You
Actually Think I did
NOT give birth?!
Let me tell you something:
Abortion is Completely
Different from Stillbirth
Gawd, I swear this American culture
is the most Ack-basswards culture
on the planet. Abortion is completely
and totally different from stillbirth.
They have absolutely nothing in
common and the experiences do not
compare at all -- except possibly
in the expression of grief afterward
if anyone cares to admit there
is resultant grief after abortion.
But in our idiotic American culture
no one seems to get that the process
of birthing a stillborn child is
NOT like scheduling an appointment
for an abortion!! Seems that unless
a person has actually pushed a
stillborn child out of her own
vagina or witnessed a partner do
it, then people just think, "Oh
well, a fetus is a fetus." ARG!
When a woman CHOOSES to have an abortion, she DECIDES to not have the "fetus". She makes an appointment, pays her fees, goes to the clinic at the designated time, and the "procedure" is done. She goes home and our world pretends all her problems are now solved. Though I would argue that some women and couples need counseling support after the abortion, but okay, that's another story. In the meantime, they CHOSE to have that PROCEDURE done.
When a woman has a STILLBORN CHILD, she DID NOT DECIDE to have a dead child. She was pregnant. She wanted a CHILD. She planned a nursery, had a baby shower, got her kid on a playgroup waiting list, was fussed over out in public, shared months and months of experience with her partner. She wanted her child to be born alive. ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She did not choose to have a dead child! And, let me tell you something else: she freaking GAVE BIRTH!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you ever been with a woman who is having a stillborn??? She gives birth. She has labor pains. She screams. She has dilation. She pushes. She has an emergency c-section. She births out the placenta, cord, and dead child.
Oh, right, but you're gonna tell me that she didn't give birth. Well guess what, even women who miscarry at 21 weeks -- guess what?? They go into LABOR -- they push out fully formed bodies of their children, cords, and placenta. And in fact if they birth all that at home during the miscarriage, they are asked to save it all and bring it to the hospital!!! Do you think that family brings that child, cord, and placenta to the hospital in a garbage bag?? Do you think they feel like they are just taking refuse to the dump when they do this?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! THEY ARE TRANSPORTING THEIR DEAD CHILD WHO THEY WANTED AND PLANNED FOR TO THE GODD*MNED HOSPITAL!
Oh, right, but you're gonna tell me that she didn't give birth and so why should any women like her get birth certificates? Why should any of us be treated as parents? And when your mother dies, guess what? I'm going to stop acknowledging you as her child, because come on now, she's dead. Why should you still have status as someone's child?
Grow up, people. Look at the rest of the world. Australia, in particular, where they are very clear that abortion is a completely different thing than stillbirth. It isn't that hard. We just need all you feminists to step up to the plate now. AND YES I AM TOO A FEMINIST! I marched for choice. That meant CHOICE FOR US ALL! You get to choose your abortion. I get to choose to have my child. If my child happens to be stillborn, then I should get the choice to have my birthing process, labor, and/or c-section recognized. I did not march for your choice alone. I marched for EVERYONE'S CHOICES! Come on, now, it's time you stepped up for me, too.
For more information on
the MISSing Angel Bill
and StillBIRTH Certificates,
please see:
http://www.missfoundation.org/news/legislation.html
About
the Author
Kara is a freedom fighting guerrilla
artist who will fight tooth and
nail for the rights of every bereaved
parent!
