Women’s Rights

The Legacy of Notorious RBG – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

September 18, 2020

by DERONAE SMITH with 2 Comments Featured Politics Women's Rights

On Friday, September 18, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was the pillar of the current Supreme Court. She served as the Senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Affectionately known as Notorious R.B.G., to emulate late rapper and icon Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie Smalls), because of her strong passion to keep pushing regardless of life’s circumstances or obstacles that she may have faced… whether it was discrimination, health issues, or other challenges she faced.

She is known as the most powerful liberal Justice on the Supreme Court. Ginsburg became a US Court Appeals judge in Washington DC Circuit Court in 1980 when she was nominated by President Jimmy Carter. She was then nominated by President Bill Clinton as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1993. She was confirmed by Congress 96-3. An impressive confirmation you almost never will see in Congress today. She served as the second woman to be on the Supreme Court. The first woman of the Supreme Court was Sandra Day O’Connor who served from 1980 to 2006 when she retired. Justice Ginsburg has served the people for many years.

It was at Columbia Law School where she became the first woman to tenured. There she also co-authored the first law school casebook dealing with sexual discrimination. She co-founded the Women’s Right Law Reporter in 1970, the first law journal in the United States that focused exclusively on women’s rights. In 1972, she co-founded the Women’s Right Project at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); she also became the General Counsel for this project. She has fought time and time again for women’s rights, including women’s right to choose what to do with their own bodies, rights to not be improperly searched as a woman, rights to fight for equal pay for equal work, rights for the LGBTQ community, women’s voter right, as well as many other civil rights issues.

Her legacy must live on and we should always remember and celebrate what she fought for and whom she fought for. But we are living in a time where those who are supposed to protect the law are covering up and ignoring the law. A time, where people who claim they believe in the rule of law only believe in the rule of law against minorities. A time, where women’s Right to choose to have an abortion could possibly be abolished. The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) could no longer be the law of the land causing millions of people to lose their health care in the midst of a horrific pandemic. Her legacy is of utmost importance, considering Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has done nothing but stack the federal courts with far-right judges who will do everything they can to uphold discriminatory policies and inequalities.

Ginsburg’s last wish she dictated to her granddaughter was that Congress would not replace her seat until the country gets a new President. Within just a few hours of her death, Mitch McConnell said he would put her replacement up for a vote on the Congress floor. This is a time where the person who can be selected on the Supreme Court could change the lives of America for decades. We say this often, election after election; if there ever was a time we need to vote that time is now. That time to vote is seriously now. Justice Ginsburg passed on the same day the nation begin voting for this election year. It is important that we the people vote not just for the President and Vice President but straight down the line, US Congress, State Congress, State, Local, Judges, Sheriffs, Prosecutors, and School Board Members. We need to exercise our right to vote and maintain the legacies of the late Georgia Representative John Lewis and late Senior Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. We need to be Notorius Citizens exercising our right to vote.

I Can Hardly Remember A Time When Reports of Mass Shootings Weren’t a Regular Occurrence

August 30, 2019

by Tamera Middlebrooks with No Comment Culture Featured Gen Z

The first time I remember being informed of a mass shooting occurring was on December 14th 2012, the day that Adam Lanza opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School. I was twelve years old, sitting in my living room, viewing the news coverage with my mom. I remember crying, and her asking me if I was crying out of fear of something similar happening at my school. My response was, “No, this is all just really sad.”

Seven years later, and I still experience the same feelings of sadness when I hear the news of yet another mass shooting occurring. However, reports of mass shootings have become so frequent that it would be impossible for me to remember how I reacted to the news coverage of each one, which is not okay. Sadly, many people are way past the point of caring and become more and more desensitized after the story breaks. After receiving so many breaking news reports that a mass shooter has opened fire in various locations, some people are able to shrug and move on, which is the kind of complacency that NRA members and the lawmakers they support are counting on. Despite their indifference and inaction, the repetitive loss of life at the hands of mass shooters is not something to be normalized. Active shooter drills are not normal. Students being given bulletproof backpacks as they venture off into high school is not normal. Students fearing that their lives will be cut short if someone were to enter their place of learning with a gun (whether it be an elementary, middle, high school or a college campus) is not normal.

The treating of mass shootings as if they are inevitable is where a majority of my frustration comes from. Lawmakers ignore the issue, offering “thoughts and prayers” and visiting locations in the aftermath of shootings, while refusing to actually do something by utilizing their power to create structural change that could prevent so many of these tragedies. In New Zealand, the Prime Minister worked to prohibit access to semi-automatic weapons weeks after a mass shooting took place. In Australia, 35 people were killed at the hands of a semi-automatic weapon, and twelve days after the shooting, Australia’s Prime Minister announced a number of changes to their gun laws: “High-caliber rifles and shotguns were banned, licensing was tightened, a “buy-back” scheme took some 650,000 guns out of circulation and remaining firearms were registered to national standards.” These are just two examples of leaders swiftly taking action to protect its’ citizens from senseless gun violence. America has done nothing like this.

In addition to policy changes, an end to mass shootings cannot be brought without addressing two of the often-ignored factors that contribute to it: misogyny and racism. Many women—myself included—fear being gunned down for rejecting men, and way too many women have been. Black Americans get gunned down by police on a regular basis. The Charleston shooting that took place in 2015, the 2018 shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, and the recent shooting in El Paso were all motivated by White Supremacy. (When you include the intersection of marginalized identities, the issue becomes even more dire). Mental illness, rap music, and video games are just a few things that have been used as scapegoats to avoid addressing these factors and doing the work to dismantle the systems that allow them to persist.

While I can hardly remember a time in my life where reports of mass shootings were not a regular occurrence, my hope is that the next generation won’t. While I’ll continue to advocate for comprehensive gun reform, I’d be lying if I said the feeling of hopelessness didn’t affect me. Countless lives have been lost; countless people have been traumatized—so honestly, what else is there to say that hasn’t already been said? What can be done to undo the years of damage that has been done by the normalization to mass shootings in the U.S.? Who else has to die before change comes?

Joe Biden Doesn’t Deserve Your Vote

June 8, 2019

by The LCR Editor with One Comment Culture Featured Politics

Last week former Vice President and leading Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden flip-flopped on his support of the Hyde Amendment, the 1970’s legislation which bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except to save the life of the woman or if the pregnancy results from incest or rape.

Abortion and related healthcare services can be costly; therefore, this amendment significantly affects poor women and women of color.

“The problem is, the Hyde Amendment affects poor women, women of color, Black women, Hispanic women. And women of color will elect the next president of the United States.” – Patti Solis Doyle, former campaign manager for Hillary Clinton in 2008

Patti Doyle is right, yet Biden remained consistent in his support of the amendment. His opponents, including Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, lined up to criticize his stance and support for the bill. And before the end of the week, after initially doubling down in support of the bill, Biden reversed his stance and denounced his support.

“If I believe healthcare is a right as I do, I can no longer support an amendment that makes that right dependent on someone’s zip code.” – Joe Biden

Biden has a long documented history of defending this bill often citing his Catholic faith and that he doesn’t believe taxpayers who don’t believe in abortion should be forced to pay for them. So we should believe that he quickly realized this amendment disproportionately impacts poor women and women of color, many of whom are Democratic voters, amidst many of these Republican abortion bans sweeping the nation, and therefore he no longer supports it? A moral conundrum, maybe. Either way, after supporting a bill for 40+ years, it’s a stretch to believe he had a change of heart within 48-72 hours. Clearly, winning the Democratic nomination is more important, and that’s politics.

But this isn’t the first time he’s been on the wrong side of politics and history specifically in regard to women of color and disadvantaged communities… his troubling comments on desegregation and busing, his treatment of Anita Hill, and his role in the 1994 crime bill, just to name a few. Add the Hyde Amendment to that list.

The nostalgia of Biden serving as VP for the nation’s first Black President should take a back seat to many of his actions and legislative decisions over his political career, actions and decisions which have negatively impacted the Black community. Considering the Hyde Amendment negatively affects the same groups of people he depends on for votes, poor women and women of color, a Democrat supporting this bill for decades is inexcusable and not worthy of the highest office in the land.

The Alabama Human Life Protection Act

May 25, 2019

by Katie Garrison with No Comment Culture Featured Politics

The Alabama Human Life Protection Act, a controversial bill that criminalizes abortion and attempted abortion, was enacted on May 15th, 2019. This act categorizes abortion as homicide and a Class A felony while attempted abortion is now considered a Class C felony. Section 2 letter I, compare the casualties of the Holocaust, the Soviet Regime, and the Rwandan genocide to the estimated “50 million babies… aborted in the United States since Roe v. Wade passed in 1973.” The legislation also defines an unborn child, child, or person as “a human being, specifically including an unborn child in utero at any stage of development, regardless of viability.” It also defines a woman as “a female human being, whether or not she has reached the age of maturity”, (House Bill 314, section 3). One of the most problematic aspects of the bill includes the lack of exception for abortions in the case of impregnation through rape or incest. The passing of the law has resulted in backlash along with praise from those who agree with the legislation.

Not only is this bill incredibly heinous for its lack of empathy but for its lack of inclusion. HB 314 denies any person that is able to get pregnant the choice to terminate that pregnancy, but specifically protects women or “female” people from criminal charges if the mother’s life is at risk. While it is possible for any person of any gender to receive an abortion, this rhetoric does not allow the same protections for trans and non-binary folk, only cis-gender women. Ericka Hart, a queer Black femme, activist, and an accomplished teacher of sex education discusses the dangers that go beyond the bill itself. She states, “One day, people are sharing about abortion being a “women’s issue” – intentionally leaving out trans people and the next day, they are sharing about the death of Black trans women. If the only time you talk about trans existence is when we are gone, you aren’t helping”. Ericka’s studies and work focus on the systemic and historical events that allow for White supremacist, sexist, transphobic and homophobic bills to pass.

This bill will have a significant impact on poor minorities specifically when Black maternal death is a profound and prevalent issue, and currently at an all-time high. There is little to no access to contraception and proper sex education for the impoverished. While the wealthy and middle class can afford birth control, condoms and emergency contraceptives these products are not accessible to people without sufficient income or insurance. When rhetoric like “pro-life” is used it demonizes people who get abortions by implying that they are anti-life or pro-murder. The use of this language creates stigma for people who have already had abortions as well as those in need of an abortion. This stigma leads to shame and isolation which can end in lethal circumstances. To take away the right to a sterile and proper abortion puts countless lives at risk and puts immense financial stress on families. Prioritizing a life that has not yet begun over a life that has current meaningful existence and relationships is hypocritical. The right using the term “pro-life” is a manipulation tactic born out of the desperate need to maintain power and control.

The abortion ban in Alabama brings attention to a lot of systemic issues that plague many government bodies and society as a whole. It is important for the public to be educated correctly on whom these bills affect the most. Unfortunately, the attention tends to gravitate towards the most privileged and powerful leading to the silencing and erasure of marginalized voices. This ban will have negative effects on many and in some cases lead to life-threatening or lethal circumstances. In times like this, it is vital to prioritize those who face immediate danger in the rise of this ban. Audre Lorde, a Black, lesbian, poet, and educator stated, “The master’s tool will never dismantle the master’s house.” This quote remains relevant and impactful in the present. It can help to explain how powerful structures have maintained control and are able to pass an oppressive and dangerous bill like HB 314. If radical and revolutionary means are not taken society cannot progress and the marginalized will continue to suffer at the expense of our collective silence.

Ericka Hart: Twitter, Instagram

Legal Attack on Women’s Right to Choose (How Did We Get Here?)

May 21, 2019

by Left Women's Rights Advocate with 3 Comments Culture Featured Politics

There is a calculated attack happening across this country. It’s an attack on women and their bodies. In the past month, we have seen state legislative bodies in Missouri, Ohio, and Georgia pass restrictive abortion laws. Last week we saw the Alabama Senate pass a ban and the Governor, Kay Ivey, signed it into law. Georgia’s Governor, Brian Kemp, also signed a controversial abortion bill, the heartbeat bill, into law. But the bill signed by Ivy in Alabama is currently the most restrictive in the country. The bill signed by Ivy bans abortions — with the exception of when the life of the mother is in jeopardy — in all circumstances. Stop and read that sentence again. If a woman is raped or a victim of incest, according to the Alabama law, she must carry it to full term.

This is extreme to say the least. This bill along with the others passed in Georgia, Ohio, and Missouri all seem to be aimed at one thing, getting their legal challenges heard at the Supreme Court. If legal challenges get to that level then Pandora’s box is open for the Roe v. Wade debate. Ohio passed a fetal heartbeat bill, which would ban a woman from having an abortion once a heartbeat is detected. Some state legislative bodies are even calling it a 6-week ban, a time when some women may not even know they are pregnant. Georgia’s Governor Kemp signed something similar. In Tennessee, the legislative house passed a 6-week heartbeat bill, but it was defeated in the state Senate and sent to summer study, but is likely to be reintroduced next legislative season.

It would be convenient to rant about the way men are legislating over women’s bodies and giving them no chance to discuss or fight back against that legislation. Instead, I want to challenge you to relive a brief rundown of events that have gotten us to 2019 and the heartbeat bills. The breakdown is below:

2008-2009: America elects the first Black president, Barack Obama.
Early 2010: SCOTUS rules in ‘Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC)’ that political spending is a form of free speech that’s protected under the First Amendment. The controversial 5-4 decision effectively opened the door for corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to support their chosen political candidates. Hate that your politicians are bought and sold by corporations? Blame this.
Late 2010: Ahead of the midterms, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell vows to make President Obama a “one-term president” and Republicans declare a nationwide takeover of state legislatures. This begins the slow but steady Republican calculation to take over.
2010 Midterms: Thanks to the Citizens United case, Republicans flood the airwaves with political advertising to influence down-ballot elections. Republicans pick up 675 state legislative seats; swept several governorships, including Tennessee; and Republican control increased from 14 states to 26 state legislatures. They also take control of the U.S. House of Representatives, winning 58 seats.
2011: Now that Republicans effectively have the states on lock, states begin to enact strict voter ID laws, including Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, and TN.
2012: President Obama is re-elected. All is well with the world because we now have the Affordable Care Act (aka: Obamacare) and our president is still Black.
2013: The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) guts the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in the ‘Shelby County v. Holder’ case. As in, Shelby County, Alabama versus Attorney General Eric Holder. As in, the (same) Voting Rights Act championed by Civil Rights activists like Dr. Martin Luther King and Congressman John Lewis. The ruling basically said, nope racism doesn’t exist anymore so Southern states no longer need permission (i.e. “preclearance”) from the federal government to change their voting laws. The decision allowed 846 jurisdictions to close, move or change the availability of local polling places (mostly in predominantly African American counties) without federal oversight. There were also cuts to early voting and purges of voter rolls. Virtually all restrictions on voting after the ruling were by Republicans.
2014: Things begin to take a turn for the worst. Republicans continue their congressional takeover during the 2014 midterms. Republicans gained control of U.S. Senate and picked up more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Early 2016: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dies. His death begins the conversation about who will replace him and President Obama is granted option to choose. Obama chooses Merrick Garland, but both the Republican senators and Democratic senators have to vote on his nomination. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocks the nomination, claiming it’s too close to a presidential election so the next president should pick.
Late 2016: Donald Trump is elected president. Now Republicans are in control of the legislative branch and executive branch. Time to take over the judicial branch.
2017: Trump has his eye on the SCOTUS pick left vacant by Obama.
By nominating conservative judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. (Remember, elections have consequences, and in 2014, just 36.4% of eligible voters nationwide turned out in 2014 – the lowest since World War II—and Republicans gained control of the Senate, who confirms all federal judges.)
Fast forward to 2018 and by now, 34 states have some form of voter ID laws. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement. Trump nominates Brett Kavanagh as his replacement. Senate confirms Kavanaugh in October, shortly before the midterms, solidifying the bench as a reliably conservative 5-4 majority.

It’s now 2019 and Republicans control the state legislature in 31 states. That is over half the country. Congress is divided – Democrats took back the House in 2018, but Republicans still control the Senate, Presidency, and Supreme Court.

What we are seeing play out today is a deliberate playbook, run by American Legislative Executive Council, also known as ALEC. This is the conservative right-wing organization that essentially creates all the bills and runs them through state legislative, congressional and Senate bodies across this country. They can’t do it unless our elected officials agree to push their proposed legislation. It’s interesting to note that ALEC will pay for members of Congress to attend some of their meetings where they discuss policy and legislation. Elected officials then go back to their respective seats and run their (ALEC) bills. Ultimately, the bills introduced by legislative branches across the country are so egregious and blatantly unconstitutional in an attempt to move the battle to friendly territory – the courts. And we see this happening with the abortion bills across the South. And in case you want even more examples let’s take another look at some recent history and see how there is calculation about the process of moving controversial legislation to the court system.

As soon as Trump became president he introduced the Muslim travel ban. A few judges across the country struck it down because they believed it was unconstitutional. It is now an active open court battle, but the dangerous part is Trump has already had two successful appointees to the Supreme Court and has been placing members on the Circuit Courts as well. This is important to note because states can fight these laws and challenge them, but if they end up in a court where a judge has been appointed by Trump or has a conservative view of the law then these abortion laws could be upheld along with other extreme laws coming out of Republican-led legislatures.

Trump has called for the separation of migrant families at the border. Again, this is something that judges are challenging and it’s heading to legal proceedings within the judicial system. The Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, and her team are challenging public education with school vouchers. Legal proceedings will take place. Again, this will be headed to the courts. Voter registration is also under attack in states like Tennessee pushing the envelope and criminalizing the civic act. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing and guess where this will end up, in court. And let’s not forget about the 2020 census. The President is trying hard to remove some provisions on how Americans are counted, which will affect funding for states. There are lots of unknowns about the upcoming census, but one thing that will likely take place – a court battle.

When we talk about the calculated attack on women and their bodies, we have to look at how long this has been in play. The attack on abortion laws are systematically set up to eventually end up in the Supreme Court in an attempt to overturn Roe v. Wade. We should be upset about abortion bans. Louisiana has a case before the Supreme Court and we should all pay close attention to its outcome. It’s a law that would force doctors to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of where an abortion is performed, a structure that those opposed to the law insist violates the “undue burden” notion. In 2016 the state of Texas had a similar bill struck down in court.

We will begin to see court cases pop up about abortion bans because as soon as they are signed, they will immediately be appealed. It will be up to state judges, first, to decide their fate and with the stacking of conservative judges across the country we can only hope women’s right to choose is just as important to them as forcing a woman to carry an unwanted baby that the government doesn’t want to financially support once it gets here.

We Care So Much, That You Have No Rights

May 19, 2019

by Independent Asian Inquisitor with No Comment Culture Featured Politics

A point of view from a frustrated man who’s questioning other men’s point of view.

I just finished reading an article written by a fellow contributor to The LCR, Cynthia Swiss: Alabama Abortion Is Taking Women Back To The Dark Ages. After reading the article, I had to take a moment and gather my thoughts and emotions because I agreed with every point Cynthia had made in her article. Having had the pleasure and honor of being raised and guided by powerful, empowering, no-nonsense women all my life, taking a moment to fully understand the consequences of the abortion ban and how so many other states in the MidWest are following suit gave me pause.

It’s a surreal moment when you take a step back and look in realizing that there are so many women out there and young girls now that will have to live in more fear than before. Not only is their God-given right to maintain, manage and decide what to do with their bodies being stripped away before our very eyes, but now even rape and incest seem to lose their severity in consequences.

Why? because the only person that seems to indeed pay for it will be women, regardless of the situation, unless her life is in danger. Really? That’s the best we can do? That’s how we show our intelligence, respect, appreciation, and understanding of women in America? By telling them, they have NO choice but to carry pregnancies to term, because we care about life?

LOL, wait… that’s the reason? Really? WE CARE ABOUT LIFE? Oh man, we are unique, aren’t we? I mean, this is Gold. WE CARE ABOUT LIFE… We care so much about life that we bomb indiscriminately hospitals, schools, and population-centric areas that are FILLED with children to protect our “interests.”

We care so much about life, that the moment the child is born, we stop caring. Because the goal is to bring more life on this planet right, strictly? I mean, who cares if the mother can raise the child, emotionally, financially, or mentally. WE CARE ABOUT LIFE. THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS!

I mean, we care so much that we lock up immigrant children in detention camps and facilities where they are abused and RAPED! Because We care.

We care so much about life, that if a woman is raped or is a victim of incest, her ability to be supported, emotionally and mentally to recover as well as be given justice for such a heinous act is not essential. Because the “life” she is carrying IS meaningful, so her ability to have a say on her body or to have support from the government, or the law is irrelevant.

Look, I hold no influence on you, the reader, or anyone else except myself. Moreover, as a man, the craziest thing about this issue is that I have complete control over what is done or how it is done to my body in every conceivable way! However, the opposite sex is having all their liberties and rights questioned and taken away.

We do not have the right to control what a woman does, or does not do with her body. Why it is taking us close to 5,000+ years to understand that and accept? That is probably one of the many reasons why my frustration with the human race grows a little more with every passing year. Especially when such draconian measures are taken to control, dictate, and humiliate those that our race biologically, emotionally, mentally, and physically cannot do without – Women.

ALABAMA ABORTION BAN IS TAKING WOMEN BACK TO THE DARK AGES

May 18, 2019

by Cynthia, Swiss with 3 Comments Culture Featured Politics

As the news of the Alabama abortion ban reached my ears, I got shivers down my entire body. A body that I own, that I cherish–most days at least–, a body I now realize that some men think doesn’t actually belong to me.

Back in the Middle Ages, men were actually convinced women, dripping blood once a month, were the incarnation of Satan, orgasms were a devilish force men were warned not to release and the uterus was held responsible for every strange ailment women seemed to be so prone to displaying, such as… sadness. You would think people in 2019 know better. You would be mistaken then.

By denying women the right to own their bodies and to decide whether or not they feel ready to bring a child into this world, these men bring us back to these dark ages of ignorance and cruel patriarchy. By excluding rape and incest as valid reasons to deny women, and unfortunately sometimes girls, the right to overcome nature and make a rational decision, these men show how little they know about women, abortion and health. By implementing the heartbeat rule, they demonstrate their lack of awareness of basic biology. Unless you’ve been trying for a baby and are taking pregnancy tests regularly, or have a very regular cycle, 6 weeks is often the moment the pregnancy is discovered. I was 8 weeks pregnant when my gynecologist told me there was no heartbeat. After enduring a very traumatic surgical procedure to clear my uterus, as I was crying my heart out my (male) therapist told me, “You haven’t lost a baby. You’ve lost a fetus.” So it’s fine to rationalize when nature takes its course, but not when a woman takes control of her body? I never went back to this therapist. To this day, it remains one of the most unacceptable things I’ve been told because when you deeply want a baby, or when you get pregnant and feel ready to be a mother, the baby is not only in your belly, but also in your head, in your dreams, in your future.

On the other hand, when the pregnancy is not wanted or can’t be carried out willingly, it turns into a nightmare or a haunting dilemma. What should be taken into account is the potential wreckage of two lives, maybe more, compared to the benefits of constraining a woman to give birth. By refusing to acknowledge most women seeking abortions, especially in searing-poor areas and countries, are victims, and will probably struggle to come to terms with what they had to do, these men confirm that they, in fact, are not men: they are self-entitled idiots with bigotry-caked brains. Sadly, one of them was elected president of the United States, and rallied his peers, swarming over progress like maggots over an open wound. By refusing to accept that men are responsible for their own bodies as well perpetuates a supremacy based on one thing, and one thing only: the medieval fear of women.

Whether a rapist needs a knife, a gun or his hands around a woman’s neck to gain access to her genitals, whether an uncle or a family friend need threats and promises to convince a little girl not to tell anyone that they share a very special secret, whether a husband or boyfriend refuses the use of contraception or press for one more child, whether any religious leader or authority pretends that birth control is against His law, they are all committing the same act of violence against the very beings on whose existence our survival depends. Contraception does not always work, doctors are sometimes wrong, timing may not be adequate, and these are only a tiny portion of the reasons that may lead a woman to end a pregnancy. And you can take my word that any woman who had to undergo this is somehow scarred. Even if she knows there was nothing else she could do. The pro-life argument has to be about the woman in the first place, and empowering girls, giving them the assurance they can choose what is best for them, providing easy and safe access to contraception, ensuring both boys and girls get adequate sex-ed and the right talks on consent, mutual respect and dignity is the only way abortion numbers will fall. Criminalizing abortions will result in tragic deaths, suicides or illegal abortions. Angel makers will operate in backrooms at the cost of human lives, again.

Actress Alyssa Milano suggested a sex strike. What if tomorrow women decided to go on reproductive strike? What if the access to a woman’s reproductive organs were denied indefinitely? What if women decided to force vasectomy on all men by passing a bill stating that males don’t know what they’re doing with themselves and need to be put under strict control, without exception? Or what if we decided to offer these men the Godly mission of caring for all those abandoned children waiting for parents in orphanages? After all, that would solve so many problems, all at once. I have never, ever, heard of a place where men abide by women’s decisions regarding their sexuality. I wish such a place didn’t exist, to be honest. Because the only person who is allowed to make decisions regarding their body and organic functions is the person who lives in that body. Women need to stick together and fight back against this retrograde oppression. And if there’s one thing that is even more unbelievable than a bunch of male politicians imposing such a senseless decision in order to “protect life”, it is women sharing their point of view.

At some point in my life, I had to make the hardest decision of all. I did get an abortion. My doctor had told me there was no way I would ever get pregnant without strong medication. I had already had a miscarriage, so after years of infertility, it felt as if nature was playing the cruelest trick on me. With a future father who chickened out of the picture as fast and sneakily as he could, a family who was appalled at the situation and studies to complete, my choice was the rational one. I was not going to make so many people, including an innocent child, suffer. I still think about it when I look at my beautiful sons, who wouldn’t have been born if I hadn’t made this heartbreaking decision back then. Nurses, doctors, anesthesiologists, counsellors… they were all sorry for me and knew how lonely and desperate I was. A few years later, I sought advice and group therapy helped a lot to appease my grief and guilt. I’m glad and proud to say that in Switzerland, there are measures to protect women who seek such procedures, which are performed in hospitals or private clinics (abortion clinics don’t exist) and paid for by health insurance, and no one is hurling abuse at women entering these facilities to make them suffer through their “walk of shame.” If there were, I’d take my sons and my students there to teach them about dignity, freedom and solidarity.

Women’s Rights (and Kavanaugh Hearing)

September 17, 2018

by Left Women's Rights Advocate with One Comment Culture Featured

Christine Blasey Ford had to reveal herself and now the U.S. Senators, who were prepared to vote on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, are all of a sudden rethinking their decision. According to reports, Senators received an anonymous letter months ago detailing sexual assault allegations from Ford, but because her name was not revealed her allegations didn’t go far.

We are in the #MeToo movement where anonymity is no more. A woman is not believed unless her story can be polygraphed and verified, which hers was. But what does this scenario say about the government’s ability to allow a man accused of sexual assault to get confirmed for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court and possibly vote to overturn Roe v. Wade?

As a woman this is simply disturbing. What’s most disturbing is learning that members of the committee were in acknowledgement about the allegations and prepared to vote on his confirmation and only after her identity was revealed, heads are rolling.

A quick trip down memory lane will remind you that Kavanaugh is the same judge who attempted to block an immigrant woman from obtaining an abortion. Even though it was HER body and HER right to choose, he tried to infringe upon her right by pushing his decision further and further out in an attempt to make it harder for her to terminate her pregnancy. Ultimately, she was able to move forward despite his acts.

But what does this one case state about his ability to rule justly on behalf of women? Currently, the U.S. Supreme Court is made up of five men and three women, with one vacancy looming. If Kavanaugh is confirmed the court will have six men and three women. The court will make decisions about issues that affect women without enough voices by women to weigh in on the decision. Such is with lawmaking. Women are left out of many narratives simply because they aren’t present in the room. In states where women make up more than half of the population men overwhelmingly represent the state in legislatures and on Capitol Hill.

For Kavanaugh, delaying and/or stopping his nomination would be a victory for anyone who cares about women’s reproductive rights. But what does it say about our Senate Judiciary leaders who had this information and did not act on it? What will this narrative mean for the next woman who wants to ‘accuse’ a powerful man of sexual assault?

Women have to think about their careers, families, and even their safety above their healing and ability to move on from traumatic life events. After all, this is how women are socialized to deal with sexual assault – it’s her fault and she should feel guilty for coming forward to ‘out’ a man.

When our country takes women’s sexual allegations as serious as supposed public outcry about patriotism and NFL players kneeling, then maybe our country can get to the gender parity we deserve. Until then, we will never know why members of the Senate Judiciary Committee decided to move forward on a critical vote ahead of Ford revealing her identity. But what we do know is victims have to relive trauma in public, and no one is legislating that.

INSECURE MASCULINITY UNCHECKED?

September 10, 2018

by Muslim Female Democrat with No Comment Featured Race Relations Women's Rights

Inequality between men and women exists in many aspects of daily life. Whether it’s the wage gap or general double standards, there are women who face sexism regularly. Serena Williams, one of the best tennis players of all time, was held to a double standard this weekend when she was penalized for arguing with the umpire. Multiple notable male tennis players weighed in, saying that they had said far worse to umpires and not been penalized.

I would argue that she was not only held to a double standard because she is a female playing the sport, but she was likely also a victim of the umpire’s insecure masculinity. For male umpires to accept yelling or arguing from another male is one thing; for a male umpire to be called out by a strong female like Serena Williams is probably a large blow to his ego. Whether or not this is the only reason, it definitely could have been a factor. Serena also dealt with “dress code” issues when the French Open recently announced that they would not allow her to wear a catsuit that was inspired by the Black Panther, and more importantly designed to prevent blood clots.

Regardless of the obstacles she has faced, Serena will be remembered as one of the best tennis players of all time, not just one of the best female tennis players. Perhaps more female umpires could help to reduce issues like this in the future.

You Have Failed Your Goddesses

May 14, 2018

by Independent Asian Inquisitor with No Comment Featured

A close friend of mine emailed me an article this morning with a simple statement in the subject line, “This is crazy.” It was about the third rape incident in a week involving another teenage girl who was sexually assaulted and burned alive.

She was molested in her own home by a man who then doused her in petrol and set her on fire when she threatened to tell her family about the incident. What makes this terrible story even worse and fills me with rage and disgust is that one of the perpetrators who was arrested is her cousin.

Each woman is a Goddess in her own right. Songs are dedicated to them, stories and poems of bravery, courage, and love are written about them, and wars have been fought over them.

Women are the very foundation of our civilization; yet, for some unknown reason, we do not or perhaps will not acknowledge their worth or humanity.

No country in this world shows its lack of respect and disvalue for women more than India. There are 28 Goddesses in Hinduism, 28 powerful female entities that incorporate every known emotion and ability – from love and guidance to vengeance and wrath.

Millions of people in India as well as around the world worship them and go to unbelievable lengths to show their devotion and reverence, but for some inexplicable reason that admiration and respect does not transfer to the women that live within the Indian population.

Where and When did India fail its women? Well for starters, there is a strong possibility the female fetus will be aborted because of the stigma that women are a burden to the family, and that they cannot earn or inherit their family’s property and wealth like a male heir can. Moreover, baby girls are killed after birth, leading to a ridiculously skewed sex ratio. Those who survive this horrible rite of passage then face discrimination, prejudice, violence, and in extreme cases face neglect all their lives, regardless of being single or married.

TrustLaw, a news platform run by Thomson Reuters, has ranked India as the worst G20 nation for women to live. Their ranking is astounding, considering the fact that the leader of the ruling party, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, at least three chief ministers, and many sports, entertainment, and business icons in India are women.

In 2016, there were roughly 40,000 reported cases of rape in India. The majority of victims range between 16-30, and disturbingly enough 94% of the victims knew their offenders. Neighbors account for a third of the offenses, while parents and other relatives range of that scale as well. Today, India’s Capital Territory, Delhi, alone accounts for nearly 17% of the total number of rape cases in the country.

What makes this problem even more infuriating is that it is not just the act of rape, but kidnappings, abductions, killings, mutilations, acid attacks, and fire attacks as well. This type of violence can be related to disputes over dowry payments, human trafficking, rejection, and pure jealousy.

Research conducted by economists Siwan Anderson and Debraj Ray estimates that in any given year, nearly two million women go missing. Additionally, the economists learned that roughly 12% of the women disappear at birth, 25% die in childhood, 18% at reproductive ages, and 45% go missing at older ages.

Analysts claim that because the country is deeply entrenched in patriarchy and widespread misogyny, the attitude towards women is a reflection of that. Personally, I find that to be a cop-out and a pathetic excuse to allow these horrible acts of cruelty and violence to continue.

When a person commits a crime and the punishment is a slap on the wrist, how can we expect anything to change? How can we expect the men of India to do better? How can we expect them to appreciate women when the government itself is so incompetent and ridiculously slow to provide proper protection for women and harsher punishments for those who believe it is in their right to violate, rape, murder, burn, and molest at will?

This may sound like a rant, and you’re right, it is. I am one voice in a sea of millions of other voices lost on the ears of those who can do something but choose to do nothing. When will things in India change? When the nation as a whole realize that its most valuable treasure is not its history, or its temples, forts, tech hubs, or palaces; but its women.

How India decides to treat its women will determine India’s image to the rest of the world, and if they are worth the blessings and gifts their ancient Gods and GODDESSES bestow upon them.

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