This was during my recent Hispanic Civilization course.
Me: After World War II, Spain's fascist dictatorship was isolated. The trauma of fascism was still fresh in the people's memories, and nobody wanted to associate with Hitler's erstwhile buddy, General Francisco Franco. Eventually, however, one country decided to lend a helping hand to Spain's fascists. The support and aid of this country allowed Franco's dictatorsip to remain in power for several decades more. [Building up to a dramatic finish] So which country helped fascism survive in Spain until 1975?
Student (looking jaded): The US.
Me: Good! How did you know this??
Student: In this course, whenever something nasty happens, it's always because of the US!
Me: Well, don't blame me for that!
Spain’s lower house voted today to approve a piece of legislation that would dramatically alter status quo restrictions on abortion. Outside of the invasive stipulations that undermine young women’s autonomy, this new bill would allow women to terminate their pregnancy up to 14 weeks. According to Steven Ertelt,
The Spanish Parliament today approved legislation to legalize abortions through 14 weeks for any reason and 22 weeks in some additional cases. Abortions are allowed in Spain already and the measure makes legal abortions official and will likely expand their already-growing numbers.
More than 100,000 abortions are already done in Spain every year as abortion centers use the mental health aspect of the current law to authorize the abortions, even though research shows abortions present women with a plethora of mental health problems.
The cabinet of the Spain government, headed by President Rodriguez Zapatero, has proposed a bill that would expand abortions and legalize them up to the fourteenth week of pregnancy.
In November, the proposal was approved in its first stage as ruling party Socialist Party was joined by five smaller parties to back the abortion expansion on a narrow majority of 180 to 163.
Today, the vote in the 350-seat Congress of Deputies was 184-158 with one abstention, according to an AP report.
The measure now goes to the Senate, which is expected to approve the pro-abortion bill early next year.
Carmen Monton, the Socialists’ spokeswoman, told AP that women wanted the abortion bill but Conservative Popular Party spokesman Santiago Cervera said there is no clamor in Spain society for more abortions.
I applaud the overall initiative of this legislation, which is to fundamentally expand women’s access to basic reproductive health services, however; limiting young women’s choices through parental notification requirements is invasive and puts the lives of countless young women in danger.
In an attempt at appeasing the Basque Nationalist Party, the Spanish government has moved to amend its proposed abortion bill to include parental notification requirements. The Associated Press reports,
The Spanish government will amend its proposed abortion bill to oblige girls aged 16 and 17 to inform one of their parents if they want to end their pregnancy.
The proposed amendment was aimed at winning the support of the Basque Nationalist Party, who said Thursday it will now support the legislation.
The new law proposes unrestricted abortion up to the fourteenth week of pregnancy. But a clause that would allow teens to have an abortion without parental consent had roused much opposition.
Governing Socialist party member Carmen Monton hailed the agreement, saying the most important thing was that the woman have the final say.
The bill is supported by several parties but the votes of the six Basque deputies guarantees passage in parliament.
Of course I’m ecstatic that the Spanish government is pushing through legislation to limit restrictions on abortion access up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, however, I can’t help but be completely repulsed by the utter lack of concern for young women’s health. In an effort to compromise with anti-choice lawmakers in Spain, the government is willing to radically undermine the safety and autonomy of young women.
Parental notification laws are often paraded as a necessary pre-requisite to healthy family communication. Those of us on planet earth, however, know exactly what parental notification laws can do to a young woman struggling to make a decision about her pregnancy. If a young woman opts not to tell her parents about her pregnancy, or her choice to have an abortion, chances are — she has a damn good reason for it.
In the end, I’m not too sure how progressive new abortion legislation is if it includes parental notification laws that put young women’s lives at risk.
Holy masturbation, Batman! I wish I had taken sex ed in Spain, because Spanish teens are being taught how to masturbate as part of a new sex-positive sex ed campaign. According to Time Magazine:
In late October, the regional government of Extremadura in southwestern Spain launched a new sexual-education campaign designed to facilitate the “development of healthy habits, self-esteem and safety.” Although the publicly funded campaign includes the publication of pamphlets and an online magazine, the highlight is a series of workshops for 14-to-17-year-olds aimed at educating participants on anatomy, body image, safe-sex practices, gender equality and, in the mildly celebratory words of an early press release (since redacted), “sexual self-exploration and erotic self-knowledge.” Or, in other words, masturbation.
I feel like I got jipped. My sex ed class consisted of a film that told girls about their periods by showing a school nurse make pancakes in the shape of a uterus. I kid you not. After the film, we got free samples of tampons. I think I may have had one more day of sex ed that consisted of a list of STD symptoms. If someone had told me that masturbation was the key to positive self-esteem, I think high school would have been a lot more fun!
The classes have predictably raised some eyebrows amongst parents. The Time story didn’t quote any students, though. I’d be willing to put money down that they’re enjoying the workshops. What do you think?
I love it when I come across organizations and campaigns that I had no idea existed! Women on Waves (WOW) is a new discovery of mine. The organization is based in the Netherlands, but helps provide abortion, education and advocacy for reproductive rights in areas where it is illegal. It does this in part, by sailing a ship into international waters where local laws don’t apply. Once transported on board, women are able to obtain safe abortion, contraceptives, training and reproductive health information.
WOW was founded by Dr. Rebecca Gomperts in 1999. She had met women in South America that were suffering physically and mentally from unwanted pregnancies, lack of reproductive freedom and unsafe abortions. It was the experiences of these women that became the motivation for Women on Waves.
Beyond providing abortions and education on the ship, WOW also does trainings and provides abortion hotlines. One of their focuses is on the use of Mifepriston and Misoprostol, both often referred to as abortion pills. These can be used effectively and safely until the 9th week. This provides an option for women who do not have access to abortions in clinics.
A recent Huffington post article gives an account of a workshop in Tanzania where Misoprostol is registered as a drug to stop postpartum bleeding. The training took place in a rural area near the Congo and Burundi borders. Activists and volunteers learned how to get the drug and use it safely. One of the biggest surprises for me was a picture from the workshop with a large number of male attendees. This gives me a lot of hope for change.
A documentary is being produced about Women on Waves. Vessel will document the work of WOW and the confrontation and support they receive in different locations. When you visit Vessel The Film website you can see some of the footage they have gathered so far and a preamble for the film.
One of the clips is from the ship’s arrival in Spain. It is an empowering moment for choice activists on the scene. However, they are also greeted by shouts of “Terrorists” and “Fascists.” I particularly think the label of fascists is ironic and laughable since fascism is all about control and denying people of free choice.
The opposite of fascism is Women on Waves and their effort to empower women with control over their bodies, reproduction and choices.
I lost all hope of ever reading any newspapers from Spain on my Kindle a long time ago, so I haven't even been checking whether Amazon added this possibility or not. It is completely by chance that I discovered that the following newspapers are now available either for subscription or for a purchase of a single issue whenever you feel like it:
, , , and
I do not have words to explain what it means to a Hispanist to be able to read "El Pais" or "El Mundo" with my morning coffee the very day the issue comes out. Now, of course, I have the painful dilemma of which of these papers to choose to subscribe. Any suggestions are welcome in the next 14 days (while I explore my free trial possibilities.)
P.S. Turns out there is also the Mexican and the Brazilian
Last month, I wrote about a controversial HIV awareness campaign in Germany. Now, a calendar intended to promote safe sex and HIV prevention in Madrid’s LGBT community has incited a very different sort of controversy.
As a fundraiser, the LGTB Collective of Madrid (COGAM) has released a calendar that depicts twelve scenes modeled after well-known religious [...]
Should the Burqua Be Banned? – Irshad Manji
Veil Banned in Egypt – NPR
A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything – RH Reality Check
The Efforts to Terrorize – Roeder Watch
Huge Protests in Spain Over Easing Abortion Laws – NPR
