Elizabeth Pandolfo wrote:
"I've been a feminist since I entered college, but I recently have had
revelations about just how subtle the oppression of women really is, even
among those who are learned and try not to support that behavior.>>>
I have been having some of the same revelations Elizabeth, I tried to
share them on the list as I think that the opression of women is so
subtle and ingrained n the society that we cease to even notice it. I
believe that one of the biggest ways that women are still punished,
oppressed and controled is in the issues surrounding their reproduction.
I will now offer a quote from Ursula LeGuin.
It is in their sexuality that human beings can be most easily enslaved.
... The politics of the flesh are the root of all power.
The politics of the flesh are the root of all power.
I had not put it so elegantly, but this is what I have been thinking
about both personally and politically since I have been recently harshly
punished for my femaleness.
Anastasia
I think tht the first thing that will free us is having real control over
our bodies and our reproduction (and I dont mean just access to abortion
on demand, I mean that economics and social convention should not drive
women's reproductive choices and it seems to me that this is sadly still
the case.
And I wont even start with the etical issues surrounding all of the new
reproductive technology - but one question - how would you feel if you
were born of combination anonymous sperm and egg donation and carried by
a surrogate and would never in your life have any idea where your human
roots were?
Life and birth and death are still mysteries try as we might to control
or deny it.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu May 25 2000 - 19:06:22 PDT