South Dakota Abortion Ban & related thoughts

I know it's a little late, but since I just got finished writing my governor and the governor of South Dakota about it, I thought I'd state my opinion about it here too. Why not? I can be controversial on my own blog...

::ahem::

Politicians really have *no* place enacting such a law. Reproductive decisions should be left the individual women, their doctors, and anyone else *they* choose to include in the decision. No one else... that's it... period.

If a woman does not have the right to an abortion, her freedom and right to control her own destiny under the Constitution of the United States is in danger. A woman can with relative ease become pregnant against her will through rape, incestuous relations or simply by accident. A man does not face the same danger, though he too could technically become a parent by accident or by some morally reprehensible action on his part. While I do think men should get *some* input in *most* cases (ultimately, it's a woman's body, health, well-being, peace of mind, and future that is in question), I do not think that a man should get to declare what shall be law for all women in this country... or even in an individual state. To not have a legal and safe way to terminate such a pregnancy is utterly unthinkable. Without the right to get an abortion, a woman is not a free and equal citizen any more than she was without the right to vote prior to the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Without the right to get an abortion, a woman is once again relegated to being the chattel of men, to use for their procreative purposes, as they see fit. Her body is no longer truly her own. I maintain that a man could not possibly understand the seriousness of living in such a state because there is no comparable condition to which a man can fall victim, except for slavery, which under the Constitution of the United States is illegal.

I am heartily glad that I am not a citizen of the State of South Dakota. If I were, I would encourage all women of reproductive age, married or unmarried, to abstain from sexual relations with all the men of South Dakota until this abortion ban is overturned (or, if possible, leave the state)... No, seriously, I would... And in fact, if anyone living in South Dakota happens to be reading this, I encourage you to spread this idea around and actually do it! It might be the oldest trick in the book, women using sex or withholding it to get what they want, but it's the world's oldest trick for a reason... It tends to work... Can you imagine if the women of South Dakota collectively went through with such a plan? Can you imagine the social upheaval and chaos after several months, perhaps years of it?... After all, women can be perfectly happy going without. If all women refused to have sex with men, as a whole, as a nation, we could probably rule the world... In the meantime, I will be discouraging travel to South Dakota among my friends and neighbors, and I will actively boycott all products and services which originate in South Dakota until this ban is overturned or canceled.

I know that the idea in the entire above paragraph is probably simply a result of how young I am and there would be some nonsensical "grown-up" reason why it's impractical, wrong, and ridiculous... just to save anyone the time of telling me that...

I realize how unseemly this might all read, considering that I am most definitely the product of an unexpected, unplanned pregnancy. All I can say to that is that I'm glad I'm here, but I couldn't possibly say that every woman in America (or South Dakota) has to make the same decision to carry a child to term or should have that decision made for them by judges or legislatures. The option should be there.

I think it is quite interesting that during the Feminist and Hippie movements of decades past promiscuity was touted as a liberating way to live... That women could have as much "fun" as their male peers without social censure... I think I much would have preferred if it was not that women could be sluttier without the social stigma it once carried, but rather that society stopped sanctioning promiscuity in men and the stigma were equally shared. I guess it makes me terribly old fashioned, but there you go... And yet, at the same time, I think the right to a legal and safe abortion for all female citizens of the United States should be enshrined in the Constitution.