Pro-choice rallies today all over the country. To see the sexism in the deluge of anti-choice legislation we’ve been facing lately is a no-brainer. I only have one comment about this issue to anyone, whether they are pro or anti-choice: “If men could get pregnant, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” It’s as simple as that. And I believe that most people on either side of the controversy would have to agree with me.
If men wouldn’t hesitate to demand control over their own bodies, then how could this issue be anything but anti-women? Sexism and racism have always existed in this country, but in recent years, both of these issues have been really taking a dangerous curve.
Buni & Chemaly explore this descent in their opinion piece: The Science That Explains Trump’s Grip on White Males . The authors cite a study that indicated how differently white men perceived risk as compared to white women or non-white men and women. Why would white heterosexual men perceive risks in areas where they have historically been protected? White men don’t get pregnant, they have less chance than women of being raped, battered or harassed. They have less risk than other demographics of being shot at by police, incarcerated, or denied housing or employment. The authors claim that rather than fighting against the risks that many of us face, white heterosexual men may be more concerned with the preservation of institutionalized cultural identity and societal status. Thus, many men are drawn to Trump because he symbolizes a restoration of social status that is linked to race and gender.
Susan Casslan 