I would like to put some questions out there, without really having the answers, in the hopes of sparking some debate. I agree with FUG that strengthening an effective Pro-Choice Movement can be one avenue in developing a greater socialist-feminist-class consciousness. My questions are:
1) how can we as a workers union help develop a pro-choice practice and support?
2) How can we as men help develop a pro-choice practice and support?
I'm really not sure where to start, as these questions are fundamental to our place within a growing feminist, pro-choice movement.
In terms of question #2, I'd just like to share this piece from Feminist Allies blog. It speaks largely to our role as men and how abortion interacts with patriarchy:
As a male, I’ll never have an abortion. One of the privileges of
my sex is that I will never enter an abortion clinic as a patient.
However, according to Dr. Leroy Carhart, a friend and
associate of Dr. Tiller’s, “men have had unlimited availability to
‘abortion’ since the beginning of time. Men can walk away from
unwanted pregnancies with virtually no response from
government.”
Hope more folks will chime in and help with the answering of these questions.
2 comments:
Incredible Post. I look forward to reading more. I also am pro-choice and though my blog is not centered around it, it is always a topic I discuss.
I find that, outside of political commentary in support for the legal right to have an abortion, my moral framework finds it difficult to judge in which direction I ought to act.
As a workers union, it seems the best thing to do would be to fight for things like maternity leave in all occupations, and not just ones that are well payed. Perhaps this is a little outside of the question itself, but it seems that if society -- whether it be through companies or governmental institutions was required to provide for maternity leave, then health care for abortions would follow as an economic viability. Instead of paying maternity leave a company or government could provide health care that covers abortion operations.
As men, I think the constant and responsible use of birth control is perhaps the best way to support pro-choice action. This is the part of the question where I start to hesitate, and wonder what it is that I really ought to do, since I'm starting to wade into territory that doesn't have as direct an impact on myself, and therefore feel that there are likely blindspots in my judgments. Beyond emotional support for individuals, political statements for women's rights, and the active use of birth control I'm a bit at a loss.
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