Bodily Autonomy

A phrase we have heard quite a lot rather periodically, really. Sometimes I wonder if it is yet another rhetorical bomb we are thrown to simply divide people. 

However, I feel, it is not something we should shy away from discussing especially when we toy with the idea of abortion and other taboo subjects.

You see, pretending the idea does not exist does not instill progress in any way. Wrestling with its existence, however, allows us to maybe come up with alternative and better solutions.

First of all, on a personal, personal level, I would not even entertain the option. But that is me, I have never been a woman who was in an impoverished predicament subject to the whims of a man who forced himself upon me, so I cannot say that the option, albeit not ideal, should not be on the table.

HOWEVER.

I am pro-keeping the discussion open but some of these arguments require a more nuanced take and systematic changes that could help avoid the situation, to begin with. There are systemic problems that render this reality an actual possibility and, let’s face it, had these NOT been realities, would anyone go into the deed “for kicks” ?

I don’t think so

“Bringing the child into poverty” for example feels like a crutch for the government not to do anything to bring that person OUT of poverty, so we give them something to remain in that status quo, but get rid of the baby.

Rape is also the product of such a system that renders the human – usually female – of the equivalent value of an object. An object to be consumed. Prostitution, pornography, surrogacy, influencers… If it can be consumed, then it is available, even if it is “at a price”. An object can have someone’s will exerted upon it and has no will of its own. Sure, we can always educate to the contrary, that women are not consumables. But education can only do so much against a system that says it’s a good idea to see things otherwise. Of course, it’s a “choice”. But marketing is powerful.

The culture of overwork is just as culpable here. Sure, I believe we all should have equal opportunity for employment. But a system that makes it necessary for a person, be it male or female, to blow their time which could be used for raising a family on generating a living pressures the option into question and renders having children a burden. Sure, no one should be obligated to the contrary. But an option should remain “an option”, not “necessary”. It is one thing to take up part-time or take overtime to set something aside for rainy days, entirely another to just get by.

But I get that in the situation we are in, things are not changing soon. So I understand the need for a solution in the current context. So until a paradigm shift in mentality ever happens, we have to AT LEAST keep the option in the discussion, if ever to try and come up with a better solution in the interim. What I do hope is that no one is gaining anything out of it except those who have been traumatised.  The last thing we need is more commodification of the human being.

But until that happens, I have nothing to offer but my empathy for the traumatised.