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This is the global Feminist Blogs aggregator. It collects articles from many smaller community hubs within the Feminist Blogs network. For stories from particular places, groups, or other communities within our movement, check out some of these sites.
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When a friend of mine got married a few years ago, we joked that she and her new husband should take every opportunity available to consummate their new marriage. Our goal? For her not to have to be deployed to Iraq. As a member of the armed forces, we knew that if she got pregnant, she wouldn’t have to go and wouldn’t be placed in harm’s way. What we didn’t consider was what getting pregnant would have cost her in advancing her military career.
Getting pregnant in the military is a difficult situation for our servicewomen for a multitude of reasons. First, her pregnancy could get her court-marshaled and possibly discharged, depending on her commander’s policy, as evidenced by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo’s policy in northern Iraq. At the very least, she risks her ability to move up the ranks in a military system that is already difficult for women to ascend. One of the options not currently available to a servicewoman is the ability to safely terminate her pregnancy while she is on a military base, either within the US borders, where abortions are legal, or in other countries, where access to abortion may be restricted by that country’s laws. Because of restrictions in U.S. law, servicewomen are unable to go to military hospitals and have an abortion performed safely, even if it’s with their own money. Until recently, these women even had difficulty with getting consistent access to emergency contraception, which had not been previously considered a medication important enough to be carried at all military facilities. In essence, the very citizens protecting our freedoms against those who oppose the freedoms enjoyed by Americans, are unable to exercise a right they risk their lives to protect.
While there is currently new legislation being proposed that would allow for privately-funded abortions at military facilities, this situation is a reminder that access to abortion is only part of a larger framework of reproductive justice. This particular issue is not only about a servicewoman’s right to exercise an option made legal after Roe v. Wade, but also about recognizing the larger inequities that face women in the workplace, particularly in the military. The reality is that for a female soldier to get pregnant, the decision to terminate is not simply a matter of whether or not she wants to have a child, but could mean the difference between getting promoted to higher ranks or being publicly reprimanded by her commanding officer. In many situations, she may not have even been in control of the circumstances producing her pregnancy. With reports of sexual abuse and incidents of rape within the military on the rise, there’s also the possibility that the pregnancy was the result of rape. While women who are raped are able to receive an abortion at military facilities, they must name their accuser to do so, an action that has consequences of its own.
My friends and I now have a better understanding of what getting pregnant in the military could mean for a woman in the service. Maybe others should extend the same courtesy.
Meet Neil Horsley. He created one of the “Most Wanted” websites with the names and addresses of abortion providers, and also posted videos of women entering abortion clinics. Cool! He deserves to have a lot of good things happen to him in life. And today is Neil Horsely’s day, because charges his ongoing criminal case — which involved him picketing Elton John’s house with a sign saying “Elton John Must Die” — were dropped. Congrats, Neil Horsley. I’m glad things are going so well for you. You seem like a really neat human being. Definitely a safe and responsible guy. I am sad I don’t live in Atlanta so that I can have you as a neighbor.
In other news, a black kid with autism sits in the grass and six schools get locked down.
There’s presently some work going forward in Australia in moving towards paid parental leave. This just in from the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Association): Family First Senator Steve Fielding is turning the conversation to abortion. And, according to the senator, some folks might just get it into their silly little heads to go and get themselves some abortions after 20 weeks simply in order to claim paid parental leave. Bet you know where this is going.
During debate, Senator Fielding raised concerns that some “drug addicts” or “welfare cheats” could deliberately fall pregnant, then have an abortion after 20 weeks and rort the system in order to be eligible for payments.
“Drug addicts and welfare cheats can go out there and get themselves pregnant and then after 20 weeks have an abortion and still pocket the Government’s cash,” he said.
Which, apart from being ridiculous on all the obvious strawperson, scare tactical, derailing, classist, misogynist…. everythingist levels, is all the more so because women who’ve had abortions won’t be allowed to take paid parental leave in connection with that abortion under the proposed legislation.
Further reading from the AAP (Australian Associated Press) at the Sydney Morning Herald, including more reactions from politicians, in the questionably titled Fielding attacked for abortion reference.
Earlier this week, the St. Petersburg Times is running a series of articles about allegations made by former Scientologists that they were coerced into having abortions. The lengthy piece is interesting and well-written, albeit disturbing. Of course the idea of forced abortion is horrifying – much like forced pregnancy – but one of the most striking similarities between the three women profiled is how young they were at the times of their pregnancies and abortions: 16, 19, and 21 years old. All of the women were married to other young Scientologists, and from the details offered in the article, none of the women had much in terms of formal education and “real-world” experience; their lives revolved around the work of the Sea Organization, the Church’s highest religious order. According to a spokesman for the Church, members of this order are forbidden from having children, which were “viewed as interfering with the productivity of Sea Org members,” and “the long and demanding working hours required of Sea Org members … were obstacles to parents properly raising their children.”
A number of women besides those mentioned in the articles have made similar allegations against the Church; of course, a number of former members have offered alternate views of the events they describe, and the Church itself denies any coercion or pressure. While it is likely that there will never be a tidy resolution to the issue, the articles are definitely worth a read, if for no other reason than to provide a compelling reminder of how precious the right to choice is.
Last week Vanessa wrote about a new form of morning after pill, ellaOne (that can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy) is up for review by the FDA. The FDA released a statement today that ella is in fact effective against pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
Women's health advocates have welcomed the potential for another emergency contraceptive option, but some critics contend the drug is more akin to the abortion pill, sold by Danco Laboratories as Mifeprex and also known as RU-486 or mifepristone.HRA Pharma has said its drug, whose scientific name is ulipristal, works by preventing ovulation of a woman's egg.
In their review, FDA staff scientists said the company's studies showed no unexpected side effects in women, although reports of nausea, headache and abdominal pain were common.
It was not clear what effect the drug had, if any, when a woman still became pregnant despite taking it, they added.
They have yet to recommend it for the US market.
When I was in high school, I distinctly remember a middle aged woman with a willowy figure, elegant posture, and shoulder length black hair come to our school to talk about Post Abortion Syndrome. My friends and I were sitting in our crowded auditorium, only vaguely listening at first, but as she spoke about the abortion she had in her early 20s, I was touched by her sadness. She said every October, she falls back into depression (that’s when she had the abortion) and year after year, whenever she went shopping, she would think about the daughter she lost when she saw little shoes or dresses for girls.
Today, I think this woman, while I feel concerned for her well-being, may have been mentally unstable and was in no position to come to our public high school to give a lecture. This was a scare tactic and at the time, it worked, because I thought PAS was a legitimate medical concern not usually voiced in the media. (more…)
If you’re not living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about efforts (and progress!) made to repeal the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy for gay servicemen and women. The compromise plan, which would allow the Pentagon to do away with the policy, is included in an 852 page Pentagon policy bill.
The House passed the bill, which included billions of dollars for overseas operations and other Pentagon programs. What’s overlooked, though, is a tiny little mandate tucked into the bill among the more hot button issues, like Iraq, Afghanistan, and DADT.
This “tiny little mandate” is not so tiny for the thousands of women that are serving their country, at home and abroad. This amendment, introduced by Roland Burris (D) of Illinois, would allow military hospitals to provide abortions to women in war zones.
As we all know, deployments are hotbeds of sexual harassment and rape. Even if the sex was consensual, it’s still impossible to give birth to a child in a war zone. In 2009, one general attempted to add pregnancy to the list of offenses that warrant a court martial. Thankfully, the provision was so controversial that it died.
Currently, no federal dollars may be spent on providing abortions to women. Even if the amendment passes, women will still be forced to privately finance the procedure, thanks to the Hyde Amendment.
Passage at this moment is looking a bit bleak, though. The House passed the amendment 229-186, but the Senate Armed Services Committee margin was much closer, 15-12. With the presence of the so-called “Blue Dogs” (The Democratic version of “Republican in Name Only) in the Senate, it’s up to feminists to persuade their Senators to vote for the Burris Amendment.
If you need any convincing, this story from an anonymous Marine (published first by the New York Times) should do the trick:
“The military doesn’t forgive you,” said one unmarried former Marine who tried to self-abort when she got pregnant in Iraq in 2006. “You’re never going to get promoted again.” The Marine, who asked that her name not be used, said she ended up in a military hospital in Iraq with severe bleeding and was eventually honorably discharged.
Contact your Senator and urge them to support the Burris Amendment. This change would help improve the quality of life for women fighting for their country. Often, we hear from the other side of the fence that we should support our troops. Apparently, though, this doesn’t apply to women.
In an incredibly disturbing report the St. Petersburg Times presents the stories of three women among many who say they were coerced into having abortions while they were part of the Sea Organization, Scientology's religious order.
Laura Dieckman, Claire Headley, and Sunny Pereira all came from Scientology families and entered the Sea Org at 12, 16, and 15 respectively. They were married to other Sea Org members and were all in their teens when they got pregnant. Sea Org members are not allowed to have children, which is seen as distracting from their important work, and must leave the order if they want to carry their pregnancies to term. Dieckman, Headley, and Pereira all outline pressure put on them to have abortions. And of course the pressure of losing one's community cannot be overstated - as oppressive as such an environment must be, to lose one's whole world is a terrifying thing and a powerful tool for coercion.
Sadly, other women have reported similar experiences:
A St. Petersburg Times investigation found their experiences were not unique. More than a dozen women said the culture in the Sea Org pushed them or women they knew to have abortions, in many cases, abortions they did not want.
Headley is bringing a lawsuit against the church and has submitted a list of 36 women she says had abortions while working for Sea Org. Women who refused abortions were reportedly assigned manual labor and underwent interrogation and isolation.
A spokesman for the Church of Scientology denied all accusations of coercion.
Abortion should always be an available option, but how someone acts on their own pregnancy must be their decision. To coerce someone to have an abortion, to take away that decision, is the very definition of anti-choice.
This short video was included with the original story:
Transcript after the jump.
The Church of Scientology has not allowed Sea Org members to have children since 1996. Church spokesman Tommy Davis explained that having children is viewed as interfering with productivity and the rigor of Sea Org life is not conducive to raising children.
Sunny Pereira, Claire Headley, and Laura Dieckman all entered Scientology's isolated environment as children. All three came from Scientology families. Dieckman started working full timefor the Sea Org when she was just 12 years old. Peirera started at 15, Headley at 16. Because of the Sea Org's work demands the three had few real world experiences during their teenage years and as young adults. One by one the women became pregnant and all did the same thing, thinking they had no other choice.
Pereira: They put you in this position where you're weighing the lives of all these people you're supposed to be saving against this one tiny speck of nuisance that's growing inside you and make it seem so unimportant.
Dieckman: I was pounded for two days by the top person in my organization, the commanding officer, about how the baby wasn't a baby, it was just tissue, it wouldn't matter if I aborted the baby.
Headley: The policy was that if a staff member became pregnant they were to have an abortion. And there was two instances in the entire time when I was there when I saw a woman try and go against that. And in those cases the women were on heavy labor, washing dishes day and night, the other one was digging ditches while pregnant.
The Church never pressured or influenced any Sea Org member to have an abortion said church spokesman Tommy Davis. In a letter to the Times he said, "There is no Church policy to convince anyone to have an abortion and the Church has never engaged in such activity." Sea Org members wanting children must leave the organization, he said, but are treated with compassion and supported financially in their transition. The women speaking to the Times are blaming the Church, he said, for choices they made they now appear to regret.
Headley: I didn't have a choice. If I had said I'm not gonna do this I would have been separated from my husband. The possibilities were endless, I knew I would have had serious punishments levied, I would have been on manual labor, I was concerned for what would happen to my child, so I did not have a choice.
Peirera: I don't think I really decided to do it. I mean I knew what was going to happen if I didn't, so it was just easier to just cooperate. It was a mechanical decision, it was not a heartfelt decision, it wasn't an emotional decision, it was like OK, well we're going to have to.
Dieckman: They do an ultrasound before the procedure so you see the heartbeat. And I go in and the last thing I remember is I'm lying there, they gave me the drug to knock me out, and I was like, no, but it's too late, I'd already done it.
Headley: It's just criminal to make someone go through with that. And my lawsuit specifically asks for an injunction that makes it illegal for them to require female employees to go through with abortions.
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