Are Women Weak?
October 17, 2007
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Yes, we women are weak. We can’t make our own health choices. After all, we often make-up symptoms to get attention, or exaggerate them to make the problem worse than it REALLY is, and in case you haven’t read, we also aren’t capable of menstruating,conceiving,carrying or birthing children without explicit directives from an OB, at least 2 ultrasounds, and a whole plethora of medical tests. It’s not possible or prudent to carry a baby in utero without peeing on dozens of little strips of paper to see if they turn color, and not possible to delivery your baby at home. Since hospital births are the only right place for weak, incapable people to deliver babies, we of course must sign away all rights to our bodies and our physical self as soon as we enter the hospital, as well as a blanket statement that permits the hospital to do with/to our newborn child whatever they medically deem necessary. After all, why should the hospital trust us to make good decisions for our children when we don’t even believe we are capable of making them for ourselves!?
I’m tired. I’m tired of women being force-fed the medical establishments propaganda of fear. I’m tired of women being treated like sheep-like we should have no say and no individual needs,wishes,dreams and desires, and the “one-size fits all” ways of “dealing with” our sacred childbearing years.
Women are capable. We are created to birth. Our bodies have, for hundreds of generations, done exactly the same things to birth children as they do now-when they are left to do it. The only difference in the Birthing scenario now, is that we don’t know how to leave it alone. Don’t know how to NOT fiddle, NOT fret, NOT fear. There is no Mystery in Birth now-no Joy in the process-no trust in ourselves and our strong Oak-like roots. Roots that go deep-touching the roots of all other women around the world. We have been lied to-segregated and turned against one another. If we were unified, this women’s rights (and RITES!) issue wouldn’t exist.
Women used to be left alone-given privacy during Birth, and now they are monitored, wired-up and cervix-checked at every interval possible. It’s no secret that non-human mammals go away to give birth, and they will often halt labor-when watched by strangers. Why do we think it’s any different for us?
As soon as you have a positive home pregnancy test, what is the very first thing most women do to care for their pregnancy? They make a doctor’s appointment. We are taught from every mainstream information source, that this is the only way REAL mothers, GOOD mothers, RESPONSIBLE mothers…and dare I say SANE mothers care for themselves and their babies. So called “birth shows”, send messages over and over, that the only responsible place to birth is in the hospital, since according to their shows, most homebirths get transferred there anyway. And while we’re on the subject, let’s refer back to the previous paragraph. Has anyone considered how having a camera, and strangers behind said camera could affect the outcome of the laboring mother’s Birth? Has anyone taken the time to think about these women who are choosing to be on camera? To warn them that it may be the psychological block that stops them from having the Birth they have been preparing for for many months!? It is my personal belief, that only women who are truly centered and understand their power, and who choose their camera person should be having this event captured on tape. It’s a big risk to trust a stranger, especially when you know it will be broadcast to millions of people everywhere-it’s a lot of pressure in such an intimate moment! I often wonder what happens when women agree to this, and then get in the middle of labor, and feel the need to be alone. Does the camera-person respect this and forfeit their project? Or do the moms have to go through with it because it was a contractual agreement? That would be good to know. Women are exploited in a lot of ways, and I’d hate for this to be one of them. Especially when so many of us watch these shows.
There isn’t anything more foundational for worldwide human rights, women’s rights, ending of abuse and yes (as cliche’ as it sounds)-peace on earth, than gentle, women-centered, non-medicalized, sacred birth and instinctive, natural parenting.
And to answer the question in the subject line of this post: No. Women are NOT weak. We are not the “weaker” sex, (have you ever SEEN a man with a head-flu?) we are not incapable of making the right choices for our bodies, our babies or our Births. It’s time to reconnect with the power that we hold. Time to start changing what is wrong about our world. Time to rise-up with indignation at the ways our bodies are treated in the media, and in the beautiful moments of our childbearing/birthing years. It’s time to demand dignity and respect. Time to take back our CHOICE to Birth when, where, and how we choose.
Time to feel your roots ladies.
~Marcie
Author of: “She Births: A Modern Woman’s Guidebook For an Ancient Rite of Passage”
Creator of: Bloomin’ Belly Soaps (www.bloominbellysoaps.com )
*Get involved in the movement! Train to be a She Births Workshop Facilitator!
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6 Responses to “Are Women Weak?”
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Wow Marcie great post. You reminded me of something my mother has always told me about her birth experience with my older sister. She said the nurses tied down her arms to the bed, and when she inquired and complained, they told it was so she wouldn’t TOUCH THE BABY.
Imagine that – a mother touching her baby as she births it.
You know, looking back I regret having my birth videotaped. It makes me very uncomfortable to even watch them. While I wonder if it’s a good thing, so that my daughters at least can watch their own births and see how normal birth looks, I can hardly watch them at all, especially with someone else in the room.
And with my third birth, the midwife made me leave the room and go be by myself in my bed because she sensed that my progress was being slowed because of the crowding in my kitchen and living room. LOL!
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Awesome post, just awesome.
Loved it! I was laughing and nodding and laughing and I think I even let out a shout. Ha! You go girl!
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Thank you for writing this piece…I wish every woman in the US would have to read an article like this before having a baby…
Angela