Op-Ed: The Occupation of A Black Woman’s Womb
I am an angry black woman. I don’t know about you, but this black woman has had it with the faux superheroes that are making it their superficial mission to save black women from being hazardous to ourselves. The ballad of “woe is the black woman” plays on as this time the focus is on our sacred vessels; our wombs.
The Washington Post reports that on Tuesday Arizona Republican, Rep. Trent Franks, in an effort to save unborn African American babies and their mommas, introduced a bill that will discourage African American women from having abortions. Franks introduced The Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2011 with the belief that African American babies are terminated due to race and gender discrimination. The bill calls for the fining or imprisonment, of no more than five years, of anyone who willingly performs such a procedure. So basically, they want to lock up doctors who perform abortions.
Franks’ beliefs are offset by disturbing numbers that show African American women have a higher abortion rate than our counterparts. In the most recent Abortion Surveillance report, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that in 2007 and 2008 abortion rates increased 10 percent for African American women, while rates for white women only increased by 5 percent and 2 percent for Latina women. The Post quotes Franks as saying, “This is the greatest cause of death for the African Americans,” with Franks calling the anti-abortion movement “the civil rights struggle that will define our generation.”
For the person who is not totally paying attention, the proposed legislation seems sensible. However, the claims that African American women are displaying racist and sexist attitudes toward their unborn children are erroneous. Where is that logic coming from? I can only imagine the perplexing look on my OBGYN’s face after telling her I don’t want my unborn baby because it’s not going to be this magical female Justin Bieber look alike; especially since the father and I have genes that are more than likely to produce a mocha colored kid that resembles the “I Love My Hair” Muppet (sans the blue eye shadow). Even more outrageous are the strong claims that abortion is a tool of genocide of the African American community, especially when organizations that yell “genocide” fail to back up the claim with hardcore evidence outside of reported abortion rates (and last time I checked, black women still had some of the highest birthrates. And high birthrates does not a genocide make).
But let’s get to the real. The act of abortion is the easiest scapegoat and addressing it works right in line with political agendas. How slick is it that Franks creates a diversion from the financial Occupy movement and instead chooses to occupy our vaginal walls. No sir, I decline!
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I don’t know what to say really.
When I was in high school, I had a White friend who by the age of 15, had 3 abortions.
Same here Cali. I went to a predominantly white high school and I remember at least 5 white girls who had had at least two by graduation. Granted, it’s be a while since I graduated high school, but I just find it hard to believe that we have the most abortions. Relating to this article, DAMN!!! This is the dumbest ish I’ve heard in a minute.
I’m not surprised. I know a 30 year old black woman with 4 kids and very recently has had at least 3 abortion..all by married men. What’s more surprising is why a lot of women stay away from birth control but never hesitate to go through abortion.
There are some really trifling women out there…I see it..
Lack of morals and values and will to sex anything for attention and money….but this is just the residual effect of having broken homes and no father-figures around.
i agree but these numbers probably wont even get counted because of the way society has and always will be.. white ppl will do whatever and it wont be looked upon as bad.. Kourtney Kardashian has a kid out of wedlock and has another one of the way and receieves no slack for it Nia long does the same thing and receives alot of bashing….how does this make sense???
Seriously, I am tired of this s*%$. 1. If you don’t have a uterus, you have not right to have any say with what I don’t with my and 2. If you do have a uterus, you still have not right to have any say with what I don’t with my. With all the problems there are in this country, the “government” feels the need to focus on what I don’t with my reproductive organs?
If you want to keep black and latina women from having abortions, here is how you do it….FIX THE DAMN ECONOMY! How many women and couples don’t have these children because they know in this economic environment they can’t possibly afford to take care of another life? But they don’t care about that. They are interested in small government that mandates what can be done with women’s bodies (because I guess we aren’t smart enough to do it ourselves or maybe they are tired of women being able to dictate what they do with their lives) and they are just interested in producing more lower class and less educated black and brown people who will work in Chinese style factors for crap income, no benefit, and unsafe work conditions.
How can anyone in their right mind blame the economy. The economy has nothing to do with women keeping their legs closed or making responsible choices to avoid havng unwanted children.
I’m tired of people blaming everyone but the person who is responsible for their body.
I’m 30 years old…no kids and ever had an abortion…why???? because I choose NOT to because 1..I’m not married..and 2..I can’t afford children..so why would i put myself in a position to have any..
No believe me I agree with you! I see it play out first hand in my family.
There are lots of people who are out there making irresponsible decisions and getting knocked when they shouldn’t be. But I am talking about the segment of people who would willingly have those kids if they had the financial and economic means to do so.
Sad thing is there are statistics on everything. I hate that this has not only become a sexist issue but also a racial issue as well. I guess that’s the double strike right there: a woman and black? God forbid she decides what she wants to do with her body. If she keeps the child, I’m sure she’ll end up on the list where blacks are ranked highest for welfare. Makes sense huh?
I didn’t have much to say about the article but one statement did raise my eye. When you say/ said “the biggest issue, a greedy and “janky” healthcare system that unfortunately prices folks out of adequate preventative measures.”, by preventative measures I’m assuming you mean birth control. Birth control really is not that expensive, condoms aren’t the only route to go as well. I’m assuming however you are speaking specifically to women in this article so in terms of birth control, the Pill is pretty effective as well as IUDs, NuvaRing, Depo Provera, etc. I don’t know what healthcare system you’re speaking of but birth control is not that expensive and don’t some Planned Parenthood clinics supply the Pill for as little as $10? I’m very much against abortion but in terms of adequate preventative measures all I’m saying is if you can afford to get a manicure every month or get your hair done then you can afford “adequate preventative measures”.
There have been times when, as a broke college student, I couldn’t afford birth control. My local PP sells it for $25. It definitely happens.
Yeah, not to mention they’re trying to kill Planned Parenthood altogether
I agree with KiKi. I am a “broke college student,” and BC, be it pills/shots/patches/condoms/whatever, can be extremely expensive. I have a hormonal imbalance so the BC pills that I take cost $90/month after insurance. I’m allergic to latex, so condoms can get pricey too. I’m looking at at least $100/month minimum on birth control. I may be an extreme case but please don’t group us all together. Some of us really can’t afford it… #thatsall
I personally cannot speak to the “poor college student” plight because my parents also gave me spending money but at the same time I worked throughout college on campus and I know people who did as well so I don’t buy that money. College really isn’t that difficult (depending on your major) so I don’t see how anyone can’t go out an get a little part time job. If a person cannot afford birth control then why not try abstinence- it is the cheapest, safest and most effective form of birth control. I tried it for 21 years and it never steered me wrong!!
An abortion is between the woman having the procedure and the physician administering the procedure. Many of those so called pro-life advocates, won’t lift two fingers to help the thousands of black children, who currently reside in foster care. Children need food, clothing, shelter, and an education, and clearly with all of the cuts in funding for W.I.C. and education programs they could care-less about the welfare of children. When these pro-lifers start showing initiative by going into foster homes, trying to find adoptive parents, or implementing programs to aid foster care youth education, only then I will believe anything that the pro-lifers say.
Seems like a way of not placing responsbility on the black woman. Perhaps if women kept their legs closed and learned how to value themselves more the abortion rate wouldn’t be so high. Some women treat abortions like it’s a trip to the nail salon…
It’s very sad and sickening….
We can complain about people playing politics with our wombs all we like but the ball is in our court. If you don’t want or can’t afford a child, stop allowing yourself to become pregnant. Stop crying racism or racio-misogyny when in this case, WE (meaning black women) are the problem.
I don’t know that has to do with (usually) white men trying pass laws about what we can do what our bodies as Black women.
Reproductive rights are just that…rights. We can and should have the ability decide what to do with our bodies – whether or not that choice is an economically sound choice for us is irrelevant.
It has everything to do with complaining about the negative image that black women have created for themselves and then crying foul when others call us out. By the way, as long as people’s tax dollars are paying for the children that some of us irresponsibly create, they have the right to vote for any policies to alleviate the “tax burden.”That burden comes when we don’t exercise responsibility. Btw, I’m not a prolifer. I simply believe that we should be fully responsible for the results of our own reproductive choices.
“I simply believe that we should be fully responsible for the results of our own reproductive choices.”
@LorMarie
Last I checked, abortion is a reproductive choice. So, your attempts at trying to justify legislation that aim to curtail that choice don’t make a lick of sense.
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“By the way, as long as people’s tax dollars are paying for the children that some of us irresponsibly create, they have the right to vote for any policies to alleviate the “tax burden.”
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Wrong thread, sweetie. This is about unborn fetuses, not children who exist outside of a woman’s womb. And even if I wanted to entertain your convoluted logic, in what world would an abortion be more of a “tax burden” than long term public assistance benefits for these “children that some of us irresponsibly create?”
*Sigh*
You would think lawmakers would have something better to do…
Right?!!
I wonder how high they have to get the Black abortion rate which is six times the national average to make these folks happy? Sorry there is no disputing the history of Margaret Sanger and her movements intentions to eliminate Black babies.
Real conversation you can have all the abortions you want as long as you can pay for them yourself.
The REAL conversation is to look behind the motivation for this presumably white MALE reTHUGlican worrying about black women’s wombs. Its all poppycock. Black women are the standard bearers–the canary in the coal mine of this society. We are finally breaking free of the ties that bind and keep us from living our best lives–whatever that entails. Focus on the conservative, black church goers and you keep two things going–the hold of the black collective mind and the vote for the conservative party. It is a cheap ploy and tactic and I pray that people don’t fall for the okey doke yet again. IF they really cared about Black babies then they wouldn’t try to repeal all the social policies and laws that help black and brown and white children. Healthcare-INCLUDING ALL BIRTH CONTROL options would be FREE. Education would be FREE and of QUALITY. Prisons would not be crowded beyond capacity—they don’t care about us and don’t you ever forget it.
Besides these stats are straight garbage. They more than likely come from government agencies that black women who CANNOT afford health care are more than likely to use than their white counterparts. White women go to private docs and get it done–point blank period.
Honestly, I know that abortions are expensive so how are they going to say that when alot of black ppl are on government assistance and everything else… white men trying pass laws about what we can do what our bodies as Black women…its been this way for the longest.. but to try and single out black women as the highest abortion rates its ridiculous.. a white woman can more often than not go to a private doctor and receive an abortion.. at the end of the day they arent going to report the high number of white women that receive them to keep them from looking bad..
Sometimes these statistics confuse me. They come out with so many at once, that in some cases the stats contradict each other; combine all of them and you can come out with more than one conclusion. No, I don’t think they care about Black children/women, I think they want to make more cuts that will hurt many women and enact policies based on their own personal beliefs. However, something needs to be done about the constant abortions/births in general, high or not. How about challenging the ‘fact’ instead of being angry at its exposure? They’re not going to stop.
I am a Black woman, 35 years old. And at 31, I found out I was pregnant. Even with a Masters, a caring family and a boyfriend ( I was on and off with ), I chose to terminate. To this day, it’s a choice I wish I could change. Abortions do not only happen to poor women, young teens, or “loose” women…getting pregnant is as natural as living.
IMO : the greatest problem facing the planet is over population…….
Amen! I agree. We can’t allow these politicians, sociologists, religion or the media dictate our lives. Most women black, white, brown, etc… have abortions for economic reasons. So many factors play into a woman’s decision to have an abortion. It’s not an easy decision but if for some reason you can’t afford or unable to take care of more children it’s the best one for the situation. All these people who make these ridiculous arguments never offer to support women who do not have access to adequate financial resources. Nor do I see them running to the Foster care system offering to adopt children or saying I’ll pay the pregnant woman & her child’s way for the twenty one years it takes to raise and educate a child. These people have such an obvious agenda to turn back the hands of time for Black women.
Rockerfeller Abortion Laws…?