20. Five of us lived. It seemed that Mommy had become a one-woman example of the study proving that 80% of pregnancies essentially terminate themselves (http://tinyurl.com/63p34wn).
The majority of antichoicers will look at women who repeatedly try to have children and suffer miscarriages with sympathy, stating that "at least they're TRYING to bring life into the world" or some such dismissiveness. But the simple facts are that my mother had prior knowledge of her (in)abilities when it came to carrying a pregnancy and still kept at it regardless off the numerous spontaneous abortions that she knew could (and would) take place.
I suppose my question to the antichoice is this: what makes my mother's case so much "better" than that of women who seek one or two abortions in their lives? She, herself, argues that her reproductive decisions cost more "lives" than the decisions of any woman who opted to terminate a pregnancy. This, cats and kittens, coming from a woman who has never had an induced abortion and miscarried 14-15 wanted pregnancies.
So in the arguement of "saving lives", would you have chosen to remove my mother's reproductive freedom as she ran such a high risk of spontaneous abortion? After all, if abortion "kills a child", by your own logic my mother is a serial killer.
No. I, of course, do not think my mother is a serial killer. And I'm certain that the antichoice are going to claim that they don't either, and they'll claim to "take such pity on this woman". But this is what their logic aims at: criminalizing and demonizing women for having reproductive control. The control women have to not be pregnant and, in the case of my mom, the control she had to keep getting pregnant.
a slight adjustment
i've opted to change my blog as i can't seem to keep up with everyone else to something a bit more appropriate. i've moved all of my two posts to the new one, Late to the Party, which i hope you already knew because you're looking at it now!
happy prochoicing, peeps!
happy prochoicing, peeps!
Fun With Antichoice Inconsistencies
This response is really late to the party, most certainly, but what is it they say? Better late than never? Late it will just have to be.
In a June 10th post on her blog, Jill Stanek made a stunning revelation: feminists are selectively aborting future feminists. While many are finding it horrifying that feminists are so callously aborting the future of their own movement in such a manner, a few of us were left a little confused: when did we develop a prenatal test for feminism? Seriously. Here is Stanek's statement:
"Of course, Serena, the other reason 'there aren't enough of us out there making a difference' and why old feminists are having such trouble finding young feminists 'to pass the baton to' is because they've been aborted."
If we are going to take Stanek seriously (as I'm assuming she wants to be), we are going to work with the theory that women seeking abortions have the Genetic Feminism Analysis run on their fetus to make sure they are aborting the appropriate ones. I personally don't see how in the world this would be relevant, but obviously, if feminists are aborting all of their pre-feminists, they must have their reasons for weeding them out. I'd be interesting in knowing what those reasons are myself, seeing as how these deliberate aborting of future feminists is going to kill feminism of the future. And obviously Stanek is the only one capable of recognizing this.
So, since this is only now coming to light, I feel it's time for questions about this new procedure. Is this test specifically for feminism, or does it also cover other sociopolitical views like liberalism in general? Views on gay rights? Perhaps a woman could even find out how her baby will feel about the current mosque controversy! Also, is there a chance that feminism, liberalism, etc, can be heritable conditions? After all, many anti-choice and anti-equality parents birth and raise very equality minded progressive children. And vice-versa! The child of very openminded parents can grow up to succumb to the restrictive life of a conservative.
Enough of all of that. The real issue: how is our newfound Genetic Feminism Analysis going to affect abortion in our country? Again, Stanek's claim is that feminists are selectively aborting feminists. Seems counterproductive to me. So, how does it work for the antis?
Imagine if they could find out beforehand if their child would be prochoice. How many would break their own code to save face for their cause? How many antichoice activists would exercize their right to choose in such a situation? How many would seek an abortion from the very clinic they protest to ensure they did not have that gay child?
How often would they secretly utilize the very thing they oppose if they thought it would aid their cause? Or even just themselves?
It wouldn't be the first time:
http://tinyurl.com/ggswc
In a June 10th post on her blog, Jill Stanek made a stunning revelation: feminists are selectively aborting future feminists. While many are finding it horrifying that feminists are so callously aborting the future of their own movement in such a manner, a few of us were left a little confused: when did we develop a prenatal test for feminism? Seriously. Here is Stanek's statement:
"Of course, Serena, the other reason 'there aren't enough of us out there making a difference' and why old feminists are having such trouble finding young feminists 'to pass the baton to' is because they've been aborted."
If we are going to take Stanek seriously (as I'm assuming she wants to be), we are going to work with the theory that women seeking abortions have the Genetic Feminism Analysis run on their fetus to make sure they are aborting the appropriate ones. I personally don't see how in the world this would be relevant, but obviously, if feminists are aborting all of their pre-feminists, they must have their reasons for weeding them out. I'd be interesting in knowing what those reasons are myself, seeing as how these deliberate aborting of future feminists is going to kill feminism of the future. And obviously Stanek is the only one capable of recognizing this.
So, since this is only now coming to light, I feel it's time for questions about this new procedure. Is this test specifically for feminism, or does it also cover other sociopolitical views like liberalism in general? Views on gay rights? Perhaps a woman could even find out how her baby will feel about the current mosque controversy! Also, is there a chance that feminism, liberalism, etc, can be heritable conditions? After all, many anti-choice and anti-equality parents birth and raise very equality minded progressive children. And vice-versa! The child of very openminded parents can grow up to succumb to the restrictive life of a conservative.
Enough of all of that. The real issue: how is our newfound Genetic Feminism Analysis going to affect abortion in our country? Again, Stanek's claim is that feminists are selectively aborting feminists. Seems counterproductive to me. So, how does it work for the antis?
Imagine if they could find out beforehand if their child would be prochoice. How many would break their own code to save face for their cause? How many antichoice activists would exercize their right to choose in such a situation? How many would seek an abortion from the very clinic they protest to ensure they did not have that gay child?
How often would they secretly utilize the very thing they oppose if they thought it would aid their cause? Or even just themselves?
It wouldn't be the first time:
http://tinyurl.com/ggswc
Clarification
There's some things I feel certain people in my life need to know. Many seem to be confused by my seemingly sudden switch from prolife to prochoice. They are wondering why, especially since most are antichoice or situationists at the most lax. I feel it's time to clarify.
I am prochoice:
-Because you are diabetic, you have MS, you have any assortment of problems that may threaten your wellbeing.
-Because you are homeless.
-Because you are a drug addict.
-Because you didn't ask to be raped.
-Because you did use precautions. Those precautions failed you at a critical time in your life.
-Because one day your daughter will secretly seek an abortion.
-Because no matter how much I or anyone else may disagree with your decision, I always want you HERE. With me. NO MATTER WHAT.
-Because you are only 14 and how you got pregnant is irrelevant. You clearly can't care for a child.
-Because children are the most amazing beings in the world and the most deserving individuals life have to offer. They are not consequences. They are not punishments. They are not weapons.
-Because our adoption and foster systems have been reduced to a joke.
-Because 43% of women choose to end their pregnancies. That's almost every other woman you or I know.
-Because prior to it being legal, 1 in 3 women who sought abortion died due to botched procedures.
-Because, when you take the two previous facts into consideration, 1 in 5-6 women in my life would be dead due to illegal procedures if abortion were not legal and safe.
-Because you have children you are already struggling to care for.
-Because you just found out that you have a heritable disorder that you do not want to force your child to suffer through as you now have to.
-Because I never want you to find out your child is dead because they were seeking an abortion.
-Because it's your freshman year in college and you had a few lapses in judgement due to all the excitement. And you still want to graduate.
-Because I wouldn't want someone telling me I have to end my pregnancy. Therefore I will not tell anyone they can't.
-Because you were already 4 months along when you found out and you had been partying frequently.
-Because you are trying to escape an abusive partner.
-Because I want you in my life.
But most of all, I am prochoice because I love you. I don't care who you are or what you've done. Someone's life is worthwhile and bearable because of you. Someone is loved because of you. And that someone should never have to suffer losing you over abortion.
I am prochoice:
-Because you are diabetic, you have MS, you have any assortment of problems that may threaten your wellbeing.
-Because you are homeless.
-Because you are a drug addict.
-Because you didn't ask to be raped.
-Because you did use precautions. Those precautions failed you at a critical time in your life.
-Because one day your daughter will secretly seek an abortion.
-Because no matter how much I or anyone else may disagree with your decision, I always want you HERE. With me. NO MATTER WHAT.
-Because you are only 14 and how you got pregnant is irrelevant. You clearly can't care for a child.
-Because children are the most amazing beings in the world and the most deserving individuals life have to offer. They are not consequences. They are not punishments. They are not weapons.
-Because our adoption and foster systems have been reduced to a joke.
-Because 43% of women choose to end their pregnancies. That's almost every other woman you or I know.
-Because prior to it being legal, 1 in 3 women who sought abortion died due to botched procedures.
-Because, when you take the two previous facts into consideration, 1 in 5-6 women in my life would be dead due to illegal procedures if abortion were not legal and safe.
-Because you have children you are already struggling to care for.
-Because you just found out that you have a heritable disorder that you do not want to force your child to suffer through as you now have to.
-Because I never want you to find out your child is dead because they were seeking an abortion.
-Because it's your freshman year in college and you had a few lapses in judgement due to all the excitement. And you still want to graduate.
-Because I wouldn't want someone telling me I have to end my pregnancy. Therefore I will not tell anyone they can't.
-Because you were already 4 months along when you found out and you had been partying frequently.
-Because you are trying to escape an abusive partner.
-Because I want you in my life.
But most of all, I am prochoice because I love you. I don't care who you are or what you've done. Someone's life is worthwhile and bearable because of you. Someone is loved because of you. And that someone should never have to suffer losing you over abortion.
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