NARAL Day of Action!

Today is NARAL's "Day of Action," and they have encouraged all of us concerned, pro-choice women everywhere to "blog for women's health!" Okay! I am happy to do that. Especially after hearing this troubling news piece on NPR today. Yes, it's true: anti-choice, anti-birth-control activists want to define "personhood" as the entity that results after a sperm has fertilized an egg. So, I guess instead of issuing birth certificates all states would issue conception certificates? Julie Rovner's report nicely covers why this definition would have potentially dangerous, far-reaching consequences "by legally separating a woman from her pregnancy." What scares me, personally, is how this personhood definition would reclassify my own family-planning regimen: instead of taking birth control pills, these anti-choice activists would say that I take abortion pills because, according to the consumer labeling for Necon (my generic pill of choice), Necon works by "changing the womb lining, making it difficult for a fertilized egg to attach to the lining of the womb (implantation)," in addition to preventing ovulation in the first place. I have been on Necon (or similar drugs) for over a decade, and only God knows how many fertilized eggs have expired in my body. The fact that Personhood USA would call me a murderer and wants to force me to identify my own 2N eggs as potential babies is indeed scary, but it's also so outrageous and unrealistic that we intelligent, clear-thinking, empowered citizens can be confident that they will never succeed in governing our uteruses (and American society) in this way.

Slight change of subject...sometimes, for some reason, I feel a little disheartened, like the pro-choice movement is losing energy. But you know what? IT IS NOT. From the historic 2004 March for Women's Lives to the current defeated attempts to dismantle Planned Parenthood in Indiana to the work of organizations that you wouldn't expect to be involved in this movement (e.g., here and here), reasons for hope abound. My son and daughter will have the freedom and the resources to plan their families and manage their reproductive health just as I have and just as women in less fortunate situations are gradually gaining.

On the lighter side, check out this Onion article. This is, in my opinion, superbly executed satire. And although deconstructing and over-analyzing satire can sometimes ruin its intended effect, I must point out the part of the article where it mentions that certain features of the Abortionplex are designed "to foster a sense of community and make abortion more of a social event." Because this is precisely what the toxic anti-choice movement seeks to do - turn a private, medical issue into a social issue subject to government involvement.

For more related gems from the Onion, check out this, this, this, and also, this (may need to scroll down a bit for that last one).

Happy Day of Action, everyone!