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May 07, 2007
Naamah strikes again
So I linked to Naamah's post "Animals.". It is a kickass post.
She has written a followup. It's really long and has plenty of profanity, so it's not a light read. But damn, as usual, she takes the words right out of my mouth.
My favorite bits:
To me, abortion is a perfectly reasonable and ethical approach to "dealing with the consequences." To me, abortion is responsible.
I find it ironic that the same people who insist that all children, even unwanted children, are "blessings" are usually among the first to insist that a woman be punished for her "sins." And the punishment, these "consequences" that they would so smugly visit upon us? Why, they are the very children they insist are gifts from the divine!
On further contemplation, that does not indicate a very high opinion of either women or children, does it?
We are expected to "deal with" the consequences of our actions. We are expected to suffer for our sins. But children are not a consequence, and sex is not a sin.
...If a woman is irresponsible, do you really think forcing her to give birth is going to make her more responsible? Do you really think it's going to make her a good parent? Do you really think it's going to teach her a thing?
Do you really think that a woman who does not want a child will care for that child?
...Nobody should be forced to justify or defend their need for birth control or abortion in any way, to anyone. The idea that abortion should be restricted to the "responsible" places women on a par with children: moral simpletons who cannot be trusted to make their own decisions, and who must from time to time be punished for their foolishness.
...As an adult human being I am entitled to conduct my sexual affairs as I see fit without seeking permission or approval from anyone but myself and my partners. If I turn up pregnant as a result of deciding that my sexual fulfillment is more important to me than being able to straddle some nonexistent moral high horse (which is apparently a unicorn accessible only to virgins), the only people who have even a potential ethical investment in that pregnancy are myself, the father of that child, and possibly the medical professional who is providing the termination.
Even if I'm the most irresponsible slut in the world, the collective judgement of the masses does not enter into it. I do not need to justify my reasons for wanting to abort my child or defend my choice to do so in any way, to anyone. I would not be asked to legally justify my reasons for wanting to keep it.
Rock on, Naamah! She is the bomb.
And yes, I promise to post happy wedding stuff soon. It's just that I read this and loved it, so I had to link it.
File under: Feminism
Posted by Ealasaid at May 7, 2007 07:22 PM
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Comments
Excellent link. It's definitely along lines that I've thought for years, and probably better said than I could have done. Just one thing to add: none of the numbnuts who make the argument that women need to suffer the "consequences" of having sex ever seem to have an answer when I ask them if they think it's a good idea to grow up as somebody's "consequence."
-AS
Posted by: Alex Summers at May 9, 2007 08:31 AM
Re-iterated from the comment I made at your wedding:
Thanks for posting this great feminist stuff! I find it interesting and helpful! And to send to my uber-conservative types.
Posted by: agengrgal at May 17, 2007 05:07 PM
Graphics from works 