In her attempt to “spell things out” for me, I could not help but notice how this is saturated in irony. Right from the start saying she says “[a]ll men oppress women no matter their political, cultural or religious beliefs.” She says this with the thesis that abortion is a way for women to “claim their independence.” It would be foolish to say that there is no oppression of women. However, to make such a sweeping statement as “[a]ll men oppress women” is disconcerting to say the least. The easy sound-byte answer to this is what of men who support abortion? Are such allies of abortion oppressing women just by being men? However, this is to easy of an answer to leave it here.
The irony starts with the history of abortion in the modern world. Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) would agree with Jane that women have an inherent drive to improve their lives. I personally, have little admiration for Sanger’s work, however, she did make an important point. She also saw abortion as specifically a tool for men to keep women oppressed. One of her specific arguments is the inherent health risks involved with the procedure. Even in today’s political environment of having abortion legal, there are still cases where women die on the table specifically because of abortion. Coat-hanger abortions (while did occur) was never conducted at the rate the propagandists claimed. It was a lie perpetuated by a man in order to get abortion legal. The irony is most poignant with the case of Kermit Gosnell (a man!). Women going to such horrible conditions to claim their “what is best for their health and future” is beyond me. Then, there is Uncle Pervert who chauffeurs young women to an abortion clinic in order to cover up his oppression. Yes, there are men who oppress women.
The Supreme Court (all men at the time, not one woman on the panel) ruled in favor of abortion through Roe v. Wade (remember that “all men oppress women regardless of their political beliefs”). Today, some of the strongest (and most controversial, therefore well known) opponents to abortion (especially within the Catholic Church) are actually women. Lila Rose of “Live Action,” became famous for holding some of the first undercover videos within a Planned Parenthood. Then, Abby Johnson left her job as a general manager of a Planned Parenthood office specifically because of an experience assisting in an abortion. She even wrote a book about the event. Now, even the young “Roe” of Roe v. Wade (Norma McCorvey) has regretted her decision to participate in the case. She is now a strong advocate against abortion. Both Abby Johnson and Norma McCorvey have been baptized into Christianity as part of their leaving the “abortion community.” So, lets look at other religions and at Christianity specifically.
There are men who subscribe to pagan beliefs. Some of these belief systems worship the feminine, often in terms of the “Earth Mother.” The feminine is most associated with creation, fertility, motherhood, etc. According to Jane, “all men oppress women regardless of their religious… beliefs.” I would be hard pressed to see how such a belief system makes women “second class citizens” as Jane would have us believe. Moreover, I don’t understand how men participating in such belief systems is an oppression of women.
Lets now look at Christianity. Christ (as a man on Earth) extolled such teachings of “love your neighbor as yourself,” “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” “love one another as I have loved you.” However, this theme of love did not stay within the Gospels. St. Paul wrote “and if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” [1Cor 13: 2].
However, how are we to define “love.” Is love merely the “rubber-stamping” of another person’s beliefs and actions? Is it endorsing whatever beliefs or agendas society tells us is acceptable? Or, is love challenging and helping others to rise above their anger and heal from their pain?
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