One of the main axis of female oppression is reproduction. Glosswitch expounds on this theme, I recommend viewing the entire post here. “The trouble with reproductive choice isn’t that most of us are in mourning over embryos gone to waste. It’s that, if you really believe in it, you have to give people with uteruses the […]
Tag: reproductive rights
Alberta Politics: Independent MP Brent Rathgeber gives St. Albertans a former Tory insider’s take on the many sins of the Harper PMO
PHOTOS: Independent MP Brent Rathgeber, in a typical pose, chats with a couple of constituents at last night’s candidates’ forum in St. Albert, Alberta. Below: Conservative candidate Michael Cooper, Mr. Rathgeber again, New Democrat Darlene Malayko and Liberal Beatrice Ghettuba. ST. ALBERT, Alberta The only Independent candidate in Canada with
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Fortune favours the brave? Trudeau risks advocating sane gun laws and ripping PM’s dog-whistle bigotry
PHOTOS: Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau during a visit to Edmonton last year. Below: NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair and Prime Minister Stephen Harper. It should have been natural for the leader of the NDP to finally be the one who clearly called out Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his unprincipled
Continue readingAlberta Politics: St. Albert-Edmonton Conservative candidate Michael Cooper must clearly state his position on women’s reproductive rights
PHOTOS: St. Albert-Edmonton Conservative candidate Michael Cooper, centre, with former Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis, left, and Employment Minister Pierre Pollievre in a photo grabbed from Mr. Cooper’s campaign website. Below: A shot of Mr. Cooper snapped on my doorstep when he turned up campaigning for the Conservative nomination. ST.
Continue readingwmtc: bernie sanders, the pope, and the politics of amnesia
I see a lot of excitement online, in places like Common Dreams and The Nation, and in my Facebook feed, about Bernie Sanders, supposedly remaking US politics, and Pope Francis, supposedly remaking the Roman Catholic Church. About Sanders, I shake my head and wonder why long-time Democrat voters do not
Continue readingwmtc: my feminism includes trans people. all women need to listen to each other.
The continuing liberation of transgender people is a marvel to behold. We are witnessing history, as trans people and their issues become part of the mainstream. From Chelsea Manning to “Transparent” to Laverne Cox, and of course Caitlyn Jenner, transgender people and issues have never been so front and centre.
Continue readingwmtc: icymi: indiana woman sentenced to 20 years in prison for failed pregnancy
This month, four decades of anti-woman, anti-abortion hysteria in the US hit a new low. Last August, an Indiana woman sought medical attention after a premature delivery resulted in the death of the fetus. The emergency-room doctor called the police. In April, that woman was sentenced to 20 years in
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: pro: reclaiming abortion rights by katha pollitt
Katha Pollitt’s new book, Pro: Reclaiming Abortion Rights, is a powerful gust of fresh, clean air that blows away the toxic stench of the current discourse about abortion. Pro is a thorough, no-holds-barred takedown of the hypocrisy of anti-abortion-rights movement – not only in the most obvious sense that people
Continue readingwmtc: the courage and compassion of dr. willie parker, the last abortion doctor in mississippi
“The Pink House”, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi.The owner painted it pink so it would stand out, in defiance. I’ve thought a lot about heroes, that tremendously overused word, about who my heroes are and why I love them. Moral courage, as you may know, is my highest value.
Continue readingwmtc: the decision "you’ll regret for the rest of your life": the reality gap in fictional abortions
The conversation around the movie “Obvious Child” has prompted me to re-visit a long-standing interest of mine, one I share with many other reproductive rights activists: the portrayal of abortion in the mainstream media. I haven’t seen “Obvious Child” (I wait for DVD or Netflix, as always), but I’ve heard
Continue readingwmtc: dark times in canada, part 2: marci mcdonald on jason kenney: "and you thought harper was right-wing?"
You won’t catch me implying that Stephen Harper and his corrupt, anti-democratic, anti-human government is moderate. But there’s always room to move even further to the right, and that space is called Jason Kenney. Marci McDonald, author of The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada, has written
Continue readingwmtc: cherry-picked data and undisclosed bias: the failure of freakonomics
Allan came home from one of his used-book sale sprees with copies of both Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics. I had read so many excerpts from, and reviews of, these books over the years, and their appearance was a reminder to actually read them myself. You’re probably familiar with the general
Continue readingwmtc: murdoch mysteries, abortion on tv, and maybe an anti-war reference, too
I always like to have a detective-mystery series to follow. I try many of them, like a few, and watch several episodes in a row as downtime relaxation. I recently started the Canadian “Murdoch Mysteries,” which takes place in Toronto at the turn of the 20th Century. Back when we
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Every Reason for an Abortion is a Good Reason
From the article on Reality Check. “Abortion is often framed as a mercy bestowed upon a woman who has committed the “crime” of having had sex. Mercy is something that someone else grants you, however, and not something you can simply decide for yourself that you deserve. That’s what people
Continue readingwmtc: september 28: global action for accessible, safe, and legal abortion
Today, September 28, women all over the world are taking action to demand the right to accessible, safe, and legal abortion. Women and our allies in more than 50 countries have formed a global mobilization that seeks to decriminalize abortion, provide access to safe and affordable abortion services, and end
Continue readingwmtc: a teenager’s courage reveals the brutality of anti-choicers: "please stop calling me a whore"
This articulate and courageous 14-year-old girl says she wants to be a science teacher when she grows up. I hope she will also be a writer, because this is one of the best personal essays I have read. I’m a 14-year-old girl who has lived in Austin, Texas, my whole
Continue readingwmtc: beatriz and savita are not exceptions: abortion bans kill
You may have heard of the latest anti-woman denail of basic human rights to make international news. A few months back there was Savita Halappanavar, who died in Ireland when she was denied a life-saving, medically necessary abortion. Now there is a woman known as “Beatriz” (not her real name)
Continue readingwmtc: thank you, dr. henry morgentaler
Canada lost a true hero today, someone who spent the better part of his life defending the rights and freedoms of others. From the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Morgentaler decision: Jillian Bardsley, Medical Students for Choice, Toronto Chapter, on Canada’s lack of abortion providers, and what students
Continue readingDead Wild Roses: Let’s do Some Gun Control!
If we are all over regulating women’s bodies, I’m thinking guns should not be a frakking problem. What if gun rights were regulated like abortion rights? Here’s a list of just some of the hoops you’d have to jump through before you could own a gun: Only one store
Continue readingwmtc: it’s pro-choice or no choice: protecting our rights
If you’re in the Mississauga area and you’re interested in hearing this blog live and in person, I’m giving a talk on Tuesday, April 2, sponsored by the Mississauga chapter of the International Socialists. Here are the deets. * * * * It’s Pro-Choice or No Choice – Protecting Our
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