Women and Rights in 2012:
What We Stand to Lose and Why
This article discusses women’s rights, and if you are incapable of saying the word vagina because you believe it’s “vile” and “disgusting,” then you shouldn’t be allowed to have a say in women’s rights. While the Michigan House of Representatives was debating restrictive anti-choice legislation, Representative Lisa Brown used the word “vagina” in her speech. It was in context of a bill that planned to add more restrictions and regulations to abortion practices. Right to Life said “it’s the biggest pro-life legislation addressed at one time,” and Planned Parenthood calls it “the biggest assault on women’s health in our state history.” Colleague Rep. Mike Callton though the usage of “vagina” was vile and disgusting, and was offended Rep. Brown used it. The irony about how vagina is a medical term for female anatomy and is just as “vile” as the word penis is that people were shocked to hear this word.
This is just one component in the assault on women’s rights. People thought women had rights, yet the struggle for women to have a right and a say in their own bodies is only now occurring. Women want to be able to control their own bodies, which includes making decisions about their reproductive lives. If women lose this right, it limits their quality of life. But anti-abortion conservative policies are what tried to eliminate funding for programs with free contraception, Pap smears, breast exams, and HIV testing. It has taken multiple generations for women to be seen as more than second-class citizens, coming in large part to the fact that women have a say in what happens to their bodies. If the law limits reproductive rights, women might also legally lose rights to equal pay and equal job opportunities. To take away women’s rights is the highest, and most legal form of bullying. Men who fear the word “vagina” should also keep in mind that Americans with vaginas also vote, and they will vote to uphold women’s rights.
This article relates to my thesis because it concerns women losing their rights due to men who fear the word “vagina.” Women want control of their bodies, but clearly men fear this, which goes to show that women have rights, but thanks to men they don’t have the freedom to use them. If women lose the right to control their reproductive lives, other rights might be taken away too. Men taking away women’s rights is a form of bullying, but since women don’t have equal rights and can’t properly defend themselves, they may be at the mercy of men and lose even more rights. Women have rights, but the male population is restricting those rights.
This is just one component in the assault on women’s rights. People thought women had rights, yet the struggle for women to have a right and a say in their own bodies is only now occurring. Women want to be able to control their own bodies, which includes making decisions about their reproductive lives. If women lose this right, it limits their quality of life. But anti-abortion conservative policies are what tried to eliminate funding for programs with free contraception, Pap smears, breast exams, and HIV testing. It has taken multiple generations for women to be seen as more than second-class citizens, coming in large part to the fact that women have a say in what happens to their bodies. If the law limits reproductive rights, women might also legally lose rights to equal pay and equal job opportunities. To take away women’s rights is the highest, and most legal form of bullying. Men who fear the word “vagina” should also keep in mind that Americans with vaginas also vote, and they will vote to uphold women’s rights.
This article relates to my thesis because it concerns women losing their rights due to men who fear the word “vagina.” Women want control of their bodies, but clearly men fear this, which goes to show that women have rights, but thanks to men they don’t have the freedom to use them. If women lose the right to control their reproductive lives, other rights might be taken away too. Men taking away women’s rights is a form of bullying, but since women don’t have equal rights and can’t properly defend themselves, they may be at the mercy of men and lose even more rights. Women have rights, but the male population is restricting those rights.