Giselle Valentine Discussion 14

Initially the first emotion that  I felt was anger while reading the leaked article.  Seeing the opinions people had over something they would never be able to do, which is give birth . I felt confused that while a woman can only get pregnant for one baby at a time a man can continuously impregnate women and to me it would make immensely more sense to support the birth control of men but we do live in a patriarchal country. I learned from the information that was presented to us that we will always likely always  have to fight against people who feel entitled to our body and space and time. While we are resilient and prepared to rebel against unjust laws that imagine most women are feeling like i am feeling at the moment which is tired, exhausted of consistently  fighting for autonomy over ourselves. The worry over not being able to protect young girls from feeling those emotions as well.  I feel worried that if something this ludicrous is being undone at this point in our country how much more may be at stake. Certain aspects of the law have been used to justify the jailing and killing of black and brown bodies and this feels like another way to get away with violence and murder. Women are being sterilized in immigration detention centers against their will and we are making laws against abortion? Children are disappearing and being separated from their families and we are forcing women to give birth , someone make it make sense. It’s super simple in my mind, if your against abortion don’t have one. If you are not able to even get pregnant you should not have a vote. I liked the reference the professor made about the “medicalization” of bodies. Historically in my opinion culturally black and brown bodies have always been safer in the hands of the healers, the doulas, the midwives. Medically we are forced to have C-sections, give away after birth (placentas) when in some cultures it is believed that using placentas has health benefits. Women are often ignored when expressing their needs and doctors overlook them. If men in our lives do not consciously decide to hold themselves accountable for the privilege and use of privilege in this issue then their words of seeing us equally are just words.  Bell hooks’ quote is absolutely correct. You cannot be feminist and not be pro- choice, you are then just saying you can allow women to pretend they are free until you believe they are going to far. Inadvertently still holding them to someone else’s word over their own autonomy.  This week’s reading and information is heavy because I’m emotionally and physically invested in the outcome of when the supreme court publishes this information and what it will mean for women in the future. 

3 thoughts on “Giselle Valentine Discussion 14

  1. antione malave

    i didn’t think about this scenario from a medical standpoint your correct . In contrast to men and woman we will never be equal i just don’t see that happening . I do agree with not having a vote if you cant have a kid thou. I do feel like its a bit of a distraction

  2. Food Taang Zheng Giménez

    Hi Giselle! To be honest is that I had never thought of your way, it surprises me a lot and after reading it I more than agree with you. A woman gets pregnant once and a man can get any woman pregnant as many times as he wants! patriarchy seriously makes a lot of notice. It’s really sad to hear all those stories, where first, they don’t let a woman have an abortion, then they take her children away, and finally they don’t even do the job of protecting those children or taking care of them. I completely agree, there is a lot of medical negligence about the needs of women, they always overlook them without caring.

  3. Miranda C.

    Hi Giselle, I totally agree with you if you cannot physically birth a child you should not have any say and if you can the choice should be yours and yours only !! I honestly wonder if men could physically have kids would they still press for this issue or would they then be pro choice !!

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