Power

Women are attracted to the political life because they want to become role models.  It is the belief of women that if more women are added to power structures, more of women’s issues will be put on the agenda to change. Women account for more than half of the population and deserve the right to be represented.  Women and men experience things differently and with that being said, women have great decision-making quality that aid in politics.  Women know what children need, what other women need, and what our nation should do about making those needs available.  Most women tend to gain power in different ways then a man such as times of economic or political strains.  Benzair Bhutto, is one female leader that included women’s rights in her campaign in Israel.  Benzair Bhutto gained her power from her father’s legacy and was quite “the” feminist. She was the 11^th Prime Minister of Pakistan who served two terms. She was the first woman to lead a Muslim nation in modern times, she spoke for her Pakistanis’ hopes and needs.  Benzair Bhutto was stood strong in her belief of democracy. She was assassinated at the age of 54.  It remains in most regions men still have supremacy in power but with more women like Benzair Bhutto, women can one day soon have more placement in power.

Link to Emily's List

http://emilyslist.org/

This fundraising resource assists women with campaigns, providing them with connections, funds and additional support.

UNESCO Resource for global activism, supplemental reading

http://en.unesco.org/

Week of July 15 to July 19

 

Textbook Readings: Chapters 7 and 9

Video #4

Topics Covered:

Women and Globalization

Women in Politics

 

Assessment:

Blog Entry

Reproductive Choice

As a Christian living in the United States, women’s reproductive choice is greatly affected by the government, men, and religion. I will use contraceptives and abortion as prime examples. Although the US has a history of anti-abortion laws since at least 1900, the court cases of 1973 and 1992 established the abortion right based on a certain trimester (Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey). This affects me in the fact that legally, I can get an abortion in my first trimester if I so wished. Although this would be legal, I would be seen as “Against God” if I were to ever even consider an abortion. A Christian is “Pro-Life” NOT “Pro-Choice”, therefore they believe life starts at conception. This means they believe abortion is murder and is not allowed in this religion. In terms of contraceptives, the United States believes women have a right to these, therefore women are allowed to obtain them very easily. In a Christian religion, however, they believe in sex as only in terms of procreation and only after marriage, so they do not support any kind of contraceptives. Men affect these two things because men usually tell women what kind of contraception they will use (condom, birth control, etc.). Also, men run most of our government, who decides whether or not women are allowed or not legally allowed to obtain an abortion.

Because the United States does allow abortion, they are different from some countries. One country they are different from is Africa most definitely. While a women in the United States can get an abortion legally on request, most countries in Africa will not legalize an abortion for no reason. This includes not even for cases of rape, maternal death, mental health, socioeconomic favors, and/or fetal defects. Most African countries also have no access to any kind of family planning like Planned Parenthood in the United States, thus resulting in little knowledge of womanly health and less access, if at all, to contraceptives.

Reproductive Choice

Reproductive “rights” and reproductive choice exist as extremely controversial subjects across the world, but particularly in the United States. While undoubtedly an issue that extends itself with personal and oftentimes moral implications, the subject of reproductive choice also remains an issue highly influenced by government legislation, religion, and outside opinion.

            To commence, one should examine the issue of abortion, which is a fundamental aspect of reproductive choice. Unsurprisingly, the government holds a significant influence on abortion procedures in the United States. Abortion laws and their stringency vary depending on the state. For example, abortion laws in conservative states like Texas remain some of the strictest in the country, whereas more liberal states like New York possess simpler abortion laws with less regulations. Thus, state government holds a power over reproductive choice in that tolerance for reproductive choice items like abortion varies depending on the region, which in turn affects the accessibility of such “choice” items.

            Like government, religion influences reproductive choices in America as well. For example, many religious groups, such as Christians, believe that killing the unborn is morally wrong and offensive. However, to assert that religious groups exist as the only opponents of reproductive choice is untrue. Many people, regardless of their religious affiliation, hold abortion, sterilizations, and other reproductive “choice” aspects as morally wrong. Thus, those who believe these practices to be morally unacceptable should, in my opinion, not be demonized and viewed as intolerant.

            Likewise, as government and religion hold an authority over reproductive choices, men and their opinions also hold a certain impact over these reproductive components as well. For instance, men possess the ability to vote on issues like abortion, birth control, and other reproductive elements often seem purely as “women’s issues”. Thus, their opinion counts as equally as a woman’s opinion through voting on these issues.

            Considering these influences, the United States differs dramatically from some countries concerning reproductive decisions. For example, in the country of South Africa, abortion remains completely illegal. South Africa makes this an issue not of regional concern as the United States but of federal authority. Thus, the country limits the decision-making process severely and places an tremendous amount of power on the federal government, which is a horrible mistake in my opinion. Outlined in Constitution of the United States exists a clause that states that the federal government should have limited power while the states should possess more power in order to more efficiently govern its people, and I believe that this clause is vital to the happiness and wellbeing of US citizens, and I consider the proof of its validity through the uproar of the South African people with opposing legislations and rights. 

Supplemental Reading for Chapter 6: Development with WOmen for a New Era

DAWN