Posts tagged reproductive rights

Sorry for our recent absence - we’ve been struck by a case of welstchmerz.

Definition: from the German, meaning world-pain or world-weariness, pronounced [ˈvɛltʃmɛɐ̯ts].

According to wikipedia, weltschmerz used to denote the feeling of sadness when thinking about the evils of the world. In light of the tragedy unfolding across the Pacific Ocean and the coordinated attacks on the people of Libya, we are heavily weighed down with feelings of our own inability to do much more than sit in front of our televisions or computer screens and watch people’s lives unravel. Simultaneously, the landscape of our own country - especially the political - appears increasingly bleak. All of the following might be causing weltschmerz on you too, readers, and we thought we’d air it out:

• Outrageous spending cuts proposed in the House of Representatives, including significant cuts to National Public Radio. Does anyone remember the tax cuts for the wealthy that were passed at tremendous cost last December? Anyone?
• Global warming can no longer be called a “theory” (though some GOPers seem bent on continuing to refer to it as such) - its impact on our earth has become obvious this winter, with severe and unprecedented storms sweeping the nation. Farmers in the developing world have been dealing with global warming for years, and according to the New York Times, soon oblivious Americans will not be able to ignore its impact on even something as simple as their morning coffee.
• In Wisconsin, Republican senators destroyed collective bargaining power for state employees and undermined union rights.
• James O’Keefe and his pointless and repugnant attacks on important institutions like NPR, or Planned Parenthood.
• Increasingly abominable attacks on women’s reproductive rights that are already impacting women across the country.

Are there good things happening in the world that can assuage our weltschmerz? Please comment if so. We could use it!

With all this buzz about International Women’s Day in our news and twitter feeds, we found ourselves wondering what this day is really all about. Because a day dedicated to women couldn’t really only be about creating lists of “the most powerful women on twitter,” James Bond dressing as a woman, or buying flowers for women in our lives.

According to their website, IWD started more than 100 years ago as a day of unified, collective activism. Many of the first Days focused on labor rights and suffrage. As the event became international in scope, more advocacy campaigns were incorporated, including protests against WWI.

But, in 2011, what has IWD become? After a quick perusal of their site, it appears that the US IWD activists have little to no collective voice, demands or approach. This year’s theme is  “Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women,” which sounds blogical. But we have yet to see any media coverage of meaningful, unified IWD advocacy in the US. Are we missing something? Have you been working on a campaign that just didn’t get the same coverage as Daniel Craig in a dress?

The past few months of assaults on women’s rights across the country have been particularly troubling, and the opportunity that IWD presents to speak up for Planned Parenthood with one voice, or to demand an end to laws that make it even more difficult for women to get a perfectly legal abortion.

IWD sticks to a narrow definition of gender (trans and genderqueer voices are notably absent from its narrative). But besides just ignoring a wider definition of gender equality, IWD in the US fails to address plain ol’ sexism.

Don’t despair, women around the world are making use of the day to engage in advocacy. For example, one million women marched in Cairo to call for women’s input on the drafting of Egypt’s constitution, legislative changes that will ensure gender equality, and in tribute to the 12 women that died in protest of former Pres. Hosni Mubarak. And in Mexico City and Turkey, women protested violence against women.