The news that no one’s waited for is finally here- Sen. John McCain has picked Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate. Thanks to the relative anonymity of Palin, media outlets are devoting a great deal of time to her, effectively pushing Obama’s historic acceptance speech out of the limelight. Wall Street Journal, a “serious” and “respectable” media publication, just dedicated an entire feature to Palin’s workout routine. And let the sexism begin!
One of the more interesting points emerging about Palin is that she’s a self-professed “feminist.” Feminists for Life, a rabidly anti-choice group, claims that Palin has been a member of the organization since 2006. Now, if you look through the FFL website, some parts clearly resonate with me- the group rejects violence and discrimination against women. Where the organization differs from feminists like me is their stance on abortion. Republican women (and men) have appropriated the word “choice,” casting it as some sort of catchall phrase for abortion. In reality, “choice” has less to do with abortion and more to do with giving women the tools to make their own reproductive decisions. If one considers reproductive rights to be a bundle of rights, then abortion is merely a tool, alongside adoption and contraception. This brings me to an issue I often struggle with: can a feminist be pro-life?
I’m the leader of a feminist group on campus but I’m hardly the authority on the movement. Nevertheless, in my experience, feminists have focused far too many of their efforts on abortion rights. This bothers me largely because, to this day, abortion makes me uncomfortable. Now, before my feminist card is revoked, let me explain where I’m coming from. In many ways, I consider myself “pro-life.” Heck, I used to be anti-abortion. Thankfully, my political views have evolved over the years but to this day, I don’t support the death penalty, euthanasia, offensive or defensive wars. Some small part of me still wonders if abortion amounts to murder and this makes me feel awful. I often reserve harsh words for pro- “lifers” but underneath the sarcasm and anger, I feel guilt. Not because abortion “stops a beating heart” but because we can never be sure.
Despite this, I’m still pro-choice only because the movement offers real alternatives to abortion. It’s why I’ve worked with organizations like Planned Parenthood (which I dislike but that’s another post) and Campaign for Healthy Families- because these groups care about decreasing abortions. While folks like Palin equate abortion with murder and engage in harmful rhetoric, pro-choice organizations are actually taking steps to prevent unwanted pregnancies through the promotion of contraception use and comprehensive sex education. So, yes, I’m pro-life but only if we choose to expand the meaning of that phrase.
Feminism, like reproductive rights, has often been misrepresented by conservatives and the choice of Palin as V.P. is a perfect example. Republicans promote harmful anti-woman policies (like unequal pay and decreased reproductive rights) with the help of strong women like Sarah Palin and Carly Fiorina. They think that feminists (and women, in general) vote with their ovaries, not their brains. Remember when Sen. Hillary Clinton “cried” at a campaign stop in New Hampshire and Bill Kristol attributed her victory in the state primary to women feeling sorry for her. I’m not sure if Republicans are really this stupid but it doesn’t matter. Feminists don’t appreciate the condescension and will see McCain for what he really is.
-Indira
