Why the feminist movement needs to be an inclusive political movement with the same fundamental message
Donald Trump inspired a new awakening in the feminist movement. The Women's March on Washington occurred only one day after he was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America. Women and men in cities in the U.S and around the world including London, Paris, Barcelona, Nairobi, Berlin, Mexico City marched in solidarity with the marchers in Washington in opposition of Trump's rhetoric towards women and the values he represents.
Images of Protests in U.S cities and around the globe
London
Paris
It was amazing to see women and men united globally and also a very proud moment for democracy. Meanwhile, on Twitter, there was a discussion on how some women felt excluded from the movement because of their anti-abortion views. So, can you be a feminist or support women's movement and also oppose abortion?
First, let me begin by saying, one major issue I have always had with the women's movement in the United States is the fact that the contributions of women of color were left out of the history books. When I first introduced to U.S feminism in the 7th grade (age 12), I only learned about the likes of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. While I do believe she is one of the pioneers of the movement and I greatly respect what she and others did for the movement, I didn't hear much about Ida B. Wells, Frances Harper, and Sojourner Truth among others. Instead, those women accomplishments were linked to contributing only to racial equality. Don't get me wrong, facts about the women's rights movement and the inclusion of Black women have evolved. People are becoming more aware and acknowledging their efforts. Indeed, in my women circles ( non-Black friends included) recognize the roles Black women played in the movement. But the struggle continues, and the plight ofwomen's liberation for women of color is far greater.
Back to the matter at hand. Is there such thing as an anti-abortion feminist? Let me break it down a bit. Especially since this is a very sensitive topic.
What is a feminist?
Now, what does "rights" mean? Not the UN definition, but the actual meaning.
“A moral or legal entitlement to have or do something.”
Therefore the basic meaning of 'women's rights' is the moral or legal entitlement for women to have or do something.
Ok, so why can't a woman who is anti-abortion also be a feminist? Well, it's a little more complex. The problem with women's rights in America is that it is so closely associated with the legal cases of Roe v. Wade and Doe. v. Bolton on the issue of abortion that we forget the fundamental meaning of feminism, believing in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
Chimamanda already told us why we should all be feminist.
I am a feminist, and I am also a Christian (Catholic) who has personally chosen never to have an abortion. But I don't feel that I belong in either pro-life or pro-choice camps. I don't feel comfortable joining either of the movements because of the extremities in both organizations. I happen to believe that there is a better way of getting the pro-life message out instead of shaming women at health clinics. Similarly, for the pro-choice message, painting all women who oppose abortion as anti-feminist, submissive, or non-progressive is also not the right method. Additionally, I can't support the pro-choice movement because people continually tie pro-choice with pro-abortion. Then there's also the issue of "legal entitlements." Some argue, legal entitlements apply to a set of rights which include access to reproductive services. In other words, government just can't make it legal to have an abortion; it has to also provide access, resources, and or the infrastructure to make it viable. In having government provide access, resources, and infrastructure, some consider that to be an infringement on other rights; especially in a country where people have different interpretations of the meaning of "separation of church and state."
To be clear, I don't advocate abortion over birth, but I recognize the rights of women to decide for themselves. Moreover, just because I have chosen not to have an abortion, doesn't mean I don't respect the legal entitlement of another woman's right to choose.
Remember, women's rights on abortion is respecting the right of women to choose to have an abortion and access to reproductive health, but it is also respecting a woman's right to decide NOT to have an abortion. Let's stop focusing on these differences that will divide us and think of the BIGGER picture that drew so many crowds around the globe for the Women's March on Washington-- fighting against what Donald Trump represents and standing up for equal (and EQUITABLE) opportunity of the sexes.
~Signed Chantal Victoria — Writer, Publisher, and Academic.
Retailers' segregating products that are used mostly by women of color and labeling the section where you can find such product as, "ethnic" or in London, as I have found it, simply as "Black Haircare"