Silver Lining? – Photo: L. Weikel
Waiting
We’re all waiting. Waiting for the inevitable betrayal of women in the United States by a radical, extreme, and activist Supreme Court.
We don’t know for sure, but it seems likely that tomorrow (Friday, 24 June 2022) women in the United States are going to experience (via the Dobbs decision) being thrown back to a time most of us have only read about in disbelief. A time when women were second-class citizens, unable to make decisions about our own bodies because somehow we can’t be trusted with such weighty decisions as whether and when to bear a child.
It’s quite likely that tomorrow we will be told that, contrary to what we may have believed all our lives, we are not, in fact, citizens who enjoy equal rights with our male counterparts. No. We are vessels. Mere incubators.
Expendable
We’re also expendable. In many ways, that’s the most chilling takeaway from the potential decision that may be handed down from on high tomorrow. It does not matter one whit whether a pregnancy might kill the incubator. The potential ‘life’ of the fertilized egg takes precedence over the woman in which it may or may not become implanted. She is expendable.
When you think about the stark truth of this attitude, it’s sickening. And it makes no sense.
That’s because this entire issue has nothing to do with the sanctity of life. If it did, there is no way any sane person could venerate a clump of cells over a woman who has lived long enough to at least mature enough to produce an egg that can be fertilized. It’s highly likely this egg producer has dreams, hopes, some education (and perhaps the desire for more), possibly other children already, as well as a myriad of other responsibilities.
But to be fair, the clump of cells could become President someday.
The carrier? Meh. She’s expendable. (God forbid she might become President someday.)
Power
Don’t let anyone tell you this issue is about cherishing ‘life.’ We know the truth. All we need to do is look around and see the disdain and disrespect accorded women attempting to raise children on their own. School lunches? Feh. Moochers. You say you need help paying for daycare so you can work? Stay home and take care of your kids, bitch. Why didn’t you keep your knees together if you knew you couldn’t support a child?
No, removing a woman’s right to determine exactly what she can do with her body whenever she wants to do it is all about power. Power over. It’s about other people telling you what you can and can’t do with your own body.
And since this is an issue that fundamentally comes down to power, then it’s time for women to wield the power they have. Is it our ‘fault’ for getting pregnant? Then perhaps those who are equally responsible for creating a zygote need to discover women still (as of this writing) have the ability to say no. They have the ability to stop. having. sex.
Yeah, sure, if engaging in sex and the expression of sensuality, affection, and perhaps even love, by indulging in that activity, is pleasurable to you, swearing off it for a while would be a sacrifice. But wow – if we’re going to take a stand and abstain from something, surely reclaiming (or perhaps in truth finally claiming) our equality is the best reason to do so. You know: until there’s either an amendment to the Constitution explicitly stating that women have exclusive authority and autonomy over their own bodies, maybe we don’t need to share those bodies with anybody else.
Or maybe, given this whole insane Second Amendment guns-have-more-rights-than-people-do-to-life attitude of the Supreme Court, we need a re-do on the whole Constitution.
Threat
People think it’s hyperbole to state that once Roe is overturned, the Radical Right will go after contraception, miscegenation, gay marriage, and a whole host of other rights. They used to think that about Roe, too. “Oh, we’ll never go back to those Dark Ages.”
Yeah. Right.
Perhaps you assume this whole thing doesn’t apply to or affect you in any way.
If you’re not a white Christian male, just wait. Once Roe falls, you too will very shortly enjoy the prospect of having rights you’ve always considered inalienable stripped away. And yes, even white Christian women. You may think you’re safe, protected by your men and your God. But just remember: you’re only safe as long as they deem you worthy of their largesse. You’re only safe as long as you don’t pose a threat.
And the greatest threat to weak men is the prospect of living amongst educated women with sovereignty over their own bodies.
All I know is, I will not allow activist judges on an illegitimate Supreme Court tell me I am not equal to men. Nor will I passively remain silent and allow them to tell that lie to anyone else.
(T+134)
You speak the truth….what happened? We, as women, have been put “in our place”. If men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament .
Speak out loud, ladies…. we’re going to have to do this all over.
We must not accept this. We must rise up.
There are more of us than there are of these radical extremists who are behind this RETRACTION of FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS.
This cannot stand.
This is a late reply because I was in Great Britain when this was released. But there was much discussion And our entire group was very supportive of women. One thing you did not hear about in the news were the protests and support from The Australian women. Women all over the world are heartbroken about this decision.
Actually, the support world-wide has been covered by some outlets and sources – and it’s truly heartening. All of us must stick together. This is all about power. Power and control.