The Audacity of Some Men
In June, Roe v. Wade was controversially overturned, sparking outrage across the nation and disappointment in many women everywhere. Despite the initial disappointment, there was some hope left since states could deal with abortion on their own, meaning states outlawed abortions hearing the news of the overturning, while others promised to be a haven for women needing an abortion.
Then on September 13th, it was announced that states’ ability to write their own abortion rules may be jeopardized because Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a bill that would impose a nationwide ban on abortions after a certain time.
Upon hearing such news, my first thought was, ‘the nerve, the audacity. It’s incredibly frustrating as a woman, a woman of color even, that despite all the other struggles that come with being female, a man thinks he has the authority over my body. He feels that he can tell me what and when I can do something that deals with my body.
Initially, Lindsey Graham even wanted individual states to create their own abortion laws. But now he has changed his philosophy and added he still wants states to still write their own abortion rules, but those rules must be incredibly restrictive, to the point where abortion is only allowed under special circumstances. What?
Graham believes this bill would put the U.S. “in line with the science and the civilized world.” Okayyy.
What stuck out to me even more upon doing further research on Graham’s personal life was not only is Lindsey Graham unmarried. He has remained single for most of his life and has no children of his own. Yet he dares to feel he can regulate what women do or don’t do to their bodies. The audacity of some men.
The fact that Lindsey Graham is an unmarried bachelor with no children is significant. I’d probably understand Graham having some opinion if he was married or had his own children, but he doesn’t belong in either of those categories. So, it’s infuriating, to say the least, to know that Graham is trying to regulate a bill against women. How can he even remotely relate to the circumstances, it takes for someone to decide whether to remain pregnant or have an abortion? It’s appalling that this bill is coming from someone who doesn’t even know what it’s like to have or raise a child. He does not have the experience it takes to make sound judgments in this situation.
It angers me because not only does he not understand how this bill will significantly and negatively impact women in the U.S. if it passes, but it confirms what we, as women feel about the turnover of abortion rights. The controversy behind banning abortion was for control and putting women in their place. Telling women what men would allow and not allow them to do. The GOP is distancing itself from Senator Graham, reluctant to abandon its previous position on abortion.
With California entering its general election in November and among the countless propositions to vote on, there is Prop 1, titled Constitutional Right to Reproductive Freedom, which would amend the state constitution to guarantee a right to an abortion and contraceptives. A vote yes on the proposition would allow the California Constitution to be changed to expressly include existing rights to reproductive freedom. That said, voters will get to decide if it goes through on November 8th. However, the question being asked is, with the likelihood of Prop 1 passing being moderately high, how well would Prop 1 hold up against Graham’s bill or others that might get introduced? Only time will tell, apparently.