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More evidence that sex and pregnancy are indeed related

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This study from the Guttmacher, says:  

Half of respondents had experienced at least one unintended pregnancy. Respondents described three categories of pleasure related to pregnancy ambivalence: active eroticization of risk, in which pregnancy fantasies heightened the charge of the sexual encounter; passive romanticization of pregnancy, in which people neither actively sought nor prevented conception; and an escapist pleasure in imagining that a pregnancy would sweep one away from hardship. All three categories were associated with misuse or nonuse of coitus-dependent methods.

Now I have not read the Guttmacher study in full. But my translation on the “scientificese” above is this: Pregnancy is linked–strongly–to sex and sometimes women get pregnant the result of having sex. Furthermore, oftentimes unintended pregnancies are not unintended at all.

You know, I don’t like the idea that everything we do, including pregnancy, ought to be fully and completely planned. All it nurtures is a sense of failure if you can’t get pregnant the very moment you so desire, and a sense of failure if you get pregnant when you did not so desire. (If life is aaaaaalllll about planning, I might add that I’m way off track as per the official Andrea Mrozek 1995 high school graduation power point. See graph four, slide 15 for more information…)

That hidden agenda

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To this list, I’d add defunding of procedures not medically necessary, like abortion. My opponents argue abortion is so very private–then let it be truly so and stop using my money to fund it.

Perfect for timid politicians, incidentally; they don’t have to make any comment on abortion itself, simply have to withdraw the money. Perfect for libertarians, in particular those who don’t care about abortion–it reduces state expenditures. Most of all, perfect for women’s groups who support abortion as a woman’s private, personal choice. A win-win!

Banning positive mentors, peace and love

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This, from yesterday’s Globe:  

But others fear Ms. Palin’s emergence as a parental role model sends a different message. As a vocal opponent of abortion, Ms. Palin’s widely discussed decision to keep her baby, knowing he would be born with the condition, may inadvertently influence other women who may lack the necessary emotional and financial support to do the same, according to André Lalonde, executive vice-president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Dr. Lalonde said that above all else, women must be free to choose, and that popular messages to the contrary could have detrimental effects on women and their families. “The worry is that this will have an implication for abortion issues in Canada,” he said.

Dr. Lalonde said he aims to ban hope next. “After all, those going through tough times hardly need to be reminded that others are doing AOK, have pulled through,” he said. “Seeing that something better exists could totally eradicate their choice to be unhappy, miserable, even. And that choice is important.”

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Tanya adds: It’s a tough task, bashing Palin and sounding intelligent at the same time. She supports the war AND has a child going off to fight it. She opposes abortion AND made the choice to carry to term a pregnancy that 95% of women would have terminated.

It’s so much easier to pick someone apart when they’re full of hot air – is the lesson here.

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Patricia adds: Perhaps Dr. Lalonde would feel more comfortable about the status of “choice” in Canada if I kept my youngest daughter (who has Down Syndrome) in a closet. After all, sometimes when I go out with her, I might let it slip that I actually like having her around, am proud of her and, heaven forbid, love her and am glad that she was born, imperfect as she, and I, are.

Just think how that would threaten “choice”. Imagine what would happen if Canada was filled with people like us, just wandering around looking happy or maybe even normal, putting pressure on women who just want to be unhappy and miserable about their imperfect babies so as to feel like they have no option but to abort them, for everyone’s good.

Funny, I thought the job of an obstretrician was to provide care for pregnant women so they could have healthy babies, and wouldn’t die giving birth. Instead, according to Dr. Lalonde, it’s to protect “choice”, above all else. And apparently, women’s abilities to make choices are so fragile that they need to be protected from the real experience of other women. The fact that I and countless other parents who actually have children with Down Syndrome aren’t miserable all the time, that we actually think it’s a good thing to have children with Down Syndrome in the world, that we don’t see ourselves as victims of some horrible cosmic injustice who are justified in exterminating our own imperfect children, that is a threat to “choice”.

Much better for women to rely on the blinkered advice of “doctors”, most of whom have absolutely no experience of parenting a special needs child and many of whom seem far more concerned about the professional horrors of delivering a less than perfect baby. (Ask my doctor about the grilling she and I both got when she allowed my “defective” youngest to slip through the cracks of modern prenatal care.)

A woman can feel really good about having this Society watching out for her better interests, can’t she?

I spy a crazy woman (and it’s not Sarah Palin)

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Take a look at this photo and describe Sarah Palin and her family, in your mind:

And then compare to this:

Palin has a toned-down version of the porn actress look favoured by this decade’s woman, the overtreated hair, puffy lips and permanently alarmed expression. Bristol has what is known in Britain as the look of the teen mum, the “pramface.” Husband Todd looks like a roughneck; Track, heading off to Iraq, appears terrified.

Really? Only question remaining is why Mallick didn’t light into the seven-year-old. Heck, why stop there–must be something insulting she can make up about the baby.

In historical studies, as in journalism actually, they teach you not to trust one eyewitness. This must be why.

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Tanya adds: I must admit, Track did look a little stunned. However, something tells me it may have had more to do with the crowd of thousands cheering for him.

Working and mothering, mothering and working

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‘She’ll be with Piper or Trig, then she’s got a press conference or negotiations about the natural gas pipeline or a bill to sign, and it’s all business,’ Burney, who works across the hall, said. ‘She just says, ‘Mommy’s got to do this press conference.’ “

A little more insight into Sarah Palin and how she works. I like this story because it highlights how there are a myriad different reactions to pregnancy: how a mother can tell others (or not), be excited (or not), mull things over on her own (or not), keep working (or not), ask for support (or not)–the list goes on. In short, we all have choices in pregnancy, including adoption.

I’m not anti-choice. It’s just some things are not a choice and every single person on the planet acknowledges that. (Think to those clear cut cases, the ones our culture accepts and acknowledges broadly, like slavery.)

Honours

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An ad in today’s Hill Times asks for a review of how the Order of Canada Advisory Council works. Wouldn’t we all like to know.

As an aside, just found out two of my favourite historians are members: Michael Bliss and Michael Marrus. (Yes indeed, I have “favourite historians” and a growing collection of signed books. Imagine how lucky a girl is when she has signed copies of books by Martin Gilbert and Norman Davies. But I digress.)  

Here’s the problem–Bliss and Marrus deserve real honour. Michael Bliss never taught me, Professor Marrus did, and his was easily one of the best classes I ever took in five years at UofT. Thing is, he was a stickler for using the right words…

Could he possibly think that Morgentaler getting this award for “health care” is accurate? That supporting “a woman’s right to choose” for all its “truthiness,” makes any sense at all?

Nice

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This is more the response I was expecting, even from women who disagree.

Journalists, including Canadians, who could barely contain their glee at the sight of the family-values queen turning out to have a pregnant unmarried daughter – as though the two are mutually exclusive – are infinitely more delicate about respecting the privacy of closeted gay politicians, for instance.

Being pro-life is not a seal on a perfect life–and that doesn’t make anyone a hypocrit. We all make plans for our lives. Or try to. And then other stuff happens. Planned Parenthood? That’s a myth.

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Rebecca adds: Is the rule now that only politicians whose children are virgins until marriage are fit to hold office?  If anybody believes Bristol Palin is unusual in being sexually active at 17, they’re kidding themselves.  And contrary to the nitwits bleating about the futility of abstinence-based sex ed – we have no idea if she used birth control.  There is no perfect method of birth control.

 

I’m also very, very tired of people pointing to Mrs. Palin’s statement that she was “proud of Bristol for choosing to keep her baby” as proof that Palin wants abortion to be a choice at least for her own daughter.  It’s clear to me that she was referring to the decision between adoption and parenting.  (Although choosing to carry a baby to term and then adopt is no less praiseworthy.)

 

Finally, the great crisis of illegitimacy is about just that – illegitimacy.  Young women aged 17, 18 and 19 have been having babies for centuries.  The difference is that they were married when they gave birth, which the Palins have indicated is the plan for Bristol and the father of her baby.  I personally would not choose for my children to be married and parents quite that young (growing up and getting an education is hard enough work without such steep responsibilities) but the reality is it happens, and it’s not the end of the world, especially if the couple are committed to making it work and have the support of their families and community.

Let’s recap, just so we are all on the same page

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Ken Epp designs and proposes Bill C-484. It’s uncontroversial among Canadians, who overwhelmingly approve of it in public opinion polls, until it passes second reading. At this point, pro-abortion extremists get worried. They begin a (at least somewhat successful) public campaign to discredit the bill and to create fears that really Bill C-484 intends to change our abortions laws, and give unborn people personhood status. In order to overturn Bill C-484, they put forward their own legislation, through Liberal MP Brent St. Denis.

The government’s proposed solution is actually already before the House of Commons. It was put forward last May by Liberal MP Brent St. Denis (Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing) in a private member’s bill that adds the targeting of a pregnant woman to a list of sentencing factors.

 Joyce Arthur supports that legislation, publicly: 

Now, Joyce Arthur, the head of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada and one of the top pro-abortion activists attacking the bill to protect pregnant women, is urging support for an alternative. In an editorial released on Monday, she said she prefers the new bill C-543 by Liberal MP Brent St Denis.

Rob Nicholson copies that legislation, much to the chagrin of many supporters of Bill C-484.

And then Joyce Arthur says this:

Joyce Arthur, of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, believed that C484 would have led to making abortion illegal. However, she said that she too could see no reason for what Mr. Nicholson is proposing.

Keeping up with the inconsistencies is totally exhausting.

The next Margaret Thatcher?

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Interesting piece by Barbara Amiel on whether Sarah Palin is like Margaret Thatcher. She highlights also all the delicious ironies the result of her nomination.

Had she been a man with similar political views, the left’s opposition would have been strong but less personally vicious: It would have focused neither on a daughter’s pregnancy, nor on the candidate’s inability to be a good parent if the job was landed. In its panic, the left was indicating that to be a female running for office these days is no hindrance but an advantage, and admitting that there is indeed a difference between mothers and fathers that cannot necessarily be resolved by having daddy doing the diaper run.

Just to be sporting, I’ll highlight the irony for some on the right but not for me personally. It is that people who normally would say mothers should, well, mother, are cheering her on in a job that will call her well away from her kids and home. Thankfully my line on women working and raising kids has always been that they should do what they feel comfortable doing, what they choose, working this out as a family, without government interference. (ie. no state funding for inequitable child care arrangements that not every woman can or will choose, like institutional day care.) 

Yesterday I had an email from another “downscale” educated woman who is thrilled with Sarah Palin–she pointed out she and her husband are working together on this one. How novel, we remarked, they are like a team.

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