Women’s Rights.
Oct 3rd, 2005 by Kate
This is another entry in an on going interest of mine in abortion law, birth control and women’s rights around the world, especially in the Middle East. There is something about being persecuted for who you are that fascinates me. I’m just weird like that. I’m also interested in religious persecution, but that is a different story entirely.
Why do men feel the need to treat women like that? Why must they be so repressed? I know I am a product of the American culture and my beliefs reflect the nature of the environment in which I have grown up. In the United States women have been through a revolution: we are no longer just housewives and mothers, or teachers and nurses. We now hold powerful places in our government and in the private sector. And at the same time we are still responsible for raising a family. There is still a bit of disdain from our male counterparts for our success, Freud would go to town on our society today, but our culture has proven to be very adaptive to our evolving society.
Remember my rant about the Plan B pill? After that article was published, I had a very interesting discussion in with a member of the opposite sex which concluded in the agreement that Plan B should be offered over the counter. The sites states that “[a] physical examination is not required prior to prescribing Plan B,” and we agreed no need for an examination means no need for a doctor and no prescription. Plus, the Plan B pill is not RU-486 (the abortion pill) and it will not work if you are already pregnant. So its not like its an abortion in a box, its just another form of birth control which prevents the pregnancy from beginning in the first place. I seem to be thinking of that scene in Legally Blonde when she’s in class and they’re discussing how masturbating can be considered reckless abandonment. I’m a conservative; let’s not make laws about morals! Although, me being pro-choice isn’t very conservative… And mom things my views will change after I have kids. Who knows.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I read way too much. (The nature of my job doesn’t help much either…) My goal over the summer was to start reading more, and I’ve accomplished that goal by ten fold. Today when I was sorting the mail, I came across a printed copy of the latest issue of MotherJones, an independent investigative journalism website that I came across a while back that has many interesting articles. While looking through the pages, I stumbled across a short list on one of my favorite topics: abortion. Recon: Abortion and Reproductive Rights in the Crosshairs.
A few highlights:
- Twenty states have considered laws that would allow pharmacists to refuse to provide birth control.
- The FDA has delayed approving over-the-counter status for Plan B [which is] legal without a prescription in 34 countries.
Oh I do hate politics but I love this sort of thing. Most things I don’t care about, but if it is something I am interested in, I don’t mind diving head first into the issues.
And for all you anorexic brides out there who starve themselves to fit into their wedding dresses, here is a story about women who are being forced to overeat to fit into a beauty image that demands a larger woman: Force-fed women fight the fat in Africa.
short comment. My dad, being a pharmacist, has his own views on the plan B pill. He of course, is for it, but he knows many who are very against it because they believe it to be a form of abortion. I understand that people take this as a precaution so as not to GET pregnant the morning after having unprotected sex. Therefore, you are not pregnant at that point and if for some reason you are, the “zygote” which is what it is called at this stage, is just a few tiny cells reproducing. Anyway, back to my dad’s opinion. Many pharmacists, like I believe you mentioned, refuse to dispense this pill, however, they have no problem dispensing birth control, which he, and myself as well, does not understand. I am also pro-choice because I believe that the rules can sometimes be bent or shifted depending on the circumstances. Now that I read over this, it barely makes sense and is not at all short, but I think you get the point :D goodnight.