On Women's Reproductive Rights
“But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”
With the torrid and vile news from my country (USA) this week, I wanted to take a moment to personally respond and state my position.
Although this is my art website and platform where I showcase my art, crafts, and my thoughts on -primarily- being an artist, I am still a member of my society and am impacted by my government’s legal decisions.
To be clear, I absolutely support human rights, and women’s reproductive rights are human rights. We are human.
Right now, my country is being threatened with a major human rights reversal. Our future as a country, as a society, as part of humanity is being threatened because some people want to take us back to an ideological past when women were considered second-class citizens instead of equal and autonomous contributors to a healthy society. Women should be trusted to make the best decisions for themselves as to how they most effectively can contribute to a complex society. Although this is the central issue, the radial arms also involve socio-economics, birth rates, class systems, and fundamentally, issues of respect for others. All of this makes this a human rights issue.
Therefore, we cannot and must not accept this (potential) reversal simply because it is the path of least resistance. We must have courage of mind, body, and spirit to make the absolute necessary changes for a healthier future. We cannot continue to “pass the buck” to an advocacy entity or a social group and make it solely their responsibility to make significant social change simply because it is too difficult, scary, or threatens our own lifestyle. We must rid ourselves of the idea that other people’s lives are not our responsibility. It is on all of us. Society is our collective responsibility.
We must have these difficult conversations with others and raise our children to be the kinds of leaders, decision-makers, and societal members of tomorrow who will represent all of us and create a future society that is all inclusive and recognizes these human rights.
We must choose reason over appetite. We must choose to act rather than react. We must choose thoughtfulness and carefulness over impulsivity and carelessness. We must choose collective responsibility over immature self-interest.
To set right the past, we must create a different future. I look forward to us creating a world where women are valued as autonomous and respected members of our society.