Friday 9 October 2009

Lila Rose: I have a fantasy.

Last month the odious Lie-Là Rose shared her fantasy and described how women would be treated if they required an abortion: a live medical intervention in a public place for the purpose of naming, shaming and blaming by rightwing fundamentalist gynophobes.

How very 12th century. This form of persecution could only happen in the dystopic fiction of The Handmaid's Tale, right? Except the state of Oklahoma is moving in that direction. Now, in the 21st century.

On Nov. 1, a law in Oklahoma will go into effect that will collect personal details about every single abortion performed in the state and post them on a public website. Implementing the measure will “cost $281,285 the first year and $256,285 each subsequent year.”

Here are the first eight questions that women will have to reveal:
1.Date of abortion
2.County in which abortion performed 3.Age of mother 4.Marital status of mother(married, divorced, separated, widowed, or never married) 5.Race of mother 6.Years of education of mother(specify highest year completed) 7.State or foreign country of residence of mother 8. Total number of previous pregnancies of the mother: Live/Births/Miscarriages/Induced Abortions

Although the questionnaire does not ask for name, address, or “any information specifically identifying the patient,” as Feminists for Choice points out, these eight questions could easily be used to identify a woman in a small community. “They’re really just trying to frighten women out of having abortions,” Keri Parks, director of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of Central Oklahoma, said.

Jasper, a frequent commenter here, and at unrepentant old hippie, idolizes Lie-Là Rose and thinks her fantasy is a good idea.

Jasper was challenged about the inherent gynophobia of this fantasy, when I asked him why not give men who impregnated those women a public vasectomy in front of cheering crowds? Wouldn't that encourage them to stop breeding irresponsibly? Perhaps it would be become a well-attended reality and sports event. Women would certainly attend in hordes, I think.

Jasper got very huffy and opined that: "the women allowed the man to impregnate her (the women gets the final say in sex, not the man)."

And that neatly summarizes how religious rightwing zealots fundamentally view women.

2 comments:

JJ said...

I just posted about this too, with a clip from Maddow.

This law, and I can't believe it's an actual LAW, not just a proposed bill, is nothing but sick authoritarian slut-shaming. I can't believe something so intrusive could ever pass. Disgusting!

deBeauxOs said...

Intrusive is exactly what the fetus fetishizing, crotch-sniffing religious zealots pride themselves in being, when it suits their own political agenda.

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