Shame

I'm so glad that we have boys. The past few months have been especially trying - gratifying, yet trying - considering the political and media fire under which women have suddenly found themselves. I would far rather have the enlightened conversations I've had with our boys rather than have to try to explain the current stupidity to daughters.

We have a lot of kids. A lot. Why? Because that was our choice. Does that mean I think that everyone who can have children should have children, simply because they are biologically able? No, absolutely not. Why? Because that should be their choice. I don't think my uterus deserves attention of any kind from the government or from groups of men who neither have nor ever will be able to bring a life into this world, and I don't think that women who are using birth control so they don't have a child should be under any kind of scrutiny either. Many people in positions of power have suddenly become mired in needlessly shaming women for not only trying to make sound reproductive choices, but for thinking we should even have a choice in the first place.

Funny thing is, I have yet to hear anyone shaming men who seek insurance-covered vasectomies to prevent pregnancy. Or men who ingest insurance-covered Viagra. According to the backwards way of thinking to which so many conservative talking heads currently subscribe, if your insurance covers Viagra for you, you'd better be prepared to produce your baby for inspection ten months from now. No one would imagine treating men in such a way; many people don't seem to mind treating women in this horrific manner, though.

I'm looking at you. You know exactly who you are. You who apparently think you are perfect because you don't have a uterus. You on the radio, you in congressional hearings, and, especially, you, Mr. State Representative in Georgia, who likens a woman carrying a dead fetus to animals on farms bearing dead young. There are far too many of you and those who think like you in positions of power, both in the media and in our government. Consider this your warning. You've pissed off a lot of extremely intelligent people with your archaic thinking, and many of those intelligent people happen to be the very women you are shaming.

I wouldn't get too comfortable in those seats of power if I were you.