Comments on: Today is Blog for Choice Day!

By: Vicki'sthickaccent

Vicki'sthickaccent — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:00:56 +0000

I have to agree with oceanbreeze, to have respect is a lot better than to have trust, this whole “Trust women” is like saying most women are these immature, flighty identities begging the “moral majority” that they’re grown up enough to make a major decision by themselves.
Roe Vs. Wade, may it long continue!!

By: Ocean_breeze

Ocean_breeze — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:35:08 +0000

It’s such a sensative subject.

I hate how most people against pro-choice seem to say that if you “fucked up and aren’t careful” then you must suffer the end result of your actions. Like children are punishment. What the fuck?

And those women who do have abortions suffer too, sometimes for a long time with thought and feelings. Everyone acts like they are out having dirty martinis the next night laughing over what a joke it was.

I think we shouldn’t ask for them to trust us. I agree with the earlier post. I don’t care if anyone trusts me. Fucking RESPECT ME.

By: Mackey

Mackey — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:24:22 +0000

The short story is, that abortion appears in most states and territories criminal code (there is the exception of Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory where abortion is legal and on request).
I think the situation is somewhat different to the US, where even though it is in the criminal code of some states and territories, there is the capacity for the woman and the woman’s doctor to make decisions together.
Also, the procedure itself can be partially funded through Medicare (Australia’s publicly funded health care system). And it is still performed in some public hospitals.
(check out the wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Australia )

There’s a couple of recent cases that indicate the precariousness of having abortion in the criminal code.

In most polls conducted on the issue, the majority of Australians (over 2/3) support the idea of a women’s right to choose.

Family Planning Clinics and Female Health Clinics that perform abortions as part of their sex, reproductive health and family planning functions still get picketed by those who want to ban abortion. Feminist groups still organise counter gatherings to support women who are entering the clinic so that the woman is able to access the care that she requires.

I haven’t heard of any clinics (in particularly in the last 10 years) in Australia being firebombed, and/or health professionals being killed for working in a clinic where abortion is performed.

Maybe I should turn this into a post for the harpys’. There’s the issue of the parliamentary debate on RU486 and its availability, which finally is no longer subject to the Federal Health Minister’s approval, and its availability is determined by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.

Hopefully you all get the gist!

By: Av0gadro

Av0gadro — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:43:19 +0000

I always knew that nobody knows my body as well as I do, and I’m the best judge of what I can or can’t do, including the not-trivial task of bearing a pregnancy to term. These days, a big part of my personal pro-choice stance is the simple fact that I’m offended as hell that anyone would think of my children as consequences. My children are wanted and beloved, just like all children should be.

By: PhDork

PhDork — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:26:10 +0000

mackey, I’d love to know more about the politics of abortion in Oz; for a big nasty pro-choice feminist I’m shamefully ignorant of most other nations’ policies.

[and thanks for the note! ]

By: Mackey

Mackey — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:56:04 +0000

wow, I’m glad that there is celebration an important US feminist legal decision.

I hear mischiefmanager about demanding respect, “trust women” will hopefully remind everyone that women are human beings and are every bit entitled to make decisions about their life, especially those about sex, reproduction, and family planning. That as human beings those decisions are every bit as important and meaningful as the ones made by non-women folk.

Trust women is also about women supporting women who are making decisions, especially those about sex, reproduction, and family planning.

By: funnyface

funnyface — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 22:53:49 +0000

I blogged for choice! And my formerly anti choice husband (he came around a couple of years ago) told me he likes it! I said, “wow, we’ve come a long way, baby.” He said, “sure have.” Here’s to trusting women!

By: Trust women « In a strange land

Trust women « In a strange land — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:43:24 +0000

[...] Today is Blog for Choice Day by PhDork at The Pursuit of Harpyness Blog for Choice Day News: Shooting Man in Head is Not News by ProfBigK at Feminist Philosophers Blog for Choice 2010 by Frau Sally Benz at Feministe Reality Check by Mór Rígan at Morrigan Reborn -34.925770 138.599732 [...]

By: MKP

MKP — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:17:04 +0000

My blog entry hasn’t shown up on the Naral site yet, but here ’tis!

http://mkp-hearts-nyc.livejournal.com/269663.html

By: SarahMC

SarahMC — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:56:01 +0000

To me it means stop infantalizing and condescending to women. We know what pregnancy means. We know whether we're prepared to handle it, whether it will have a positive or negative impact on our lives, whether we want to be mothers right now... I find the language of Sarah Palin to be just as offensive as fire-and-brimstone condemnations from the more blatantly misogynist anti-choicers.