Skip to content
Trending Topics: All•Politics - US•News: US•Photo Gallery•Humor & Fun

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar!

81 Comments

That is IT! I have HAD it up to my pre-menopausal eyeballs! Ladies, and men who support women and see us as your equals, it is time to get MAD! Or get even MADDER! Time to be vocal, time to stand up for our rights!!! I am going to rant, and I mean rant hard! This may end up being a babble-fest, but damn it, I’ve got to get this off my chest. Or should I say breasts, as I am a woman and freakin’ damn proud of it!

What the hell is going on with our country? Obama laid forth an incredible bill requiring companies to pay for and provide birth control for all women, and a panel of all men, three of which are priests, are the ones who are to discuss the birth control mandate in President Obama’s Affordable Care Act? How can any panel of men, over half of which do not believe in birth control, fairly make any decision which has a lifetime impact on women? Let me repeat a very important part of that last sentence, “…over half of which do not believe in birth control….” Fools! The whole lot of you that put together this panel! The pure purpose of your “chosen wise-men” is entirely to defunct this mandate which was set forth by a black Democratic president! Your racism and hatred is showing, and I mean in 100-foot neon letters! The people of this country have been martyrs for many years now, but especially when Obama took office. As Mitch McConnell said, “Our top political priority over the next two years is to deny Obama a second term.” Need I say anymore about this? You have fought nearly every damn thing Obama and any Democrat have tried to do, and now you are going to make a decision, based on hatred for Obama and the Democratic Party, which will directly affect the health of all employed women in your country. WTF are you thinking??? I do not necessarily agree with everything Obama and his administration have done, nor do I expect all Republicans and Democrats to either. But, dammit, learn to get along, quit hating, and start working together for the benefit of your country and stop the f-ing cat fighting! You are destroying this nation all for petty selfishness and hatred!

Watch this video and GET MAD!


.
You coerce the Susan G. Komen Foundation to pull funding from Planned Parenthood because you falsely spread lies that their main function is an abortion clinic. And how dare you call me a pro-abortionist! I am anti-abortion, but I AM PRO CHOICE! I do not need a group of men telling me what I can and cannot do with my body BASED UPON ARCHAIC BIBLICAL BELIEFS! Although this funding pull was in regards to fighting breast cancer, Planned Parenthood was there for me and provided me with birth control when I was sexually active at the age of sixteen. Thank goodness for them otherwise I may have turned into a welfare burden by being a pregnant teenage mother. Or I may have done what you so vehemently despise… had an abortion.

Birth Control alleviates unwanted pregnancy, the burden upon tax payers in the form of welfare and medicare for the mother and child, as well as eliminating abortion. And you are fighting this???? Are you out of your mind????

Just what the hell do you want? Oh, yeah… barefoot, pregnant, in the kitchen, and to have your dinner on the table when you arrive home from a tough day of “politikin’.”

Fools!

And then there’s Santorum… Women, listen very carefully… if you support this man, who is nothing more than a panty-waste, you need to be completely ashamed of yourselves! In this interview by Piers Morgan, Santorum actually would tell his daughter “no” to an abortion if she came to him begging for one after becoming pregnant after being raped!


.
Ladies… even if you are a pro-lifer (or anti-choicer to be fair in the name-calling game going on), would you tell your daughter “no” if she came to you in this exact same circumstance? Would you? Seriously, in your heart admit to yourself, you don’t have to openly admit to anyone else, WOULD YOU??? If you would, then you belong with this troglodyte called Santorum. Then I beg you to please return to your caves and stop infringing upon MY rights as a woman to make my own decisions in regards to MY body. Not the governments body. Not the church’s body. Not Santorum’s body. MY BODY! A fellow blogger, Jueseppi B, renamed this freak very well: “Rick InSanetorum.” A perfect name!

In jumping back to the first topic of the panel of “I will never be pregnant so we do not need a birth control mandate since I’ll never have to worry about carrying a child for nine months then raising that baby for the rest of my life” (to those men who do not desert your pregnant woman, you are exempt from this classification)….

…WHERE ARE MY RIGHTS AS AN ATHEIST? How DARE you make a decision about my body based upon your biblical beliefs! HOW DARE YOU!! I do not believe life starts at conception. Where are MY rights in my belief? Why am I being forced to live under laws and rules based upon YOUR belief? And I most absolutely do NOT share you beliefs in not using birth control! We no longer need to propagate mankind, there are plenty of us. Historically, not using birth control was a way of growing and gaining numbers in strength. Additionally, please, where in the bible does it actually state that birth control is prohibited? What’s that?? It doesn’t? The bible merely indicates that a child is a gift from God? And to “be fruitful and multiply”? So, let me get this straight, then… you have interpreted the text from the bible to support your own views, is that right? I thought so. You brainwash your followers to believe that the bible prohibits birth control when, in fact, it does not. But both historically and presently, you still base your “no birth control” under the premise that Catholics will beget more Catholics, thus increasing your numbers and following within your church. Rather odd how this atheist knows more about the bible than many believers. Perhaps because I am a firm believer in learning as much as I can before I make decisions. Yes, I have read the bible from cover to cover and have a intelligent enough mind to come to my own interpretations.

Let me emphasize, I completely support anyone and everyone in their faith, whether Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, whatever. But just as I will NOT push my atheist beliefs upon anyone else, I only ask the same in return. We all should respect, not hate and control.

And what the hell happened to the separation of church and state? Why the HELL are there priests on this panel to begin with? Obama’s birth control mandate allows a waiver of any Catholic church or organization thereof, for example, schools. This mandate does not require you to participate, so why the hell are you even here with a hand in this decision? Why? By eliminating women from this panel, you have complete control to object to the birth control mandate because you know damn well that nearly all women, even Catholic women, will support this!

When lawyers are choosing jury members, they are required to choose a wide range in order to minimize bias. Why was this panel not chosen along the same guidelines within our judicial system?

And just this week, the Virginia state Legislature passed a bill that would require women to have an ultrasound before they may have an abortion. Because the great majority of abortions occur during the first 12 weeks, that means most women will be forced to have a transvaginal procedure, in which a probe is inserted into the vagina, and then moved around until an ultrasound image is produced. Nooooooo…… Please! This is NOT happening!!!

OMG, I am so ashamed with where our country is going! The ignorance, the hatred… you ALL need to bury your heads in the sand with shame!

Shame on you all for wanting to take us back to the prehistoric cavemen era. And shame on anyone who forces me to live under the insanity of these troglodytes.

I am woman, and you just heard me roar.

Now… I need another cup of coffee.

UPDATE February 19th, 2012:  I have come across a site (Democrats 2012 at dccc.org) you may sign their online petition that woman are to be added and heard contraceptive panel. Here is the the information on this page and the link:

WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?

At a House Oversight Committee hearing, House Republicans convened a panel on denying access to birth control coverage with five men and no women. As Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked, where are the women?

Join Leader Pelosi in our call to Speaker Boehner, Eric Cantor, Chairman Issa and all House Republicans to demand that women be allowed at the table when discussing women’s health issues. Help us gather 50,000 200,000 250,000 signatures.

Click here to go to this site to sign the online petition. I have. Once again, I will emphasize that if we do nothing, then nothing will happen or change.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Published by Michelle

Activism, Protests & Rights, All, For the Women, Politics - US, She speaks...
, , , ,

81 Comments »

  1. Great post.

    First off, Issa is a walking-talking shit bag, who should not be in Congress. He’s been in trouble with the law since his youthful days in Cleveland, Ohio. For him to say what he said about not finding any credible women, is a fucking joke. This asshole lies so much, he believes his own fucking lies.

    Second, I’m not a religious person, but I do believe that women have their own minds, their own bodies, they can walk and talk too, so let them make their own decisions on what they want to do with their own bodies. They don’t need babysitters, and they don’t some want to be all domineering male, do as I tell you, or you know what best will happen to you.

    Michelle, I will back you up 100% pertaining to the issue at hand.

    p.s. sorry about the long comment, just need to give you my view point…

    Like

    Reply

  2. Bravo Bravo Bravo…I am stomping my feet and clapping my hands thank you Michelle for saying what many of us women have been trying to articulate…and as one atheist to another I repeat BRAVO!

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks! I do feel a bit better. I normally do not go professing my atheism as I do believe firmly everyone has a right to believe in whatever they want to. But in this case, in being an atheist, my rights are being infringed upon based upon someone else’s religious views. Religion MUST stay out of the government! Keep it in your home, in your heart, in your family, in your church, but please do not bring it into mine when I believe differently. (And you know when I say “you” and speaking in generalities)

      Like

      Reply

    • Eloquently? Thank you, but I think the only eloquent thing was the fact I refrained from using the “f” word, which I wanted to use about every other word. And honored you want to share. Thanks!

      Like

      Reply

      • Very good questions, and I do not have any answers. I curious now to see who to contact and what petitions are available. But one thing all woman, and men for that matter, can do is start becoming vocal. The internet has power… we have witnessed this in Tunisia, Egypt, the Occupy Movement, etc. But one thing I do know for a fact, if we do nothing, then nothing will change.

        Like

        Reply

      • I found an online petition from the site “Democrates 2012” titles “Where are the women? This petition reads:

        “At a House Oversight Committee hearing, House Republicans convened a panel on denying access to birth control coverage with five men and no women. As Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked, where are the women?

        Join Leader Pelosi in our call to Speaker Boehner, Eric Cantor, Chairman Issa and all House Republicans to demand that women be allowed at the table when discussing women’s health issues. Help us gather 250,000 signatures.”

        Here is the link to sign the petition: http://dccc.org/pages/wherearethewomen

        I’ve signed. Please help share this information and encourage everyone you know to sign.

        Thanks!

        Like

        Reply

  6. What a great post. Really liked what Don had to say and what I could only add to that is that the Catholic’s and the other dimlyminded religious in America have highjacked the Roe vs. Wade, side-stepped it and ignored the decision, every possible opportunity. AND, their “education” solution to “preventing” unwanted pregnancy with an abstinence approach model is just fucking stupid. My philosopy is that Pro-life is Pro-life…if you SAY that’s what you are then protest war, fight starvation, ethnic cleansing, (religious and ethnic) genocide, and mandatory sterilization programs. THEN come back and tell me you’re against contraception. I might be a little more prone to believe your conviction.

    Like

    Reply

  7. I am sorry. I disagree. I don’t think I should have to pay for someone else to use birth control. Women have the right to use it now in the Church, but this does not mean that all of us should pay for it. I think birth control is a way for men to use women; it also greatly harms the environment; if you were asked to pay for me to use plastic, poison, and manipulation to oppress women, would you still agree with this? Just because men are doing the speaking, does not mean they are not looking out for us. I am a woman as well, sister, but I would never ask someone else to pay for something that went against their religion. btw-I would teach my daughter to respect herself enough to not be used by men; I am teaching my sons to treat the daughters of this world as a whole person that contains an inherent dignity, not just a body but as a whole being.

    Like

    Reply

    • We all pay for military expenses through our taxes, and I don’t believe in killing. So, I am being asked to pay for something that goes against my religion. This is exactly why there is separation between Church and State…governmental decisions are based on rational, secular thought and should remain so, otherwise we have what is known as a theocracy, not a democracy, and my rights and rational arguments might not be included in discussions about law. And I find it hard to believe that birth control is harming the environment more than a population of 7 billion is.

      Like

      Reply

      • So, do you think getting rid of all people is the solution to that? I think we are better at solving problems than that. Our earth, if we use it wisely can hold far more people than we have been led to believe. Overpopulation was a fear from the 1960’s. After doing more research, we have learned that here is still lots of room. The excess material that comes from pill is having hazardous effects on our water, which hurts the animals who live outside of the city, and may even be hurting our brains. Condoms are little pieces of plastic, not biodegradable. Children are our future stewards, not burdens. As to the Church and State question: am I hearing from you that it is good for the State to control how we do religion? If they start doing that, where will that end?That would not be separation; this would be what King Henry, Napolean, the czars, Hitler, Stalin, etc. were trying to do. It doesn’t work. It hurts real people.

        Like

        Reply

        • There are many things worse to our environment than the byproduct waste from the pill. Every time you start up a car, for example. I appreciate your concern, but when it comes to environmental toxins, there are much bigger fish to fry there.

          Also, in reference to having to pay via tax dollars, you are already paying much more in tax dollars by covering the costs of unwed teenage mothers who do not have insurance via public health care and medicaid. I live in a city where there is an above average number of girls who become pregnant before they are 18, and many work minimum wage, therefore no private insurance. Then they get pregnant and we pay for their pregnancy, birth, and all health care costs of that unplanned child. Imagine how much we’d save by preventing these pregnancies. The cost of birth control is much less than the cost of a child.

          And those of us, like myself, who have private insurance will continue to have our birth control paid by private insurance.

          There are pro’s and con’s to anything and everything in life. But the pro’s vastly outweigh the con’s when it comes to companies providing birth control.

          Like

        • I think the solution to overpopulation is nothing like “getting rid of all people”. I think the solution to environmentally hazardous birth control devices is nothing like getting rid of all birth control. I think the separation of Church and State is nothing like the State controlling how we do religion. I definitely think we are better at solving problems than reducing every issue to one in black or white.

          Like

  9. This is THE best rant I have ever read and I am right along with you, Michelle. I have never been so offended by what is happening than I am now, and only because of their personal hatred and stated mandate to get Obama out of office. They are targeting women, the poor, the homeless, veterans who desperately need assistance in SO many ways, and more, just to get this man out of office and it is the most abhorrent thing I have ever witnessed.

    Whether you agree with what the President is doing or not isn’t the issue. The issue is the complete and total hatred targeted toward the innocent people of this country because they don’t want him in office anymore and it is simply outrageous!

    Like

    Reply

  11. I still believe the satire that was coming out after the announcement of this panel is the right course of action. If you can have a group of men coming together to talk about female birth control, perhaps there should be a group of lesbian women speaking about Viagra, and how it’s completely pointless. They can cite the environmental studies about how Viagra is contaminating the water, and how it changes “God’s Will” to give old men boners. They can even trot out a group of religious leaders opposed to elderly people engaging in sex.

    Sometimes, satire works because it’s a reflection of reality. We should make this a reality, and really make those same men uncomfortable. Deny birth control to women (Mike Huckabee, George Bush, Mitt Romney…. all signed similar laws forcing insurance companies to pay for birth control into law during their governorships), deny hard-on pills to me. Fair is fair.

    Like

    Reply

  12. Excellent post Michelle! The only good news here is that recently the far right has been overplaying it’s hand and you aren’t the only one to be infuriated by it. A GOP sponsored all male panel on contraception is the height of political idiocy, and there are far greater numbers of women out there who are offended and angered by it, than women who are not. The greater the exposure the far right wing gets, the more of the majority of the population of the country they are going to alienate and lose.

    Komen got badly beat up by their decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood, and now they can’t undo the political and financial damage they’ve done to themselves, even after reversing their decision on PP. They’ve exposed themselves as far right wing ideologues and out of touch with mainstream American women. By continuing to lean far to the right of center, most notably in the Republican presidential primaries, the entire GOP is in danger of ending up like Komen, and losing a majority of political support across the country.

    I’m glad that you wrote this post and I don’t blame you for being infuriated, but I think we might be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel here soon, which could be an oncoming train of national backlash against the GOP in November.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks. I was talking to a good friend today about this, and where the Republicans severely failed on this one is that what I feel was an attack against Obama and Dem’s is in reality an attack against women. Women who are Democrats. Women who are Republicans. Women who are Liberals. And women who are not even registered to vote. They pissed off the whole lot of us…. and that is not a wise thing to do.

      Like

      Reply

  13. Wow, give em hell, sister.
    Your eloquence gives wonderful shape to your rage, and my only issue is that my voice is not loud enough to influence the debate.

    Rock on, She!

    Like

    Reply

    • Thanks! Every one of our voices is loud enough. Just have to type and post. Type more and post again. Just keep it going. Even though one may not think so, our views do eventually get noticed when there are enough of us on the internet, and other forms of media, speaking up. The one thing I do firmly believe in, however, is if we do NOT speak up, then nothing will happen. I will not go to my grave (or crematorium in my case) without trying.

      Like

      Reply

    • Thank you! I am very flattered. It is just very important that as women, and men who support women’s causes, remain firm and express our feeling – both bad and good – when it comes to women’s rights. We have come such a long way in the last 50 years and I hate to see our society start regressing rather than progressing.

      Like

      Reply

  15. This is the final thought I want to leave you with, sisters…I didn’t agree either with the government giving too much power under our previous president for things that surrounded the war. But, when we begin to let a president take this kind of control (even if/when we like the president), we have to look in the future on how that power works. He can’t be president for more than two terms. What kind of president will we have next? If we have a president that doesn’t hold your values and begins telling you that you will be enforced to pay for things you don’t believe are good for you and for those in your care, will you still feel the same? By the nature of this country, we have to look at how this power that he is using will set a another precedent for all future presidents whether you like them or not. Is this something you really want to see happen?
    Thank you for the debate…

    Like

    Reply

    • The executive branch of government is countered with a system of checks and balances as described in the constitution. We must remain vigilant to ensure that this system is working and that all representatives truly represent the public, and not just the wealthy or vocal or well-connected public. It’s not a perfect system, by any means.

      Like

      Reply

      • I agree…I am poor with very few connections, so I hope that I will be represented in some fashion; this move to make me pay for someone else’s birth control does not represent me or the other single mothers I serve…

        Like

        Reply
  16. Pingback: Non-resistance « scillagrace

    • They’re all flip-flopping around for the lead. Just goes to show that not a one of them is any better than the other and people just really don’t know which one to vote for. The lesser of the evils between them all changes on a daily basis depending on which mouth gets which foot stuck into.

      Like

      Reply

    • Thanks! Means a lot coming from you. But, not meaning to carry on a tangent here, but perhaps not these specific priest on this panel, but there are many priests who do believe in sex – but with the wrong people and age.

      Like

      Reply

  20. I am a man, but I am ashamed of our country right now.
    Here in Texas, we have tried every possible way to de-fund Planned Parenthood. Rick Perry claimed to have shut 12 abortion clinics, but none of them performed abortions, simply women’s healthcare. To add insult to injury, the religious “health centers” have priority of funding even though they provide nothing other than counseling. It all sickens me.
    We will all pay in the long run, with state mandated limits on Sex Ed, no funding for contraceptives etc. Little men and little women will continue to have sex, only now they get to have little babies that we all pay for. 40% of children born in Texas are paid for with Medicaid!
    As I contribute to PP, I get the “marketing emails” they all seems to assume I am a women. No, just raised by a feminist and I know when rights are under attack. This is clearly the biggest threat to any right in our nation right now. I doubled my contribution after Komen and have also started giving just locally, where we really need help!
    I am new to your blog, but really enjoy it. Keep up the good work!!

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you, welcome to Motley News, and very glad you enjoy my blog. Now, about you being a man… I LOVE IT! Actually, I have a large amount of male friends who are right there next to me when it comes to all this b.s. going on about women’s rights, birth control, abortion, and so on. Although they rather let me do the talking, as I think they are just more humbled and simply just feel more comfortable having a woman discuss women’s issues. LOL… and the irony of it all. My male friends, who are next to me and all the other women, and who actually show more support than some women I know, feel it is more proper for a woman to speak and stand up for our rights. Yet the panel put together has absolutely NO female presence at all other than what’s on paper.

      Who respects whom….

      I do so thank you for your support in our cause, and I have a feeling that it’s not anywhere near over yet. This has just yet begun. Never piss off a woman when it comes to women’s rights and health – and especially do NOT piss off millions of women. And men do need to be here in this fight as well simply because this is more than women’s rights being violated… it is about our right’s, as a US citizen, being violated.

      Like

      Reply

      • Since we last spoke, Texas has fully defunded Planned Parenthood:
        http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/new-texas-rule-could-end-womens-health-program-2195470.html?cxtype=rss_ece_frontpage

        BTW we already had the Virginia “rape” rule as ultrasounds are required at any date. Upheld recently by the appellate court. (Local Federal judge had denied.)

        I used to have several charities, but now I have only one. I urge you and your readers to contribute to their local Planned Parenthood, and the national if they are able. The national organization spends where needed.

        Today I read about Santorum’s views on separation of church and state. As he said, it make me want to vomit.

        Thanks,
        Cwitzel

        Like

        Reply

        • You couldn’t pay me enough to move to TX. I am just so not understanding the hatred towards Planned Parenthood.. .I’m not. Yes, I can understand the animosity from some towards the abortions they perform… but that is such a small percentage, and typically not performed as a means of birth control. PP does SO MUCH MORE towards helping women – and men, too. They are a gift for all women and need to be supported.

          Yes, Santorum’s views made me sick, too. But doesn’t surprise me in the least. I knew he felt that way, he just now finally said it.

          Like

  21. P.S. Love your sidebar photo that links to this post! I have no trouble at all imagining you as the woman leading the next march for women’s rights! (I could look like that too if I lost 50 pounds and 20 years.)

    Like

    Reply
  23. Pingback: The Republican’s War Against Women | Hey, Fair is Fair Here… « Motley News

  25. I particularly like your characterization of Santorum.
    Where I come from, ‘panty waist’ was a term of derision, but “panty waste” carries it into a whole new dimension and describes him perfectly,

    Like

    Reply

  26. Nice venting! You do it with relish! I agree too. We are going backwards, not forwards. Wierd, I posted the same sentiment on my FB page. I had posted about birth control etc…got a reply saying something to the effect that “it” becomes government property. I had to reply, said not to come whining to me when you complain about all the young mothers, or not so young, on welfare because they can’t afford to feed their kids. Hell, even BOTH parents working are having trouble with that, how do they expect the less fortunate to do the same. She didn’t reply.

    And for all those who think the Planned Parenthood uses the money it gets from the Susan G. Komen Foundation to perform abortions, not so. Planned Parenthood DOES NOT perform Mammograms, however, if a female comes to their clinic, because they can afford to go nowhere else, Planned Parenthood will refer them to an appropriate doctor, who WILL perform the necessary tests and treatment if needed. If further treatment IS required PLANNED PARENTHOOD STAYS WITH THAT FEMALE FOR THE DURATION! Throughout any processes that can be quite timely. Throughout chemo, masectomy and fitting of a prosthesis. THAT is what they use the money for.

    Oh, and I am pro-choice…so I could care less if Planned Parenthood did use the money for abortions, altho it would seem only right to use it for problems related to Cancer. Anything that helps women get the health-care they need is ok by me as women are often underpaid compared to our male counterparts.

    Like

    Reply

  28. You wouldn’t think, in this day and age, that this would have to be said, but it does–again and again and again! I see our nation sliding backwards into a scary and threatening place. We can’t give up all the ground that was so hard-won over the last fifty. Thank you for speaking out! Great post.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you for your kind words. Yes, it is absolutely insane. We are literally going backwards in time. Hmmpphh… I didn’t realize when I wrote this that Viagra et al is commonly covered by insurance, too. Talk about double-standards. Horrible, absolutely horrible!

      Like

      Reply
  29. Pingback: Madhouse Jeans Washing Label Tells Men that Washing is a Woman’s Job « Motley News

  31. Well said, I have been watching the goings on in politics with growing wonder, in the UK and US. Wondering where it will end. Our extremists are better than your extremists?

    Jim

    Like

    Reply

  33. My son when he was 3 now 27 asked his father “why are you doing dishes, that’s a woman’s job”? I promptly asked him “where did you hear that” His grandfather on my husbands side. Grandfather was then told to keep his sexist, outdated remarks to himself. Unfortunately it was already implanted and set.
    Fortunately, we don’t have a problem with abortion in the UK it’s looked upon by the majority as a necessary evil. Something no-one wants to have to go through but glad it’s an option. Life is precious and should be cherished. Unwanted children aren’t cherished.

    Like

    Reply

    • I agree on abortion. I don’t like it, don’t want to see it happen, but it must always remain an open option without any more undo stress upon the woman. What they’re doing here is pure spite and evil. Serves no necessary nor medical reason. Purely to impose more mental anguish on the pregnant woman – as if having to decide to have an abortion isn’t hard enough. These right wing-nuts seem to think that women decide to have an abortion just as easy as tossing dirty laundry into the hamper.

      Like

      Reply

      • It’s a choice that lives with you for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, in some cases as with everything it will be abused by people. But for the genuine cases it always has to be an option. I often read things like this and wonder “Why in 2012 are we still having to justify our rights as Women” These people need to find something more worthwhile and causeworthy to spend their time and efforts on. We’ve evolved, Why can’t they?

        Like

        Reply

        • I don’t know. I honestly do not know. If they put this much time, effort and money into helping women, especially the young and/or the poor who just cannot afford to have a baby and do not have healthcare – to help them carry the baby to term, with complete medical pre-natal care, then give the child up for adoption, there’d be a lot less abortions and lot more babies adopted into loving homes.

          I made that decision myself at one time. I was in no position to care for a child, I could barely take care of myself. I thought about abortion, but decided to carry the child to term and gave her up for adoption. But that was my CHOICE… not because some men told me I had to based upon their theological beliefs.

          Like

        • I sit on the fence for personal reasons. I found out I was pregnant at 17, still in high school with my now husband and partner of 33 years. We decided that the time wasn’t right and discussed all options. The end result was an abortion. The day before the appointment to have it done, I miscarried and was told by the consultant that I was a “clever girl” I had done it myself. It didn’t seem much of a comfort hearing the words. Although I was relieved. Furthermore, Married and 2 sons, I felt my life was complete with everything going forward I fell pregnant and did go ahead with an abortion. We call it “Termination” in Britain, maybe they think it sounds more humane. Thinking my life would change for the worst and considering the whole family I made the wrong choice and have had to live with it. I agree in cases like rape it has to be an option, but more has to be done to make sure the reasons are right. I think you are extremely brave to have gone through the pregnancy knowing it was for the benefit of another woman. Such a selfless act….. Someone close to me was unable to have children and I considered helping her through surrogacy(probably trying to salvage my own guilt) circumstances took a nasty turn, I became ill and with hours to live survived an ectopic pregnancy. Being a non practising Catholic, had to wonder is that payback. Under sedation and with the signature of my husband I agreed to be sterilised. I now regret the choice I made then. But thats nature, when we know we can’t have something it makes us behave differently.

          Like

        • “Clever girl”??? I would have bitch-slapped her. That was completely rude and uncalled for.

          I am sure that had to be a tough tough decision. There are a lot more circumstances in mine which are too personal to share on the internet. In fact, only a handful of people outside my family know the story. It was difficult. But at least I was allowed to make that decision myself. No gov’t should ever make that decision for any woman.

          Our gov’t here is really going insane. They’re grasping at straws and many are trying very very hard to turn our democracy into a mild form of theocracy – when it comes to women’s reproductive rights. it’s insane. I’m an atheist so my right to freedom of religion is grossly stepped on. They’re forcing laws based upon religious beliefs onto me. When a gov’t starts doing this, then we will fail. I have a feeling it’s going to get real bad before it gets any better.

          Like

      • I was 29 in a hospital recovery bed after having had the “Termination” listening to a conversation at the side of me between a consultant and a girl from Africa. The girl was about 16 and she had been “castrated”. I felt so “guilty” and “conceited” at that point. How easy it is to follow trend or be influenced by what others say is right. I was as much a victim as she was. I know that now, I allowed myself to be manipulated by others opinions.

        Like

        Reply

  34. I feel guilty telling people I don’t believe in God. I feel alien sometimes. I follow the Dalai Lama because he’s such a happy, peaceful man that what he say’s makes sense,but he made a statement about women staying at home and being the hub of the family I didn’t understand. I heard/read somewhere recently that Britain is prodominantly Catholic. News to me, not so long ago it was predominantly Protestant. “Who cares” is my opinion. But unfortunately we are becoming more and more multi-cultural with different religions too. We are reverting more to a religious society rather than non-religious. So once again we Atheists are the minority.

    Like

    Reply

    • Here in the states, I’m noticing that more and more people are opening up about being an atheist. I think that may be one reason why the right wing-nuts are starting to crack. I would say at least 50% of the people I talk to know are either atheist or agnostic (which I think most that say that are atheist, they’re just “afraid” to cross that line – and that’s fine). That population is growing. Now, the 50% is not what the country is as a whole. But those I am around, which are typically higher educated people, are non-believers.

      Like

      Reply

      • I suppose I am luckier than some of my peers in that I went to 14 different schools, Army parents meant we travelled alot. I had the opportunity to experience different educational ethics. In Edinburgh I attended a Catholic High School, we had lessons on R.E. and I knew then, that what I was being taught sounded nonesense, the teacher made a reference to a picture brought back from Rome and how miraculously the statue was now green. I thought to myself “It’s probably because the wall is green”. A whole hour passed and he revealed the miracle “The wall was green”. How Ironic. I was more defined by science than religion even then. Although in times of self pity we do need someone to blame.lol. It may as well be god. the next year I’d moved across the city and a New High School had been built. It was non-denominational. The School had a modernist concept, the belt(corporal punishment) had been abolished in Scotland(not sure England) and we were to call our tutors by their first name.No uniform, student/tutor groups.. 20 years on and they now have a uniform and it’s an Education Establishment now, whereas before it was an Education Centre. Complete U-turn.

        Like

        Reply

        • I think the actual word your looking for is Hypocrisy. The Term Hypocratic Oath springs to mind for me. Especially with Priests and Nuns. The stories I’ve heard. I was born in a Hospital run by Catholic Nuns. Elsie Inglis Maternity Pavilion. I had a return visit years later as a Gynae patient, Womans Welfare Clinic. I’ve always maintained that’s it’s an excuse to be evil.. Get absolved on Sunday at confession and go do the same next week… Thankfully my parents weren’t that inclined to press religion on us. I stopped the religious chain in my family. My sons unlike me were given the choice to grow up and decide wther they wanted religion in their lives or not. With no influence from myself, they actually think the same. But they also respect women so there might be a connection.

          Like

Go ahead... I can hear your thoughts. Please share with the rest!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.