Jennifer Killpack-Knutsen ([info]green_jenni) wrote,
@ 2007-02-06 10:36:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend  Next Entry
Entry tags:2007 utah legislature, choice issues, feminism, misogyny

February is Misogyny Month at the Utah Legislature
[This post formerly titled "Male dominated legislature" and I've made some additions.]

Is it because they are mostly men in the Utah Legislature, or because they are mostly GOP?

Misogyny

"Subscribers to one model, the mother/whore dichotomy, hold that women can only be "mothers" or "whores." Another variant is the virgin/whore dichotomy, in which women who do not adhere to a saintly standard of moral purity are considered "whores."
_________________________________________________________

Insurance in Utah covers Viagra and breast implants, but not birth control and our legislature will not address this issue.

They'd rather ban abortion rather than trying to prevent unwanted pregnancies -- HB235 (written by a man, and chief sponsor is another man). The chief sponsor man, Paul Ray, wants to make sure that we not only ban abortion, but give women a criminal penalty for seeking an abortion : Pregnant Women Could Be Punished Under Abortion Ban. 

An they're reluctant to take care of the kids we already have in this state: Health care for children, Medicaid not top priorities

As if all the above weren't bad enough, they killed a bill that would give women education and vaccinations for HPV which causes cervical cancer. Couldn't possibly be because women who have sex are at risk, could it? HB358: Lawmakers nix cervical cancer campaign, vaccinations for Utah women

I keep hearing that it's about life from the pro-lifers/anti-choicers and I keep arguing that it's about punishing women for their sexuality. The evidence from our male and GOP dominated legislature proves me right.

More on abortion in the Utah Blogosphere:

The World According to Me: Choice

The Third Avenue: GOP: life begins at conception and ends at birth



(6 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]laraemeadows
2007-02-06 09:50 pm UTC (link)
Bastards!

(Reply to this)

Pro-responsibility
(Anonymous)
2007-02-07 01:01 am UTC (link)
It bothers me that abortion comes down to pro-life/anti-choice or pro-choice/(would that be anti-life?).

I'm pro-responsibility. That's on the part of women who put themselves in situations where they could become pregnant, and also on the part of our government who has things so backwards.

Improved education and health care would greatly reduce the need for abortions, then we could stop wasting time and money on "message" bills.

-Allie (ttp://isagoodone.blogspot.com)

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Pro-responsibility
[info]green_jenni
2007-02-07 03:49 am UTC (link)
Abortion is one way to be responsible -- knowing your limits and making the best choice sometimes means choosing abortion. I'd prefer myself to prevent the need for abortions, although it's important that it remain legal. That's why I support easy and inexpensive access to birth control and comprehensive sex education. I'll probably be putting this in a seperate post, because I think this is important information: I just found out today that 66% if abortions are sought by women that are already mothers. This is a strong indication to me that many of the women are making the best choices they can for the children they already have.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Pro-responsibility
(Anonymous)
2007-02-07 04:13 am UTC (link)
I agree to an extent. One shouldn't be able to (and I don't think can) have an abortion last minute. Under Roe (but not Casey) women had 3 months to make the tough call as to whether they wanted to have the child or abort it.

It is a tough choice and as a man, I would hope that my wife would talk to me about it and I would be part of the decision making process. But she ultimately has the decision and the responsibility that comes with giving birth. As a father, I would have responsibilities too.

Why isn't the legislature worried about dead beat dads, or abusive folks or rapists? Why are we focusing on the pregnant woman but not the woman that doesn't want to be pregnant?

Sex education, birth control, and abstinence are three ways to prevent abortions. Only the first two have proven to work. I think that those who think abortion is murder and those who think it is an terrible decision all agree that the less a need for an abortion, the better off society is.

If our schools, health care, economy, etc were better less girls/women would get pregnant and if they did, they would be less fearful of being able to provide for their children. And if the fathers were more responsible, things would be better all around too.

Thanks for the link by the way

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Pro-responsibility
[info]green_jenni
2007-02-07 04:44 am UTC (link)
You are welcome! Is this Bob or Oldenburg?

(Reply to this) (Parent)
Where we disagree
(Anonymous)
2007-02-07 07:51 pm UTC (link)
I think, in most cases, abortion is about escaping responsibility. In most cases, once a woman is pregnant, she has already used her agency to choose. She chose to put herself in a position where she became pregnant. There are lots of options available to prevent pregnancy, and for about $20, if you are over 18 you can get the morning after pill at any pharmacy without a prescription.

Sex education and access to health care should be bigger priorities than trying to challenge Roe vs. Wade though (which I think is a huge waste and shows how messed up the priorities are in our government). It seems like there are many areas where education on an issue does much more than creating a law.

Allie

(sorry to keep posting anonymously- I don't have a livejournal account)

(Reply to this)

(6 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…