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I'm Not Catastrophizing, I swear: Things Are Actually Really Bad.

In the interest of brevity, I'll put it simply: our world is going to pot.

This is the sentiment I feel each time I pick up my phone -- not a day goes by that I do not discover a new horrible thing or person. And unfortunately, most of the recent monumental changes to women's rights, especially reproductive rights happen to fall into this category of situations. So let's take a look at just a few of these depressing developments:

  1. Fetuses Are On Their way to Achieve Personhood Since the Alabama decision to ascribe personhood to fertilized embryos, many other states have re-evaluated their definitions of personhood. In Colorado, on March 2nd, Representative Scott Bottoms proposed a bill that would assign personhood at conception. Though it is important to note that this legislation did not pass, the testimonies in its favor are appalling. Representatives that testified in its favor compared abortion to the Holocaust, and used various religious reasons in their defense. They acknowledged their lack of medical expertise but argued that abortions are never a necessity and that one does not need medical expertise to know "when a human life is created." A similar situation took place in Iowa. This bill was also blocked from advancement, but, had it been passed, it would have made "the death of an unborn person" a felon, consequently criminalizing IVF. Lastly, Kentucky legalized the right for parents to collect child support for fetuses up to one year after the child was born. Though this may not seem negative, it is important to consider its implications. Something most people do not realize, (and I frankly hadn't until I conducted my research for this article) is that not only are these statutes biologically ridiculous, but they can also easily be misused. For instance, in Missouri, there have been cases of statutory rape where rapists have asked to factor in the age of the fetus they implanted into the victim to dismiss child abuse charges on themselves.

  2. Missouri Can Cure Your Trauma With A Child On February 7th, Missouri issued an abortion ban that did not make exceptions for incest or rape cases. Senator Rick Brattin likened abortions to slavery. As if this wasn't appalling enough on its own, he also stated that "the innocent person caught in-between that, by God’s grace, may even be the greatest healing agent you need in which to recover from such an atrocity.” Indeed, this senator argued that carrying out a pregnancy brought on by the trauma of sexual assault could be a cathartic experience for the victim. This legislation is currently in effect in Missouri.

  3. Arizona is living in 1864 On April 9th, an Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the states can still enforce an abortion law that's been present in legislation since 1864. Abortion is illegal at conception and anyone who aids someone in receiving one could serve between two and five years in prison. This law also has no exceptions for cases of assault of incest, but only to save a woman's life. Recently, hope that this law could be repealed has been quashed -- Republican GOP leaders actively avoided the discussion of its repealment twice. According to Representative Teresa Martinez, "Pregnancy is not an illness. It should be celebrated. It is an abortion that terminates life." It is important to recognize the vagueness of this statement. What does it mean to make abortion legal in life-threatening cases only? This broadness of this definition has taken away healthcare from many women who needed it, and will continue to do so.

  4. As always, Florida Is A Disappointment The Supreme Court of Florida has recently instituted a six-week abortion ban. This is catastrophic, not only for Floridians but for neighboring states as well. Prior to this legislation, which will take effect on May 1, one in twelve abortions in the US were happening in Florida. However, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote on abortion laws later this year in November. All of Florida's surrounding states have six-week abortion bans, while Florida had a 15-week ban before this ruling. At six weeks, many pregnant people aren't even aware of their pregnancies. That makes this ban a near-total abortion ban, and leaves only North Carolina as an abortion-safe state:

5. The Supreme Court Vs. Birth Control

Mifepristone is one of the most easily accessible forms of medical abortion, and the most commonly used. It's a prescribed birth control pill that blocks the hormone progesterone, which blocks pregnancies from progressing. This form of abortion has been especially beneficial to those living in states with restrictive abortion laws. The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments as to whether this medication should be regulated. The decision for this ruling is expected to arrive by late June, and at its worst, would restrict the access to mifepristone in all states as well as lower the maximum window it can be used to just seven weeks (the current window is up to ten weeks).

6. Personal Anecdote: Feminists Should Be More Inclusive!

Though this is by no means a monumental event for women's rights, I felt it was fitting to air my grievances and close this article with a personal experience.

Last week, I came across an article by a self-proclaimed male feminist. (If you wish to share in my outrage, please go read it!) Before this incident, I'd heard about the concept of mansplaining but had been f fortunate enough to not have bore the brunt of this male tendency. However, as I read that article, I truly grasped the meaning of this word. This man made the argument that, although he was a feminist, he understood why many men weren't. In his eyes, feminists were overly critical of men, unappreciative of the efforts of male feminists, and not concerned enough about male issues. He encouraged his female audience to be "true feminists" and include men in conversations about women's rights, and told his male audience to seek these "true feminists." He pushed for inclusivity for "the good men."

One of the most shocking things about this article was how much conviction this man had in what he was saying. The simple truth did not strike him once -- the oppressor will never be comfortable when the oppressed find a voice.

As a man, even as a "good man," it will be uncomfortable for someone to give up their privileges. Someone who is unfairly given an advantage cannot reasonably be expected to be included in a conversation between the disadvantaged. And more than that, they cannot be expected not to be criticized for their role in maintaining inequality.

The author also talked about how "smart feminists" appealed to male issues when trying to get men to join the feminist movement. The ridiculousness of this argument truly shocks me. The author fails to realize that the feminist movement does not need validation from men. It does not have to appeal to men to be successful or valid. However, more importantly, it should not be questioned whether one is a feminist or not. Equality is the most basic human right, and if someone cannot comprehend this, it isn't the victim's task to appeal to the oppressor's ego.


This concludes my administration of the regular bitter dose of medicine. Ignorance may be bliss, but knowledge is power! Remember to use your voice and get educated!


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