Life and Choice
Spring 2017
We are failing women's bodies
when 97% of rapists evade conviction
responsibility
accountability
remorse
transformation,
leaving her to heal without justice.
We are failing women's bodies
when children's clothing stores insist
we cover little girls in sparkles and unicorns
limiting their imaginations and power
to pretty and nice.
We are failing women's bodies
when we teach college freshmen
how to avoid getting raped
instead of teaching college freshmen
do not rape.
We are failing women's bodies
when we mansplain the real problem
dismiss her experience
silence her voice
regulate her body
as though she is not fully human
and super human.
We are failing women's bodies when
the uterus is a pre-existing condition
and we elect a Congressman who doesn't understand
why men should also be covered for prenatal care.
Maybe he should ask his mom.
You know.
The one who carried him to term
while his male genitalia developed
in utero.
We are failing women's bodies
when we treat them like an operational loss.
No, we are people-bearing-power-houses.
Prenatal care is human care.
And if we all come from this care it should be
affordable
accessible
really fucking good.
We fail women's bodies
when we act like women get themselves knocked up
when we assume that housing a fertilized egg
is just a lady problem.
It confirms we are too often on our own
responsible for what is
unseen
inconvenient
messy
pro-bono
dark matter parenting
but that does not mean we are
insignificant
less valuable
more on the hook
in need of micro-management.
We go rogue every day
refilling our birth control prescriptions on time
paying out of pocket for health supplies
hoarding vacation days for maternity leave
pumping in closets at work
applying makeup in the daycare parking lot
getting laid off if we miss one more day with a sick kid.
We are failing women's bodies
when we assume
she wants to be a mother
she can get pregnant
she can stay pregnant
she needs our two cents
before making a profound and personal decision.
We are failing women's bodies
when we are foolish enough to think
pro-life is a stance for the unborn alone and
pro-choice a godless apathy.
We are failing women's bodies
until pro-life also fully considers
refugees
immigrants
widows
systemic racism
veterans
poverty
education
mental health
incarceration
hunger
homelessness.
Feminine human life
cannot
will not
be categorized or set aside
from the rest of human life.
Pro-life begins when we stop making the choice
to fail women's bodies,
instead hearing the decisions she must make
in a system that does not honor her deepest
strength
sacrifice
power
suffering
grace
truth
life.
We are failing women's bodies.
And yet she refuses failure
with her beautiful life and her gutsy choice
every single day.