Women's Bodies: Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of the Christian Right

[ensho]

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2010/03/01/womens-bodieswholly-owned-subsidiary-christian-right


When Virginia Del. Bob Marshall publicly stated his desire to defund Planned Parenthood in his state (they receive a whopping $35,000 in Medicaid reimbursements NOT for abortions, but for primary reproductive and sexual health care for women, men and young people), he used his interpretation of certain Biblical passages to justify his positions. He said:

"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children," said Marshall, a Republican.

"In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There's a special punishment Christians would suggest."

-snip-

Although his comments seem particularly hurtful as they pierce the hearts of mothers and disabled people everywhere, this meme is exactly what we’ve come to expect when it comes to issues surrounding women’s bodies, health, and lives. From placing blame upon the victims of rape and sexual assault to declaring that breast cancer is bestowed upon those women who dare to remain childless to deciding that women who don’t remain celibate outside of marriage must pay for their decisions to have sex by carrying a pregnancy to term against their will, right-wing, ultra-extremist Christians have staked their claim on what women can and cannot do with our bodies by endlessly repeating the “you get what’s coming to you” line. In essence, women’s sexual and reproductive capacities are inherently evil and must be delicately controlled by the steady hand of the men who know best.

When it comes to pregnancy prevention and the use of contraception, for example, the Christian right is clear: if women have sex outside of marriage, we must “pay the price.” It’s framed as “living with the consequences of one’s decision” so the paternalistic desire to control women’s bodies is brilliantly turned into a call for women to take personal responsibility but the underlying premise is clear: women must know where our free will begins and our options end. If you are a woman and you commit the “sin” of sex for pleasure, you have given up the “privilege” of bodily autonomy.

-snip-

In a similar sentiment, the spate of bills and laws popping up around the country from Utah’s bill proposed and pushed by right-wing, conservatives that seeks to criminalize women who have miscarriages to “feticide” laws stemming from our Unborn Victims of Violence Act that have been used around the country to punish women who may dare to wittingly or not place their fetus in danger, we codify the Christian right’s patriarchal, anger towards women.

While we may be shocked at Virginia Delegate Bob Marshall’s callousness, it should not surprise anyone who pays attention to the right-wing, anti-choice, Christian conservative messaging and agenda for the women and girls of this country: Do not forget that the reproductive and sexual capacities of the female body are wholly owned and operated by the Christian right acting as ambassadors of a God on the side of the patriarchy.
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religiously insane men do not own my body. I own my body. piss on those fools.

[nykym]

1. I know there are

numerous organizations for Women s rights, but taking a cue from the unemployed union movement maybe it would be a good idea to unionize and have more clout nationally. Plus it would scare the hell out of the religious right and just maybe gain some converts.

[Echo In Light]

2. K&R "I own my body. piss on those fools" - Indeed

[bamacrat]

3. More like Christian Men.

I know there are alot of Christian women who are anti-abortion but they aren't allowed to talk because the bible says they should be subservient to their husbands. Are these people against organ donation? I say that because if they are against any chance of harming an unborn fetus...UNBORN...then wouldnt they be against any type of harm to the dead?

(When it comes to pregnancy prevention and the use of contraception, for example, the Christian right is clear: if women have sex outside of marriage, we must “pay the price.”)
To this I would ask what if a married couple decided that they could not support or nurture a life and took precautions not to have a child but got pregnant anyway. Should they have to have it? What if they had a genetic trait that greatly increased the risk of mental or physical deformations?

Stupid people. They need to worry more about living peoples rights instead of those who aren't alive yet.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. That is certainly what they would like to achieve!!!

The misogyny of every single fundamentalist belief system is an inherent part of their beliefs.
I have long believed that all the "Right to LIFE" crap is merely an attempt to control women, their bodies as well as their reproductive options.

The belief in the right to life ends as soon as that baby exits the womb..so they can all go to hell as far as I am concerned.
They are lying, evil hypocrites....who need to pay more attention to their own lives and leave the rest of us alone.

And that is my truth!!!
pfffffffffffffft.

[Vidar]

5. K&R.