Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on May 10, 2012 at 11:08pm

I don't disagree with the article, but object to the stereotype in your discussion title. Did you have to propagate that biased meme? Couldn't you have reworded your title in a way that doesn't insult women?

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on May 11, 2012 at 12:00am

Yeah I would have to agree with Ruth about the title. It is off putting ...

The article link ... Thanks for that post

Permalink Reply by sk8eycat on May 11, 2012 at 1:07am

Good grief!  I had an abortion in 1959 when it was completely illegal in all 50 states.  I knew exactly what I was doing; getting rid of an embryo.  The last thing I wanted in this world was a baby.  Ever.

The procedure (D&C) was performed by an MD in his office, in a small town in Iowa, of all places!

I've never regretted it.

I think these anti-choice men are themselves obsessed with sex, and they believe that everyone else thinks the way they do.  I have news for them....NOT!

Men in certain cultures have been trying to control women's sexuality for thousands of years, mainly because they have been taught by their religious leaders that if they didn't keep us caged up we would all be having sexual relations with any and all men we happen to meet. 

Women are NOT cats (or dogs); we are not driven by hormonal urges we are unable to control.

I'm not so certain about some men.

Read When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone.  It's an eye-opener.

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on May 11, 2012 at 2:13am

I got goose bumps reading your post. I remember all too well those days. Some men do try to control women's sexuality and set up all kinds of institutions to maintain the degradation of women. The worst one is putting women on a pedestal. Jeez! 

Merlin Stone, wasn't she a wonder. I called her on the phone one day and talked to her. She really pulled the scales off my eyes and it was she that made me realize that a thunder bolt would not come down and smite me when I said there is no god. 

Permalink Reply by sk8eycat on May 11, 2012 at 10:00am

You actually spoke to Merlin Stone?  How wonderful!  I was going to say, "Lucky you," but you made your own "luck," which is how it works in the real world. How I envy you (in an admiring way)!  I only "discovered her book a couple of years ago.

She was amazing...starting out as an artist and art historian, listening to her own hunches, doing years of difficult research, and coming to the (correct) conclusion that centuries of male archaeologists had their theories about the Goddess religion completely bass-ackward. 

Thinking "outside the box"!  YAYYYYY!

Reminds me of 200 years of medical research that resulted in a lot of misconceptions (if you'll pardon the pun) about how the human body works because the subjects of all those early studies were men only.  Usually medical students...beginning in the days when women were not allowed to study medicine. (I volunteered for an enormous blood pressure double-blind research project [if you're interested, look up ALLHAT] almost 20 years ago, and the doctor who did my initial interview practically greeted me with open arms, confetti, balloons, and a brass band because they needed more women in the "sample'. More than 25,000 patients were involved, and they actually found out a few things that surprised them. I love it when that happens!)

 

Permalink Reply by Joan Denoo on May 11, 2012 at 1:02pm

Good for you sk8eycat! I shall look it up. Back in the days when I was an activist, physically active, I mean, I made it a habit to call the outstanding feminist radicals and just chat. My memory fails, the mormon woman, Marilyn Ferguson, Marija Gimbutas, Riane Eisler, Rosemary Radford Ruether, Star Hawk, and others. They all were very generous with their time and answered all my questions about their books and experiences. I wanted to know how they came to these radical ideas, what were their barriers and empowerers. It was a great way to gain confidence and competence. I was teaching Women's Studies at that time.