For as long as we can remember, abortion has been a topic of debate in the United States. Protest after protests, women begging to be able to have their own human rights returned, we’ve seen how America handles abortion and ‘pro-life vs. pro-choice. This week’s videos were very informative on women’s experiences and the issues they face regarding their reproductive system. The video “The Abortion Divide” did a great job at illustrating the process a woman goes through during an abortion, showing us both physical and mental difficulties they face. In the video “Hobby Lobby: On Last Week Tonight” we can see how companies are trying to abuse their power by trying to have a say in “people matter’s”.  Hobby Lobby made a case against abortions by saying that their taxes should not go towards the medical procedure of abortions and birth control, because they go against their Christian beliefs. Under the Citizens United Ruling, it states that corporations can have the same free speech rights as people, this makes it so that large companies that have immense influence over their employees and communities can now represent themselves in court as people can.  The Supreme Court had a say over the case and they favored Hobby Lobby by agreeing that companies are people that have religious freedom.  This is unfair as companies are not actual people and are certainly not held to the same standards.  The company is a large conglomerate that has money and the power of influence and religious freedom should not have been granted as their store workers and corporate workers are not all Christians.  The ruling of the case invalidates the beliefs of others and should be reviewed as this has granted a company owned by Christians to have a say over people’s bodies just on the basis that it goes against their beliefs, scripture, and church.

This week’s snapshot posted by Sadira Mohammaed captures the topic perfectly. It is an image of a woman’s organs being pulled in reference to being controlled by groups of men.  I love this image because we can see in a more literal form how men in our society feel so entitled to control a woman’s body and reproductive system. As true as this image is, it’s honestly super sad. Men have control over their bodies and can choose what they do and can’t do to themselves but why can’t we? Why do they feel so entitled to ‘rule’ over a body that doesn’t concern them whatsoever?