Didn't we just finish an election cycle where voters made it clear they were tired of the Bush White House catering to the far right at every turn? I know that. You know that. Anti-choice lawmakers who lost their jobs to pro-choice newcomers on November 7 know that. But judging by President Bush's budget proposal, released yesterday, apparently he missed the memo from the American public.
For the sixth year in a row, President Bush chose to use his federal budget proposal as yet another opportunity to satisfy his own right-wing base rather than—oh, I don't know—tackle real problems in America like unintended pregnancy.
Lest there be any confusion, the Bush Administration has little values for and no understanding of the need for sexual and reproductive health services. The only question is whether that's due to a complete lack of understanding of human health needs or because undermining sexual health appeases his far-right political base. Need evidence? Check out Bush's budget request.
"AN ACT relating to the protection of life, including unborn life, from the point of fertilization." This is the opening sentence in the new abortion ban trigger bills filed recently in the 80th Texas state legislative session, which opened on January 9, 2007. The wording of this bill tells us a lot about the authors, as well as the state of the Texas legislature in general. The author of the House bill (HB175) is, not surprisingly, Rep. Warren Chisum from Pampa (R-District 88). Known for his anti-sex legislation, specifically for reinstating Texas' anti-sodomy law, Chisum also recently authored and filed HB 311, which requires parents to give written consent in order for their child(ren) to be allowed to participate in their school's human sexuality class. Requiring consent for a class on human sexuality is absurd when you take into account written consent isn't required, at least through legislation, for any other science class in public school. Additionally, a little required sexuality education might do Texas teens well considering we have the fifth highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation.
In the movie theatre, I pull out a pencil and a plain, brown notebook filled with lined paper. I arrive a few moments early and am, what can only be called subjected, to the preview for a soon to be released Samuel L. Jackson movie. The preview opens with a beautiful, young woman lying in the middle of a dirt road badly beaten and in her underwear. Bits of the story unfold revealing the female character as clearly wild and crazy, if not mentally unstable. Samuel Jackson's character "rescues" her from the dirt road where she had presumably passed out, he chains her up, I mean with metal chains and a padlock, and proceeds to inform her that he is going to cleanse her of her "wicked ways." I'm at the theatre to watch Children of Men so I can write about it for Reproductive Health Reality Check. My intention is to unearth and analyze the potential reproductive health components of the movie so I'm already feeling feisty. The Samuel L. Jackson film fiasco doesn't help. Spoiler Alert: this may give away parts of the movie, so read at your own risk if you haven't seen it yet!
Today we have a new and exciting tool for you: RH Glossary. You may have noticed certain words on the blog linking to a "coming soon" page -- now those words link to definitions. Glossary words are underlined with orange dots and provide definitions of common sexual and reproductive health terms, such as "family planning." These definitions are intended to help people who are just learning the issue to become more familiar with this topic.
Last week I discussed the manipulative tactics that are the foundation behind the propagation of the so-called "post-abortion syndrome" and my own experiences over the course of 34 years counseling women who need support and affirmation of their choice of abortion. What did we talk about in these "post-abortion counseling" sessions? Most women—some brought their male partners—simply wanted to talk and affirm their decisions because they weren't confident that they could trust anyone in their lives with this "shameful secret." Some women felt sad and were looking for resolution for the loss. A few felt doubt about their decision. We talked about what had changed from the day of the abortion to the present. What were they missing in their heads and hearts? What was happening in the rest of their live? How was their primary relationship (if there was one) affected by the experience of abortion? Where they searching for the road not taken—was "the baby that will not be" a fantasy unfulfilled? What would she say to "the baby" if she could? What ritual or process would be healing and helpful to say let go and truly say good-bye? When appropriate—if the woman raised the themes of faith—we would discuss religion and God. I referred to God as not punishing, but loving, and told them that he/she understands what we need to do to survive, live, and care for the others in our lives. I believe God grasps the profundity of our decisions and acknowledges abortion as a moral and loving choice.
Each year many pregnant Chinese women try and cross the border into Hong Kong in order to give birth. Apparently, in the past few years tens of thousands of women have crossed the border from mainland China into Hong Kong to deliver their children. Last year this number reached approximately 12,000. By making the trek into Hong Kong, women from mainland China are able to circumvent the country's one-child policy, and gain automatic residency rights (that come with health and education benefits) for their child in Hong Kong. The numbers of births by Chinese women from the mainland now account for almost a third of Hong Kong births, and are placing a burden on local hospital wards.
Last week, CBS Evening News featured a balanced story on the HPV vaccine and proposals to make the vaccine mandatory for girls entering the 6th grade. Several states are considering similar legislation, but the segment focused on the District of Columbia, which has the highest cervical cancer rate in the U.S. The video does a good job of addressing the facts about HPV and cervical cancer, as well as showing parents' perspectives both for and against the vaccine bill—without falling prey to myths about the vaccine encouraging promiscuity.
There's an excellent piece by British journalist Kira Cochrane in the January 29 edition of the New Statesman on the Global Gag Rule, and it's a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the United States' very special role in the global public health crisis that is unsafe abortion. The Gag Rule, FYI, denies USAID family planning funds to overseas organizations that provide safe abortion services, counseling, or information, even if they are using their own funds to do so, and even if abortion is legal in their countries. It was established in 1984 by Ronald Reagan, lifted by Clinton in 1992, and reinstated by Bush Jr. on the first full day of his presidency in 2001. Surprise, surprise.
Brian Ackerman is an intern at Advocates for Youth and a junior at the George Washington University, majoring in International Affairs.
I always shudder when I hear that young people aged 15-24 account for over 40% of new HIV infections. At 20 years old, I am halfway through college and focused on the youthful experience of "finding myself" and creating my future. I hope HIV never has to factor into my equation, but knowing that it is a daily reality for my peers around the world is an eerie truth. Helping young people protect themselves while still balancing the rest of the costs and needs of the HIV/AIDS epidemic is increasingly difficult.
