With the US Election coming up, I’ve been coming over all
political. Now, I’m one of those opinionated girls on every subject usually,
but politics confounds me somewhat. It feels like, in England at least, all the
parties are so busy pussy-footing around trying to get voters that they end up
saying the same thing, whether supposedly left-wing or right-wing. Anyone fancy
giving me a quick politics lesson, you know the drill: theyoungladysguide@gmail.com
But on to the main event.
There is an astonishing lack of women in politics. We’ve had
one female prime minister, which, yes, puts us one ahead of the US (0 Female
Presidential candidates, let alone presidents!) but still painfully backwards
in a supposedly “equal” world. Ambitious female politicians are vilified, such
as the late MP for Corby Louise “Bagashawe” Mensch, who recently quit her post
after realising that you actually can’t have it all (‘it’ being a successfully
career as a writer, a husband, 3 children and a constituency). While I do applaud
Mensch’s decision to put her family first, I can’t help wondering what male
politician would be as accommodating? I certainly couldn’t imagine Cameron or
Cleggy ditching their posts to follow their loved one across the pond (even for
the wonders of New York City). So there we have one problem: women + politics =
difficult.
But for me the major problem at this very moment is that
women’s rights are being put in the hands of men. And not just men; archaic
men, who don’t understand that if the condom breaks, or the “99% effective”
pill chooses you as that 1%, you shouldn’t have to be afraid to go to an
abortion clinic and rectify what is, sad to say, a mistake. A woman who is
raped shouldn’t have to go through the pain of a 9-month pregnancy and 18 years
of bringing up a child who will, every day, remind her of that ugly moment.
“If men could get pregnant abortion clinics would be like
starbucks. 2 on every block and 4 in every airport… and the morning after pill
would come in different flavours like sea salt and cool ranch...”
So ran a joke on SNL a few weeks ago. While funny, it’s also
undeniably true; men feel the need to weigh in on women’s abortion rights (and
general sexual health rights) when it is something that doesn’t really have an
effect on them personally. Granted, one could argue that poverty isn’t really
something that affects politicians either, and they definitely have to talk
about that; however, it just seems to me that they should let women have the
FREEDOM TO MAKE THEIR OWN CHOICE. People who support abortions are not pro-abortion,
they are pro-choice. We should have the right to acknowledge that we have made
a mistake without it ruining our lives. Politicians should concentrate on
helping us not to make those mistakes (more info on contraception in schools,
maybe?) and giving therapy to those who have been affected by abortion or
unwanted pregnancy. They should not be forcing women to desperate measures
(online abortion pills? “back alley” abortions? A clothes hanger?) that can
seriously damage their health.
In short; politicians, hands off my womb. It’s my choice to
make.
What do you think? I know this might be a little controversial, but I think it's important that, as Young Ladies, we try to form opinions on these things which really do matter so much. Write to me: theyoungladysguide@gmail.com
Love,
Blaise
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