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say what, now?
Aug. 11th, 2010 06:16 pmThis certainly qualifies for the strangest headline I've seen this month so far: Bill O'Reilly says Jennifer Aniston is destroying America
( In which the former Mrs. Pitt engineers the downfall of free society from Uterus HQ )
Am I in a time warp? Where have I seen this before? Oh, yeah - 20 years ago. OK, now let me see if I can reconcile everything the Religious Reich is throwing at me as a woman and would like to rely on their beliefs to legalize:
I can't have sex unless I'm married.
If I'm married, I have to have sex to satisfy my husband.
I'm really not supposed to use birth control (though some denominations are more relaxed on this point).
If I get pregnant outside of wedlock, I'm not allowed to have an abortion, because I'm certainly not allowed to have a good time without some sort of punishment.
If I get pregnant within wedlock, I'm not allowed to have an abortion, because it's just assumed I must WANT children - because why else get married? (Also conveniently the argument against gay marriage. Also goes with: All gay people are pedophiles, so for God's sake, don't let them adopt, especially if they're in pairs.)
If I get pregnant outside wedlock or get a divorce early in a pregnancy, I am not only expected to have the baby, I'm expected to either give it up for adoption or provide for all of its needs for at least 20 years.
BUT ... I'm not supposed to be a single mother. No matter how much money I make or how good a mother I might be, or no matter what kind of support network I have to provide consistent male and female role models for a child, and never mind the fact I haven't found a man worth reproducing with while I'm still physically able to have and raise children.
AND I'm supposed to magically have a job that will allow me maternity and sick leave for pregnancy and parenting, in an environment of foreign outsourcing of jobs ... championed by the same side that hates labor unions and the rights they've gained for workers over the past century-plus (including maternity leave, a shortened work week, health insurance, and, in some places, daycare provisions).
Of course, none of this applies to men. They can do as they please.
What did I leave out?
( In which the former Mrs. Pitt engineers the downfall of free society from Uterus HQ )
Am I in a time warp? Where have I seen this before? Oh, yeah - 20 years ago. OK, now let me see if I can reconcile everything the Religious Reich is throwing at me as a woman and would like to rely on their beliefs to legalize:
I can't have sex unless I'm married.
If I'm married, I have to have sex to satisfy my husband.
I'm really not supposed to use birth control (though some denominations are more relaxed on this point).
If I get pregnant outside of wedlock, I'm not allowed to have an abortion, because I'm certainly not allowed to have a good time without some sort of punishment.
If I get pregnant within wedlock, I'm not allowed to have an abortion, because it's just assumed I must WANT children - because why else get married? (Also conveniently the argument against gay marriage. Also goes with: All gay people are pedophiles, so for God's sake, don't let them adopt, especially if they're in pairs.)
If I get pregnant outside wedlock or get a divorce early in a pregnancy, I am not only expected to have the baby, I'm expected to either give it up for adoption or provide for all of its needs for at least 20 years.
BUT ... I'm not supposed to be a single mother. No matter how much money I make or how good a mother I might be, or no matter what kind of support network I have to provide consistent male and female role models for a child, and never mind the fact I haven't found a man worth reproducing with while I'm still physically able to have and raise children.
AND I'm supposed to magically have a job that will allow me maternity and sick leave for pregnancy and parenting, in an environment of foreign outsourcing of jobs ... championed by the same side that hates labor unions and the rights they've gained for workers over the past century-plus (including maternity leave, a shortened work week, health insurance, and, in some places, daycare provisions).
Of course, none of this applies to men. They can do as they please.
What did I leave out?
