Most times, what I share takes a large amount of courage, understanding, and compassion for myself and others. Today is no exception.
Though it’s not often I share my stand on hot topics or issues, the news from SCOTUS led me to choose to express my feelings and beliefs on a topic related to women’s choices.
After reading the entire leaked draft in question, once more my mind found a question I have asked myself 100 times or more.
“Why have we, as women, allowed others to choose for us?”
I’m beyond my childbearing years; however, that does not exclude me from care and concern about the generations of women behind me and those in future generations.
As a woman, I have fought labels, definitions, rules, and guidelines about what beauty is, when to or not to marry, whom to marry. If we choose not to have children, we must need therapy because there’s something wrong with us. Women have had to fight for their place in the halls of education and the workplace. We put up with sexual harassment IN the workplace, teachers, clergy, and doctors molesting and sexually violating us in public institutions. We suffer in silence through marital rape. Many of your grandmothers and mothers suffered cervical and breast cancer as a result of the controversial contraceptive, The Pill.
Ironic, it’s 2022 and we have made some gains, however, the invisible boundaries have not changed for women throughout history. It’s no wonder women struggle with creating a solid self-conception. We have accepted too many invisible boundaries.
What is it? What stops us from demanding the right to choose how we conduct our lives? How do these barriers sneak by us — these definitions, labels, and invisible boundaries? Were we too comfortable? Too trusting? Too exhausted from fighting? Did we believe the wooing and assurances that if we followed all of the steps, played by the rules, we would be safe and taken care of?
“A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze.” The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
We are closer now than ever to losing our right as women to choose. If Roe v Wade is overturned, It will be up to the individual states to ban or protect abortion rights.
This isn’t only about Roe v Wade. This is placing a spotlight on the invisible boundaries for all women to take a long look at. IMO, if this is overturned, it will send the message women are “not capable” of choosing what happens to, or inside our bodies.
Who has the authority to decide what is, or is not best for a woman’s body?
I don’t have the answers to my questions, I only can answer them for myself.
I trusted the conversations about my well-being too much, for the wrong reasons. I believed that I would be kept safe, by the wrong people. It took me more than 3/4 of my life to learn to trust my voice. Now, I’m watching with horror and heartache as all women are at risk.
The right to choose is being threatened by people who have NO right to “define” what is best for a woman. I don’t see this as a religious or political choice or argument. Why is a woman’s body on the table for discussion?
I’m terrified women will once more be returned to the days of bearing unwanted children because birth control could be targeted next. Please, don’t fool yourself into believing that couldn’t happen.
Women my age never dreamed that we would be here again. I never thought I’d see this day come, where women are once again fighting for the right to choose what they believe is appropriate for themselves.
If there was ever a time to pay attention to what’s going on in your environment, NOW is that time. Educate yourself, and no matter what your stance is, please, stand up to protect your rights as a woman, for all women.
🤍🕊️ Sher Unbound