LEARNING MODULE SIX
Due Saturday (2/26) by noon
After reading the essay, “And So I Choose,” by Allison Crews place her discussion of “rights” in conversation with the article you read for class this week, “Beyond Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life?” First (2 paragraphs), in your own words, please describe why each of these terms are in fact problematic or limiting to our larger discussion of reproductive rights. Why were each limiting in Crew’s reflection? What does a “reproductive justice” paradigm offer instead? Second (1-2 paragraphs) reflect on the recent arguments surrounding legislation addressed to congress (see links below). What do you think is at stake in politicizing women’s bodies and reproduction? What would a reproductive justice argument look like in response to this legislation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/planned-parenthood-fundin_n_825258.html?ref=fb&src=sp
http://reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/documents/Center%20for%20Reproductive%20Rights%20Testimony%202%2014%2011.pdf
Before reading both of these article’s pro-life and pro-choice were simply two words that I never thought were actually deeper than they appear. After serious thought and furthering my knowledge I now know these terms are nothing more than insignificant labels. For those who say they are pro-choice are not implying they would have an abortion themselves, but agree that each women should have the right to choose. Pro-life supporters want justice for the unborn child. However stereo-types are deemed on both side, where the pro-life position only implies the life of the baby and not the baby and the mother, and the pro-choice supporters are seen as immoral. Moreover, pro-life and pro-choice are not good enough statements anymore.
ReplyDeleteIn “Beyond Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life” by Andrea Smith it is made clear that women of both categories are contradicting what their “side” stands for. One woman was pro-life, but still believes that women should be able to have abortions and on the other hand a pro-choice activist said she wants to promote life. Neither of these women are pro-life or pro-choice. Eliminating these labels and focusing on reproductive justice is what both articles are trying to argue.
“Being pro-woman, being pro-choice, means being supportive of any reproductive choice a woman makes for herself,” is a quote from the text “And So I Chose” by Allison Crews (25). This statement shows the importance of women sticking together and allowing all women their own personal rights, whether one agrees or not. We as women have the authority to have children whenever the time is right, and unfortunately unplanned pregnancies happen everyday. There are so many circumstances to consider when a woman has to face this difficult decision it is not fair for anyone to be told what they have to do. Instead reproductive justice offers the health and well-being of each woman while still allowing personal rights.
After hearing about the budget cuts the legislation has made toward Planned Parenthood in class it seems this topic is raised everywhere, including The View this morning on ABC. It is extremely disheartening to know that many women will be turned down to efficient medical care because the government is getting involved. For those who cannot afford pap-smears, cancer screening and good sexual education Planned Parenthood has been providing these services for years. I feel as though this piece of legislation is only the beginning for the fight against reproductive justice.”Republicans have also proposed bills that would allow hospitals to turn away women in need of emergency abortions or would limit funding for abortions to rape victims who can prove their rape is "forcible" (The Huffington Post). I understand that many people are against abortions, however no woman should be told what the can or cannot do to their bodies, and I hope this bill does not pass.
The “And So I Choose” essay by Allison Crews gives a respectable approach towards understanding why people seem to go with being “Pro-Choice, or Pro-Life”. She faced a whole bunch of different issues at once: teen pregnancy, growing up in a home pro-life, considered abortion, planned on having the child, considered giving the baby up for adoption, and feminist discrimination with her own gender. Crews gives a good view of why those terms pro-choice, and pro-life limit us in discussion. There is to many preconceived notions that follow with both groups. It causes an automatic divide of morals. That’s why she explains the shock she felt when her mother putt her morals aside when she was considering a variety of options. She grew up in home where pro-life was evident; she was so active in that term, that at one point she was standing out front of an abortion clinic and protesting with gruesome signs. As we concluded from her response, things were very different once she was unexpectedly pregnant as such a early age.
ReplyDeleteWhat I enjoyed most about this essay is that she gives a positive way of viewing both sides, and how ultimately it does not necessarily need to be divided with terms that are supposed to represent a certain kind of peoples- as discussed in relation in this weeks reading “Beyond Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life.” Surrounding factors such as upbringing, age, race, shape these so called “ representatives” of these terms. The problem for open discussion comes with these factors, because more so than often people cannot put aside their personal “upbringing morals, what specific things a race as been through, and unplanned pregnancy during a certain age. If people did put these aside there wouldn’t be such a specific division between two terms, that can’t even define themselves. I feel as though until there is a UNANIMOUS agreement on the definition of what it MEANS to be “Pro-Life or “Pro-Choice”, the contrasting terms are just adding yet another steady growing pain for America.
The reproductive justice system is an on going battle, and seems to make progress, and then retreat in certain areas. Representative Jackie Speir makes a fantastic argument when it comes to voting against cutting the funding for Planned Parenthood. She backs up her claim with facts, including that they do have the right to operate, and give abortions; because last time we all checked abortion is in FACT legal. Individuals personal views on abortion may never be able to get set aside, but from an economic stand point it can be detrimental to other institutions, tax’s, and funding. Also the GOP bill that is trying to get passed has a series of issues. Putting restrictions is putting restrictions on a woman’s rights as to what she can or can’t do with her body. The restrictions to being a victim or incest or forcible rape make the process of determining how those can be proven difficult. In addition to that labeled exception “forcible rape “ a great point was brought up in discussion on Wednesday- isn’t rape forcible? There is so much insight on what women do with their bodies, but until we can tap into each other’s individual situations, the battle will continue.
Got a little intense with the CAPS !! -- haha
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor years, people have been labeling themselves as pro-life and pro-choice. Abortion has been an issue that has been debated in all sorts of situations. The right a women has to control wether or not she has a baby is something that is challenged daily.“And So I Chose” by Allison Crews is an essay that chanlenges people to no longer look at themselves in a labeling way. She believes that as women, we should be supporting our sex in a way that supports women's rights and does not limit their choices. She blieve that instead of Pro-life or Pro-choice, everyone should instead be "pro-women". This would give women power to do whatever the believe is best for them and their bodies.She makes the argument that we should all be supportive of whatever decision a woman makes for herself and her baby.
ReplyDeleteIn “Beyond Pro-Choice Versus Pro-Life” by Andrea Smith, the author writes a similar and compelling article about how people who label themselves usually have no idea what their label portrays. She makes the argument that most women label themselves based on what they would do for themselves. the pro-life women says that a women can have an abortion under certain circumstances. she also shows the the pro-choice women would not actually have an abortion, but supports women's rights to choice what they want. This shows that labels are inconclusive of what people actually intend to get across with their beliefs.
Planned parenthood is a program that helps women everywhere. It gives women access to yearly examinations, a variety of birth control methods,and information on their sexual health. It also provides women with access to STD testing and treatments. So why is the government cutting federal funding? Planned Parenthood also provides pregnant women with access to an abortion. This is against many people's believes and funding is being cut to try and prevent the orgainization from performing these any longer. The idea is that if they cut federal funding, PP's outside funding will no longer go to abortions, but to actually helping women's sexual health. Also, taxpayer who are catholics and mormon, along with other religions, may have a problem with the orgainiation using their tax dollars to give our birth control, which is against their relgion. The PP representative argues that abortion is not illegal and should not be the reason they lose their fudning. The question remains is is it fair to use taxpayers dollars for something that is against their moral code.
After reading the essay "And so I choose" by Allison Crews about her thoughts on the right of women having the choice to be child free or not are problematic in many ways that put limits on our discussion of reproductive rights. The facts as to why are because of the diversity among everybodys thoughts and opinions. Yes, everyone makes mistakes and accidents happen, but to me I think it is completely up to you whether you want to have the responsibility of taking care of a child. I do not think the government should have a say so either as to determining abortion or not. It is your own body and life, and I think that a woman should the say so. And just as crews states nobody should ever deny or reproductive choices (26). And if there is an issue, obviously a woman will feel pressured into something she may not be able or want to do.
ReplyDeleteThe "Beyond Pro-choice vs. Pro-life" article is problematic because the meanings of pro-choice states that anyone who opposes the pro-life stance is anti-life and anit-choice. The pro-choice is the "who" part of the right to choose and implies that all supporters are anti-fetus. I do not agree with pro-life because you never know a living situation or even if the mom is an alcoholic or drug addict, there is a major risk of the baby having FAS or growing up to be an addict as well. They were each limiting in crews reflection because she only discusses about how women should have the right to choose she does not explain the factors that may benefit if the world agreed to being pro-life. A reproductive process and how social it is. And the social part is usually the main issue on the decision of an abortion.
I think if we politicize womens bodies and reproduction, women will become more cautious and even more insecure. Because not only is it bad enough to be shut down by people who are against abortion involving the government to me is ridiculous. For years our world is known to treat women with full dignity as an equal member of society. Abortion has come a long way, and many people are forced to do it. So with the government being involved I think is obsurd, and should let women choose what they want to do.
The Pro-life and Pro-choice argument towards abortion has been an ongoing issue for many years and is still going on today. Should women be able to decide if they can get rid of their child or not before it is born out of the womb? "Beyond Pro-choice Versus Pro-life" by Andrea Smith talks about how abortion is legal and it needs to stay that way or else women would lose their reproductive rights. Pro-life relates to a fetus that is alive and abortion should be criminalized, while pro-choice on the other hand represents a fetus that is not a life and that a policy must be directed towards protecting a woman's ability to control her own body. Some women though, tell themselves they want one thing but support the opposite choice of what they actually want.
ReplyDelete"And so I Chose" by Allison Crews is about all women having equal rights. As women, we have the authority to have children so we should be able to choose how we handle what we want to do it with it. I wouldn’t be fair for a woman to be told to have an abortion or not. It is always her choice and what is best for her. Pro-choice and pro-life are limiting in Crew’s reflection because it is not giving all the rights to women that should be given for abortion rights. A “reproductive justice” offers the right for all women to have a choice about having a child.
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. This service includes services such as birth control, body image, general health care, pregnancy, relationships, sex and sexuality, and abortions. Recently the house republicans voted to strip federal funding from this service. I think by getting rid of this funding, many more women are not going to get help with what they need if they don’t have the money to pay for it, many more problems are going to arise. The government thinks that if they cut this service less people will have to go in for abortions and less will get pregnant. A reproductive justice argument would be completely against the cutting of this funding because it is taking away so much from women and a lot of their rights. For example if a women got pregnant and could not afford to get an abortion but wanted to because she wouldn’t be able to support it, is taking away her women’s right.
@Ally I agree that this bill for federal funding to be cut is a horrible idea. So many women are going to be suffering because of this cut. I also feel that this is just the beginning for the fight against reproductive justice.
ReplyDelete@Nicole I also think that women should have the right to choose what they want to do with their bodies and whether they have an abortion or not. By involving the government, women have lost that right which is not fair because some people might need to have an abortion because they got raped or maybe they can't that child.
ReplyDeleteLike many students in this class my opinion on this subject was not supported with much education as it should have been. I only went by whether or not you should killa baby or not. Never did it cross my mind of the problems in these beliefs could be the determining factor fro many preganant women. Before reading Crews' article I never really thought about the emotional tear that some women go through when making a decision to bear a child or not. The story about the young girl getting yelled at by grown men and women made me look at things in a whole new light.
ReplyDeleteJust before I came to college I found out that my best friend of almost six years was preganant. I knew that this was going to change a lot of things for us that I really wasn't ready for. Before her preganacy we had talked about abortions before and we both had the same outlook on it. "You shouldn't kill a baby no matter what!" Well, she had a change of heart for a split second when she found out she was preganant. For a second the idea of abortion did cross her mind. Even though she did not go through with it, it was an option. This personal experience and after reading this article I think that pro-life simply means that life is the only choice and that you will be punished if you don't make the right choice. Pro-choice means that whatever choice you make there should be someone there to support you.
After reading the article on funds being cut for women I almost became angry. I know some people feel as if they shouldn't have to fund these things they are also making the lives of women more dangerous. Just because funds will be cut doesn't mean that abortions will stop, they will only become more dangerous. Personally, I hope that this bill doesn't pass and that funding will continue for women.
@NICOLE. I TOTALLY AGREE ON YOUR COMMENT ABOUT INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT IS OBSCURD! THIS WILL ONLY MAKE WOMEN FEEL EVEN WORSE ABOUT THEIR DECSIONS.
ReplyDelete@ALLY. YOU MADE SOME VERY GOOD POINTS ABOUT BEING EITHER PRO-LIFE OR PRO-CHOICE!
Pro-Choice and Pro-Life are two sides of the same coin, a coin that has been flipped time and time again by society. Although these two statements are very big in society I personally never took the time to fully understand either of them. Now that I have read and understood “And so I choose” I have a better understanding of what it means to be Pro-Life or Pro-Choice. Pro-Life supporters are completely against abortion and they fight for the rights of the unborn fetus. The drawback with this way of thinking is that the mother of the unborn child is not really considered. To be Pro-Choice means that you support the pregnant woman in whatever decision she makes whether it be giving birth or having an abortion.
ReplyDeleteLabels can be very problematic if you do not fully believe in what you claim you do. The labels people place on themselves are not always how they actually think and feel. We see that in “Beyond Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life” the article opens up questioning two people on their views of Pro-Life and Pro-Choice and their answers were completely contradictory. The point is made that women choice which side they represent based on what they would do themselves. I feel that statement is very true people have all kinds of different situations and you may have to choose a decision that you don’t claim to support based on the situation. Reproductive justice offers women the ability to make a decision for themselves and their future without being judged about it. It gives women their God given rights to make choices based on the decisions they have already made.
Its messed up that the government is trying to cut funding to an organization that has helped women keep their lives together for so many years. The point was raised in class that if women can’t get safe abortion procedures then they will just find more dangerous alternative means of doing it. That is true because when it comes down to it if a pregnant woman seriously does not want to give birth she gone do what she got to do not to give birth by any means. So at least with Planned Parenthood women had a safe way to do this. At the end of the day every individual has rights and its wrong to force your positions onto someone else. As a man I can’t even imagine what its like to carry a human inside of you for months, but I know if I had to I would want to be able to make any decision I wanted concerning my own body.
In the writing "And So I Choose" Allison Crews touches on the pro-life vs. pro-choice topic. These to words have been dragged through the mud since they were created. Yet Allison's point of view is not choosing either side. Instead of choosing sides, she promotes that this argurement should be turned into a compromise. Instead of each side bashing the other the real point is the well-being of the woman.
ReplyDeleteAs we have grown up the topic of sex has come up more times than none, but you never heard of the abortion talk. Since it is such a touchy subject that not many parents talk about with there kids as they make it to their teen years they are unclear about some of the decisions that should be made if that situation appears. I know plenty of women that have preach all day that if they became pregnant they would never get rid of it, But when the time really came they went the exact opposite of what they have been saying. With that being said Crews limits are being restricted because women dont have all the abortion right's they should have.
Lastly the government is only putting themselves in a deeper hole by cutting back on planned parenthood. By cutting back on the support the government gives them this will limit a lot of people to more unsafe ways of abortion or a load of women keeping there babies. And everybody cant raise a kid so that means more money taken out of your checks by who else but the government. So this can be seen as a lose, lose situation.
The terms Pro-Life and Pro-Choice are a restricting way to force people to view their opinion on abortion. In this, we are asking them to make a choice wether they believe in Pro-Life which forces the view that the government should take control of a woman’s choice and decide for them. Or forces them to choose Pro-Choice which automatically makes their view of Pro-Life negative and taking away all restriction of abortion away from the government. Where should the line be drawn on abortion? When should the government take control over a woman’s? Or should they be allowed to at all?
ReplyDeleteAllison discusses the way she was forced to make a “decision” at a young age. Her mother actually made the decision for her and the decision was to be Pro-Life. This came at all costs. Her mother would take her to Planned Parenthood clinics to hold signs and protest the choice of Pro-Life. Once Allison became pregnant herself at a young age she was able to make the decision for herself and turned her story into something that would help other girls in the same situation. Her vision was later turned into a phrase called reproductive justice. This view allows women a real choice and does not limit their view on abortion. They are able to carry a baby, have an abortion, think that women should be allowed to have an abortion but decide to never have one their self. As a woman this proves to be the best choice for all because the choice is an actually choice of the woman and not one the government decides for them.
With the new legislation trying to pass it will limit women to the decisions they are able to make with their body. The government will take over the control we have and nobody would be able to make the best decision for their situation possible. Sometimes people make mistakes but they learn from them and the government should not be allowed to limit their experiences or mistakes.
@Deneara P I had a friend just like yours. Goes to show you how anyone can make their mouth say anything.
ReplyDelete@Kim Heldman I fully agree with what you say about planned parenthood, it really will create more problems.
“And so I Choose” by Allison Crews is a publication about the equality of women. One thing that women don’t have full authority on is saying whether or not they want to keep a baby when they find out they are pregnant. If everyone could put themselves in a place of a woman they would see that the reproductive choice is ultimately up to her. Terms such as pro-life and pro-choice sets limitations to women rights when it is actually discussed. Both sides already have their own opinions. Given the issues that Crews mentioned, I believe that we should be more understanding of women decisions due to their current state or situations.
ReplyDelete“Beyond Pro-Life Versus Pro-Choice” is about women who label themselves as either pro-life or pro-choice. I think putting yourself in one particular category is contradicting. Everyone understands that there are exceptions to almost every rule. Reproductive justice would be reinforced if we strip the labels of pro-life and pro-choice. Doing so will let others see the bigger picture.
Reading about the budget cuts against planned parenthood was almost unreal to me. It is kind of like a back track for women rights. They have prevailed so much over the years and now the government is trying to govern their bodies. I also understand that the government is trying to limit the funding for HIV testing and cancer screening. These three issues are extremely important. What really gets to me is that Planned Parenthood don’t even spend federal money on abortion services. Since the government is run mostly by men, I think the vote was biased and they should have listened to the women’s voice they are the ones that should have the last say so. It is their bodies not the government’s.
The essay "And So I Choose" gives a common understnding that people can respect when it comes to this situation. It is basically questioning the fact that women dont have full authority over them keeping their baby or not. People need to realize that it shouldnt be up to the government to decide if a woman keeps her baby or not it should be the woman's decision and hers only. The fact of the matter and the whole gist of her story is that it should be the womans decision not anyone elses.
ReplyDeleteThe terms pro choice and pro life are very contradicting, you cant just put yourself in one of those categories and stick with it in my opinion, because it all depends really about the situation that is at hand. I think that those labels should be taken away and given a more reasonable term.
Reading about the budget cut plans just seems sleezy, and it seems like the government is trying to be cheap and save a few bucks. You cant just take away those things, people need them and sometimes rely on them. Also the vote was probly very one sided, since the government is made up of mostly guys, and they really dont have the right understanding in my opinion when it comes to this situation.
Allison Crews, And So i choose , reflected on her struggle to find her voice and rights. She had been raised pro-life but quickly became pro-choice when she witnessed that pain that young teenager experience after having an abortion. Years later she was in the same bout. She was now pregnant. She did not agree with pro-life, so she felt that the pro choice community would except her. Only for her to find out that the prochoice community had one purpose to abort just like pro-life had one purpose not to abort. Who are the people that will support her regardless of the decision she makes?
ReplyDeleteThis goes back to the essay that we read for class. The decisions to have or not have an abortion have spread way beyond the terms Pro-life and Pro-choice. These word need to be put to rest. There is so much controversy behind the notion of pro-life and pro-choice. If a person is pro-life does that mean that they should give the government the rights to decide what they should to. If a person is pro-choice does that mean that they can only abort. As was shown when Allison tried to reach out to the pro-choice. Not all people that associate with either community feel this ways but these are the notions behind these terms. Allison Crews could not relate to either community. Although she felt that she was pro-choice. Allison feels that a woman's body is their body and no one should be able to interfere with there decision. She felt that whatever decision women they made about reproduction should never be denied by anyone. Reproductive justice offer a stance on basically pro-women. Women have the right to choose and protect there hum rights. It offers a chance for women to protect the right to parent a child. Lastly,it offers protecting of a women body. Pro-life and Pro-choice have to many guideline of what it means to be either one. Reproductive justice gives power to women to make a choice and decision for themselves and not associate them selves with one and risks being looked down on by the other.
Politicizing women's bodies and reproduction is not a good idea.Women should have have control over what they want to do with their bodies. Why should the government tell a woman that she has to keep or has to abort a child. That are to many what if's and exceptions. As a result, women will turn to unsafe alternatives to getting around government policies. Once again Reproductive justice gives power to women to make a choice and decision for themselves. Without the government or anyone telling them what to do.
Within society over the years, the government has faced diplomatic circumstances when it comes to the issue with abortion because people are going to have different opinions when being referred to as which decision is right or wrong in their eyes. The idea of reproductive justice has been an issue circulating in the past and always will be because the government cannot please everybody with their decisions. In “And So I chose,” Allison Crews points out that people should start labeling between the term “pro-women” instead of pro-life or pro-choice. Crews explains that the term would cover both scenarios in a general sense, instead of having to choose between one or the other based on beliefs. Crews also says that women using the word “pro-women” makes them believe that they have more power in themselves and more control over their own bodies versus the government making a decision for them. I think the term Allison Crews came up with is a diplomatic resolution and should help out in the replacement of the general terms pro-life or pro-choice because women can base their own decisions with different circumstances on what would be best for their lives as well.
ReplyDeleteBefore the last lecture, I had never really sat down and thought about how problematic the issue of abortion can really be, and how some people do struggle when having to make a huge decision especially when they either believe in either all pro-choice or all pro-life, and do not consider anything in between when talking with other people and their beliefs. People really do label themselves one or the other when asked about the situation, and that is not how it should be reflected within society because people should be able to make their own choices because humans are given the freedom of speech to be able to express their own feelings. But, when referring to the government which has to play a part in the factor somehow, because if it wasn’t for the government’s set in stone limits then society as a whole would be crazy without any kind of laws or rules. The term reproductive justice has been used to try and help out with the labeling and is used in a more broader area by giving women their personal rights and beliefs, but also try to work with their health and well-being within themselves and within society.
The idea of Planned Parenthood is a healthcare provider that enables women the rights to such medications and physical examinations in providing for themselves and their bodies. Planned parenthood includes such things as birth controls, papsmears, Plan B, and other examinations that can be prescribed by a doctor or transferred from other places. In reality, accidents happen whether it was planned or unplanned and whether if it’s the right timing or not, so such items as birth controls and morning after pills help out in situations that can be avoidable if used properly. Physical examinations by a gynecologist such as a papsmear help in identifying whether a woman has a sexually transmitted disease or cervical cancer. I think that a papsmear is an approach that women should have done yearly in order to prevent these circumstances from happening or progressing. Some people think that birth controls are used primarily in reducing the formation of a fetus, but they can also be used for many other situations within women’s bodies in the aid of menstrual cycles. People also think that birth controls and the morning after pill is a form of abortion, which can be looked at in different situations and how the form of contraception is being applied and used.
ReplyDeleteThe government is trying to influence women’s lives by taking away all sorts of Planned Parenthood, because they believe it will somehow aid in the prevention of abortions in general. When referring to taking away the sorts of Planned Parenthood, they want to completely stop the funding for it, which could in turn be very problematic among women’s lives and families. I think that if the criteria for this act is actually going to be passed and enforced, then the idea of abortions is going to frequently affect people because in reality, women are not going to stop their routines and lives for the government’s plan. I think that the government does have a say-so in decisions dealing with circumstances, but not providing funds for Planned Parenthood is an act that I believe is going to be progressively problematic and takes away the benefits of women’s rights and the well-being of their bodies. People can believe in their specific beliefs and choose whichever area they want when abortion is mentioned, but reproductive justice is a way to prevent people from labeling themselves based on the topic, and not having to make the decision between the terms pro-life and pro-choice.
@Rod.. the coin demonstration is a good example of explaining the two terms and I also feel that I didn't have that great of an understanding about the real meaning behind pro-choice and pro-life until it really gets mentioned especially about all of the background stuff that goes along with it.
ReplyDelete@Ambre Rypien...I agree with you on how we have control over our own bodies and we shouldn't be letting the government try to change that but like you said the question is asked "Where do you draw the line?"
ReplyDelete@Evan- I completely agree with you that it should be the right of the women to choose to keep the baby, not the choice of the government. The government should not have control over womens bodies.
ReplyDelete@Kim Heldman- I agree with your comments about the funding for planned parenthood issue. If this program is not funded, more problems will arise, and the people needing help will no longer be able to afford it.
ReplyDelete@nicole sosnow - I agree with you that the government should not be involved in the issue of abortion and I like that you pointed out that their involvement makes women feel insecure about themselves. By forcing a women to subject her body to the onions of countless others makes her feel more like a criminal as opposed to a citizen exercising her right of choice.
ReplyDelete@Claire Gould - I very much agree with your statement, "in reality, women are not going to stop their routines and lives for the government’s plan". Statistically, the government knows that if they were to outlaw abortions, or reduce funding in an attempt to make it harder to perform, women would still find ways to do it, and that these alternatives are dangerous and deadly. Women will not change the way that things are done, and the government should work with places like Planned Parenthood instead of against them.
@Deneara P i had a friend just like yours. I would have classified my self as pro-life at one time. I felt that if a person was responsible enough to engage in sex that they were responsible enough to take care of a child. Once it became personal is when my opinion quickly change. My friend was not responsible enough to take care of a child. She had a lot she wanted to accomplish in her life and having a child at a young age would put her dreams on hold. She choose abortion and i supported her 100%. In my opinion i feel that some people that are pro-life will have a change of opinion if they were put in the situation.
ReplyDelete@Claire Gould i agree with you. I also feel like the term Allison Crews came up with is a better term to use. We as women should have control over our bodies. I am pro-women. And i support all women's reproductive choices. No matter the outcome.
When Allison Crews gives her account of growing up in a pro-life environment and the challenges she faced when she became pregnant as a teenager, she remembered seeing a girl leaving a clinic being hurried and shamed through a crowd of protesters. Allison was surrounded by people telling her she was unfit to be a mother. Some choice when abortion is actually a legal procedure. Loretta J. Ross asks the question, "Why are there obstacles for women who seek abortions while our society neglects mothers and children already here." Once again, there is no choice here. What Smith calls "'free' choice," is being fought for a group of women who are already allowed to make choices in their lives.
ReplyDeleteFor me, choice means having the ability to decide the path of your life, and I think it is a fundamental goal of feminism for everyone to be free from the constraints that limit their choices. The availability of choices is important, whether it be the choice to have an abortion or give birth, or the choice to have a career or stay at home and raise children. Because there is no one right choice for everyone, we need to let everyone decide for themselves the best choices for their life.
This paper argues that the pro-life versus pro-choice paradigm for understanding reproductive rights is a model that marginalizes women of color, poor women, and women with disabilities, and women from other marginalized communities. The pro-life versus pro-choice paradigm serves to both reify and mask the structures of white supremacy and capitalism that undergird the reproductive choices that women make
I am sure that Planned Parenthood is still accepting donations. It's not like they are closing shop just yet. When I was younger Planned Parenthood was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Free condoms, very cheap birth control, and they are anonymous too. I am sure that Planned Parenthood has saved countless teens and young adults from making mistakes that might otherwise ruin the course of their lives. It saddens me that the government wants them shut down. A program to help the people. This is just a GOP tactic to divide the country and get them away from states protesting their rights. We have to combine our efforts, unite! Federal and states monies should only go to non-profit s and government sector. No one should profit at all from government monies.
@Sylvester M.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about Beyond Pro-Life Versus Pro-Choice. It definitely makes sense because we really do need to understand that every rule has exceptions people shouldn't place themselves in categories.
Pro-life v.s. Pro-choice. You really cant choose a side, especially until you really do have some life swimming around in your womb. Yes, you can be pro-life, let the baby sit in that oven you call a womb for 9 months, let it finish cooking, and put it up for adoption. But what if you are pro-life, and your body just happens to be your product at the time. For instance, lets say you are a scholarship athlete. The athlete in that situation may have to go with the side of pro-choice and get the abortion, for one, to even stay in school, or to become recruited into a school for a free college education.
ReplyDeleteI hear people now saying “oh, well they shouldn’t have had sex.” Well even so, there will always be someone in the back screaming that very quote, and it will keep the pro-choice, pro-life debate going forever. So it is okay for the normal student to have sex and get pregnant just because it won’t jeopardize her much in anyway at the time. But since the athlete did, they must drop what they have going for them. But you know, shit happens, people make mistakes. “Shoulda, woulda, coulda.”
The fact of the matter is, if a bill like that were passed, people who do not want babies will most definitely have to be more cautious if the Republicans bill were passed. Republicans are known to watch out for their own, and don’t care about other’s circumstances behind your abortion, or how it happened. Which raises the question again the T.A. asked. “What if men DID have babies? But I think it is absolutely crazy how things work. If somebody cant afford to get an abortion, what makes you think they can afford to keep a baby. That is not to say that people who can afford it are killing off babies just because, like I said, your future can be on the line. Even though that is an issue, we do stay in a world where if your getting a lot of money, society seems to hand you more, and help you out more. Backwards right? But everyone wants money, and those who do not have it are no help, so I guess it is only logic to kiss up to those with the high dollars.