Today was my last day at the Margaret Sanger Papers Project. It was an interesting experience and even though I was only here for a short while, I learned a lot. It's interesting to think about Margaret Sanger, her role in history, and the controversy that seems to follow her around.
She is, to say the least, one sassy woman. She worked her ass off to get women, and yes I am essentializing here, I've been handling the documents and reading them so I can, and if you are taking birth control, have been on birth control, used a condom, can freely buy the morning after pill, buy condoms, use a dental dam, or any other device to prevent pregnancy then you should be writing out a big thank you card right now!
I know people are concerned with her so-called involvement in the eugenics movement (which is a whole other blog post) but she really did change the world for everyone, especially women.
We owe her a big thank you. Regardless of how you identify or what color you are.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Rights
I had a dream last night about being an elected official and watching as the conservative base defunded Planned Parenthood and all the services it offered to both men and women from all walks of life.
In the dream, I was enraged. I became so mad and if my memory serves me right, Harry Reid (who was sitting next to me) expressed the sentiment: "This is only the beginning."
I became scared and woke up and found myself wondering, what did this all mean? Was this only the beginning?
The sad reality that progressive minds are facing these days are the removal of our rights to affordable health care or simply put, a better and healthier way of life at the hands of the rich and powerful.
Upon reading this article: http://www.theonion.com/articles/planned-parenthood-opens-8-billion-abortionplex,20476/ I found myself laughing uncontrollably because there are actually people in the world who believe that all Planned Parenthood provides are abortions. Specifically, there are people that believe that the Federal money they get is actually being used to build an 8 million "Abortionplex!" What is the world coming to when common sense no longer plays any factor in our decision making processes?
I got to thinking about rights and the lack of them in today's conservative political and ideological climate. If you're from Wisconsin, your rights are being taken away at the hands of big corporations that bought the elections for the rich, thanks in due part to the Citizen's United decision, and if you are from the multitude of other states where conservative minds are taking over, one has to ask the question when is and when will "enough, be enough?"
It's scary but I keep going back to my dream and only being able to sit there and watch as the rights of individuals were taken away. I could only sit there and watch as men (and yes, I know I am a man as well) dictated the way women could use their bodies before, during, and after pregnancy.
On the issue of a woman's right to choose and abortion, I am an ardent supporter of a woman's right to choose NO MATTER WHAT! Upon talking with friends who are Pro-Life and after they have given me paradoxical scenarios such as "what if this.." and "what if that," I find myself realizing that no matter how logical or solid your points, the issue always comes back to personhood.
Yes, I believe that there should be drop off locations for women to leave their babies instead of aborting them but that is only if they so choose to do so. I do not believe that men should have ANY say over a woman's body, no matter if he is the father or not. Call me a radical or simply call me crazy, if it's inside a woman's body, it is her BUSINESS and her's ALONE!
Especially now, with new legislation being introduced regarding a man's foreskin, I highly doubt men would appreciate women or the populous being able to tell them what to do with their bodies!
I find myself going back to my dream and watching as men decided what women should do with their bodies, where and how women should seek medical treatment, and how women should be treated as merely vessels for men.
The rights of individuals are slowly dwindling and the public is blindsided to the actual affect this will have on our lives. However, in the battle for rights, when will the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few?
In the dream, I was enraged. I became so mad and if my memory serves me right, Harry Reid (who was sitting next to me) expressed the sentiment: "This is only the beginning."
I became scared and woke up and found myself wondering, what did this all mean? Was this only the beginning?
The sad reality that progressive minds are facing these days are the removal of our rights to affordable health care or simply put, a better and healthier way of life at the hands of the rich and powerful.
Upon reading this article: http://www.theonion.com/articles/planned-parenthood-opens-8-billion-abortionplex,20476/ I found myself laughing uncontrollably because there are actually people in the world who believe that all Planned Parenthood provides are abortions. Specifically, there are people that believe that the Federal money they get is actually being used to build an 8 million "Abortionplex!" What is the world coming to when common sense no longer plays any factor in our decision making processes?
I got to thinking about rights and the lack of them in today's conservative political and ideological climate. If you're from Wisconsin, your rights are being taken away at the hands of big corporations that bought the elections for the rich, thanks in due part to the Citizen's United decision, and if you are from the multitude of other states where conservative minds are taking over, one has to ask the question when is and when will "enough, be enough?"
It's scary but I keep going back to my dream and only being able to sit there and watch as the rights of individuals were taken away. I could only sit there and watch as men (and yes, I know I am a man as well) dictated the way women could use their bodies before, during, and after pregnancy.
On the issue of a woman's right to choose and abortion, I am an ardent supporter of a woman's right to choose NO MATTER WHAT! Upon talking with friends who are Pro-Life and after they have given me paradoxical scenarios such as "what if this.." and "what if that," I find myself realizing that no matter how logical or solid your points, the issue always comes back to personhood.
Yes, I believe that there should be drop off locations for women to leave their babies instead of aborting them but that is only if they so choose to do so. I do not believe that men should have ANY say over a woman's body, no matter if he is the father or not. Call me a radical or simply call me crazy, if it's inside a woman's body, it is her BUSINESS and her's ALONE!
Especially now, with new legislation being introduced regarding a man's foreskin, I highly doubt men would appreciate women or the populous being able to tell them what to do with their bodies!
I find myself going back to my dream and watching as men decided what women should do with their bodies, where and how women should seek medical treatment, and how women should be treated as merely vessels for men.
The rights of individuals are slowly dwindling and the public is blindsided to the actual affect this will have on our lives. However, in the battle for rights, when will the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Wisconsin, Don't Ya Know?
There is something about being back home that just makes me happy to be alive.
I must say, being back in Wisconsin, no matter how short the time, makes me thankful to have the good friends and family that I do. No matter what is going on in mine or their lives or where I or they have been, we always pick right back up like no time has elapsed since our last visit.
I am so thankful to my best friends Sarah and Katie. I have been gone a lot this last year and minus the phone dates, sitting next to them in a car while we cruise around our old home town makes me thankful that I met them long ago in high school.
I got to thinking the other day about my friendships, both past and present, and have realized that I have some of the best friends in the world. I know this is said a lot of various blogs, facebook posts, and twitter accounts, but my friends blow every one out of the water.
This last year was really hard. The friends I thought I had weren't there and the friends I was not or did not know that well became staples in my life. It's funny, life plays little tricks on you but you always seem to get to where you are going no matter what.
From making pasta in my mom's kitchen and talking about current relationships or drinking 1.00 beers at a bar, the memories from the past make the future that we are all suppose to have. I am truly blessed. I never thought I would have been saying that at certain times in the past, but realizing it now, and seeing the faces of my friends, family, and future loved ones come into my life make me realize that I, am one of the lucky ones.
Until next time...
I must say, being back in Wisconsin, no matter how short the time, makes me thankful to have the good friends and family that I do. No matter what is going on in mine or their lives or where I or they have been, we always pick right back up like no time has elapsed since our last visit.
I am so thankful to my best friends Sarah and Katie. I have been gone a lot this last year and minus the phone dates, sitting next to them in a car while we cruise around our old home town makes me thankful that I met them long ago in high school.
I got to thinking the other day about my friendships, both past and present, and have realized that I have some of the best friends in the world. I know this is said a lot of various blogs, facebook posts, and twitter accounts, but my friends blow every one out of the water.
This last year was really hard. The friends I thought I had weren't there and the friends I was not or did not know that well became staples in my life. It's funny, life plays little tricks on you but you always seem to get to where you are going no matter what.
From making pasta in my mom's kitchen and talking about current relationships or drinking 1.00 beers at a bar, the memories from the past make the future that we are all suppose to have. I am truly blessed. I never thought I would have been saying that at certain times in the past, but realizing it now, and seeing the faces of my friends, family, and future loved ones come into my life make me realize that I, am one of the lucky ones.
Until next time...
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