ovary rant

I want to talk about the global gag rule.

I have wanted to for a while, but I am having trouble composing anything intelligible and persuasive. Because it bugs me on so many levels.

There is the obvious problem that I have with one nation pressuring international organizations into silence about family planning. If knowledge is power, the US is pulling the strings tied to its filthy but desperately needed money to make sure that all over the world, powerless people stay that way.

There's the obvious question of reproductive rights and choices and who gets to make them. In this case, women aren't even given the information to consider.

There's the whole hypocrisy of touting the glories of free speech and expression as the fine fruit of democracy, encouraging other nations to foster democratic forms of government while at the same time witholding information and silencing people.

And there's the fact that I hate, absolutely hate, being told to be quiet and being told to shut up. Shushing me, so that other people can speak their peace is one thing. I get carried away and need to be reminded that dialogue requires more than one voice. It's entirely warranted. But shushing me because I am too loud or to prevent me from saying something strange, stupid or disagreeable really chaps my hide. (I have an internal critic to help me with that, I don't need additional help)

And finding coercive ways of shushing people because some people who are wealthy and powerful think that every act of fertilization is a miracle and the only way to ensure that such miracles continue to occur is by keeping people in ignorance - really chaps my hide too.