Roe (v. Wade), row, row your boat
Hello you juicy fruit.
Like many in North America, I have been following with rapt horror at what is happening to women's rights in the US these past few weeks. The abortion bans that have been passed in Missouri, Louisiana and Alabama are stunning for a multitude of reasons: the lack of exceptions for incest and rape, the penalties for both procuring and performing abortions (in Alabama, doctors face 99 years in prison for performing an abortion while the maximum sentence for rapists is 10 years...), the ridiculous procurement timelines (check out the 'heartbeat bill' in Louisiana), just to name a few of the devastating realities of this moment. But with Kavanaugh now in the Supreme Court (and we all know how that went down), conservatives in the US are really just gearing up for a challenge to Roe v. Wade. So what better way to kick off the fun than with a good old policing-of-women's-bodies!
And PS: I don't want to get into Canadian politics for now, but let's not get too cocky... Sheer says he doesn't want to reopen the abortion debate, but given his past declarations and anti-abortion stance, if they do form government this fall, it could spell disaster for women's rights here in Canada too
But I digress...
It is stunning that we are facing this kind of fundamental challenge to women's rights and autonomy in 2019. But then again it isn't. We have been dealing with this kind of incursion on our rights and freedoms for millennia-- and while men write history and women live it (for better but often for worse), I feel like there is a shift happening right now, and I am trying to see the abortion fight (or the incel movement or the current delight in being cruel) as a grasping-at-straws act of desperation as we move on to a more equitable social order. I say 'trying'--- it is hard. But this is the perspective/ coping mechanism I adopt so I am able to remain an active participant in creating positive change and not become a depressed deer in sepia-toned headlights.
While there are many decades (but hopefully not centuries) of work ahead of us, I have experienced the past couple of years of the #MeToo movement as a transformative moment even in its short time within our collective cultural consciousness-- both because of the light finally being shone on the often harrowing experience of being a woman in this world, but also because of the millions of people finding their voice and standing up against violence. As we all reflect, evolve and start carving out individual roles in this dynamic landscape, I am also trying to figure out how I can best contribute.
Of course I continue to fight and advocate for equal rights and freedoms. But I am also learning about what I am no longer willing to do. For example, I am not going to spend any more time explaining all of the reasons why I think we still need to fight tooth and nail for women's rights around the world, including here in Canada (As a side note, check out the recently-published Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez if you want to learn more about how women are often left out of how we build our world).
I also don't feel the need to justify being a feminist, nor will I entertain the 'intellectual exercise' of justifying why women are worthy of the same right, liberties, power and autonomy as men (and you might be surprised at how many times I have had this soul-destroying conversation in my lifetime). It is not up for discussion, and I am no longer going to argue to defend my own status as a human being worth of basic rights and freedoms. As a (still learning) intersectional feminist, this goes for gender but also for race, creed, sexuality, ability, and all of the other ways that people are cast as 'other' and considered less-than in our world. I will have conversations about how we find a balance between the different rights and freedoms we enjoy, but I will not argue about whether we are all deserving of our basic rights and freedoms. Period. It may sound simplistic, but this line in the sand has been hugely liberating for me.
A corollary is that I have discovered I am probably not going to be one of the people best suited to help men figure out how to be better and do better. There is a subsection of people out there (likely less hurt and more resilient than I) who can comfortably do the emotional labour that needs to happen to help society process and integrate this moment in socio-cultural history. But I have made peace with the fact that I am not great at regularly serving as one of those shepherds and also staying sane. This realization has also been helpful for me maintain energy and feel like I have a role to play in the day-to-day effort, as well as when things like the abortion ban happens.
What is that role, you ask? Well it is still evolving, but right now I tend to focus on 'fighting for' things-- building positive momentum and empowering others-- and I tend to ask others stronger than I do more of the difficult (for me) work of holding the line, transforming offenders and 'fighting against'. In practice, for me, this means having a voice and advocating, being active in the global and local feminist movements, donating to women's right causes and women-led organizations, and supporting the current/next generation of equity-led leaders (formally right now via Global HERizons and the Girls20 GirlsonBoards program, but also just generally supporting people in spaces and situations where they are underrepresented and/or marginalized and/or overlooked)
I am not sure this is the most effective or generous approach but it is what I have for now, and I will continue to grow, learn and evolve my engagement over time. But make no mistake: I will forever and always be engaged. The abortion bans have shown us that basic rights even to our own bodies are never guaranteed. So while we continue to envision and create a better future, we have to remain vigilant and proactive to protect the rights and freedoms we currently enjoy.
I would love to hear about what you are up to and how you are navigating this moment/ movement-- feel free to share!
Feeling a bit of fire in the belly? A few 'further reading' links to enjoy if you are so inclined:
If you have not yet watched it, please do check out Hannah Gadsby's Nanette. She does such a stellar job of delivering an experience that touches on so many of these themes, and finds a rare mix of funny, challenging, accessible, human and powerful
In case you want a little good news story, BC public schools are now providing free menstrual products
And a less good-news but still-interesting recent article on how men's lack of friends causes women to bear the burden of this phenomenon
Complementary to the abortion debate, this brief history of bullying women to have babies rang true
Much to my surprise, this is a pretty interesting show about female facial hair
And speaking of hair, in case you want an excuse to stop shaving your legs this summer, check out this article about how the beauty industry convinced women to shave their legs
Ultimately, if all of this has got you down, remember that we get fired up about the things we care deeply about, the route to contentment is though contrast and unhappiness can be a palate cleanser
But wait! Is all this talk of justifying your own right to make decisions about your own body and exist as a fully realized human being just too overwhelming for your relaxing Sunday morning? Then please enjoy this video of the 5-ball endurance juggling championship finals.
From one human-loving person to another, I am glad that we can protect, accept and empower all people, together. I hope you enjoyed this dispatch, and have a freedom-filled week!
Until next Sunday,
The Earnest Platypus